DoubleDigits

In a tournament, no. But playing a round with yer buddy? That's a hole in one!! (depending on who hits it, you or your buddy). Speaking of hole in ones, did you know that Kim Jong Il had 11 holes in one the first round of golf he ever played? Just imagine if he had taken lessons...but i digress

I got into a big school the other day on Cooks. Come to think of it, I caught my PB Cisco! Or, wait...did I? lol

Guilty of digression, for sure. Sorry about that. Illogical, possible, but i doubt it. Rant, definitely not. Relax

What if you went out with a buddy who was a muskie expert, who put u on fish that you otherwise wouldn't be on. Would the 50"er you catch not count??? Wouldn't that catch be just as valuable (if not more, since you were using proper technique and gear) than a muskie u accidentally catch on a jig head while walleye fishing???

I used to feel this way about guided catches, especially when me and my buddy had a little big fish contest a few years back...I paid out the $100, but felt like his Costa Rican buddy wasn't part of the wager! Now, i see it differently. Very difficult, and in my opinion, unwise to attempt to really learn or experience completely different species and styles of fishing in different waters and parts of the world without the guidance of local experts...Getting a guide on your 'home waters', just to crack a big fish that you've never been able to...another story

Of course, foul hooked, or OOS fish should be quickly released...not thinking about the law or legal or best practices here...just the nonlegal, subjective idea of fishing PBs.

This is interesting, regarding the PB...following the logic above I take it that no fish would qualify as a 'personal best', if it was A, not within the anglers possession limit or B, not caught by legal means. Sooo... an 8 pound LM, with one treble hooked in the outside of the chin, and none inside the mouth...sorry, no PB for you, you're still stuck on that 4lb mark. CPR'd a 14 lb BOQ eye, while u have a limit of eaters in the box? Sorry, no PB there, like it never happened. Accidentally caught a sturgeon in Lake O, that was twice the size of one u accidentally landed 10 years earlier? It actually wasn't twice the size, because the sizes of these unretainable fish do not exist in this dimension. Catch your biggest ever Cobia, that happens to be half an inch under the 36" minimum, not only not a PB, but you're a chump if you take a pic. I fully agree that catching a fish out of season, or foul hooked, or under/over slot puts a big asterisk on the catch, but things like personal bests are just that, personal.

I saw the episode, and it was cool to see. I had always wondered if he would come to the Kawarthas.

I am on my second president, and love it. The first one died after a year of heavy abuse fishing in saltwater (used it for 2-3 years before that with no problems)

Awesome!

They're nice and warm, but if u go for a swim, you will sink like a stone. Correct?

Who are we to judge the public political statements of public figures?? I don't know...the public? No one in the US has lost ANY rights, or liberties due to Obama's admin. This is not debatable.

What a dope. I wonder what rights and liberties this millionaire athlete has lost thanks to Obama??? None. Misinformation and anger, a popular and troubling combination.

The 14 day outlook looks pretty terrible. Looks like my new lx5, pop-up, heater, boots and lures will have to wait it out a little while longer...

Thanks! Just got one. Hope it fits her(!?)

Wow. Imagine what the last one will go for??

That's the right time for the Cobe's for sure. Casting at mantarays and turtles... It was a small one, but the first I've landed, and special for sure. The biggest lost battle of my life was a cobia in the 80 lb range in Australia a few years ago, on bass tackle. Albright slipped after 50 mins...

Thanks guys. Weedline, Next time he's in Canada we should all get out for a fish.

Happy New Year to all the fisherpeople here at OFC. I read this board all the time, but rarely contribute. If winter ever arrives, I hope to put up some frozen fish pics over the next few months. Anyhow, I just got back from an awesome visit with family in central Florida, and thought I would post a few of our better catches. My brother, who lives in Australia was visiting, and we were determined to fish pretty hard. The goal was to go offshore (which is what he is used to), do some sight fishing inshore, and to catch big buckets in the fresh. We went out with an excellent captain out of Port Canaveral, and despite 20 kt winds, managed to fill the box with big King Mackerel, slow trolling dead sardines. A cobia came up to play by the boat, and was more than willing to chomp the bucktail. Sight fishing tailing redfish and sea trout with Capt. Jim Ross in the famous Mosquito Lagoon was an unreal experience. The guy is a wizard, and put us on fish when everyone else was really struggling. Making a pinpoint cast in the clutch is never easy, but when you do, I think its the best thing in fishing. The best fishing moment of the entire trip, and my fishing life so far, was solely provided by my girlfriend who joined us for four short, awesome days. She got into a zone with the bass like I'd never seen before, steadily outfishing my brother and I one evening. She was throwing a wacky 3" Senko in green and white, and was steadily hammering 1 to 3 lbers. My brother and I were swinging for the fences, with big 10" Mann's Jelly Worms. The old 'even an elephant eats a peanut' adage beat out the 'big bait, big fish' theory that night, and thanks to some truly excellent angling, and steely nerves...she made our entire trip, by landing this beautiful, gigantic bass on 6 lb line. My PB largemouth weighed 9.1 (caught 3-4 years ago) and all I can say is, this one was bigger, longer, and fatter. Thanks for looking, and Happy New Year

Any tips for a Simcoe 6 lber in November? Shoelace maybe???

If only he could remember it!

Looks like you really lit 'em up

All true.

I recently read an interesting article on In-Fisherman that suggests that while the gobies have fattened mature fish, overall, numbers are way down. http://www.in-fisherman.com/content/state-smallmouth/3 I'm not an Erie bass fisherman, so I don't know either way.

Don't be too quick to fall for anything. This article included. I have no real interest or knowledge on the subject, but the article throws out a number of unsubstantiated claims that sound an awful lot like shilling for the Canadian salmon farming industry. A quick google search finds that the author is a one-issue "independent" blogger, who has worked for and taken money from...wait for it...the Canadian salmon farming industry. When an 'expert' is attacking scientists and environmentalists in the same breath, there is usually an industry footing the bill somewhere.