Softwater 2011 Goals

[spinnerbaitking]

Figure out how to use my 798si, so I can find that structure on my smaller lakes that I know I've been missing, beat some of my PB & add some inches for OFC's Team #10 Size Matters, 1st place finish :Gonefishing:

SBK

[Musky or Specks]

Dig out some 15" - 20" specks on the flyrod during my canoe trip up to ........... Also to finally land a fifty and try to get out fishing more with my son before he leaves for university and the nest.

[MCTFisher9120]

O did I mention I wan't the biggest bass on OFC for 2011

[RoyF]

I just want to catch a real fish! I started fishing again last year, and only caught some small sun fish, and other little fish.... I want to catch a nice bass something that I will have fun to reel in.

 

Roy

[Woodsman]

My goal is simple.

Get out more often & have fun.

Type of fish or style of fishing means very little to me.

[johnl]

a 50 inch musky or atleast real high 40's got my pb 43 last year,that huge two foot resident brown i lost last year in a creek thats 4 feet across and a foot and a half deep !a pb brookie that would be 10 inches or bigger

[muskymatt]

To catch my first on the fly rod.

 

Having done much practice casting and attended casting clinics, seminars, symposiums and read a couple books, I am ready for the water and have fies, leaders, tippets and a 5wt, 6wt and 8wt rods I hope to be able to get one of each of these this year

 

Gar pike

Rainbow trout

LM bass

SM bass

Walleye

Pike

Brookies

Striper (going to NB this summer for a tournament)

Crappie

and a few other salmonoids if possible

 

And.....to increase my pb muskie on the Ottawa to a legal fish of 54"

[Live2fish85]

I plan to catch lots of Smallmouth, Largemouth and walleye on Lake Erie and Musky and pike up north along with whatever else chooses to take my hook. lol

[GBW]

To catch my first on the fly rod.

 

Having done much practice casting and attended casting clinics, seminars, symposiums and read a couple books, I am ready for the water and have fies, leaders, tippets and a 5wt, 6wt and 8wt rods I hope to be able to get one of each of these this year

good goal! I'm going to dust of my fly rod this year too (I hope)

[BillM]

Oh, I forgot the mammoth gar of the BOQ this year on the fly

[ehg]

My goal for 2011 soft water will be to get fishing.. period.. and I'll be happy.

Same here Irishfield.

If i can get out, my goal will be to catch a pike in FMZ 17 but not in Dalrymple.

[crappieperchhunter]

Get the grandson..he will be 3 in July..out with grandpa fishing . Neither of my kids got the fishing bug...so I'm hoping he will warm up to it. Bluegills, perch & crappies in the kawartha's and then we will go from there.

[Homer Is King]

You nailed it woodsman, Get out have fun. If my kids want to come out again it was a successful trip!

 

Here's my plan for Success:

 

I hope to get out with the kids for some crappie on the Kawarthas this spring. Try and up all of our PB!

My buddy does a lot of Salmon fishing and I'm trying to get out for some "Spring King's". He says they put up an amazing fight!

This summer I hope to hit the kawarthas for some more panfish action! I might try and get my older kids onto a bass or two.

I might be headed to Lake Kennisis for a crack at my first soft water Laker. At least the kids will hammer the Rock Bass!

We've got a 2 week camping trip planned for McRae point on Simcoe. I want to try and get the kids on some fast perch action. I hope to beat my PB smallie.

I'm hoping to get my first Muskie in the boat. I'll have to plan a few trips to Scugog and Pigeon.

 

I then plan to hit Simcoe for some early ice Perch.

[muddler]

The kids and I made the plans for this summer. Although I got 7 walleye over 30 inches, each of the kids (son 12, daughter 10) want to catch one. So we will stake out a couple of evening outings.

 

My son wants to try surfacing fishing this summer too. He's got the baitcaster down pretty good so we'll see if can get a 6lb+ smallmouth on top.

 

muddler

[Guest gbfisher]

My goal for 2011 soft water will be to get fishing.. period.. and I'll be happy.

 

 

Hear that!

[PainInTheBass]

Many anglers get stuck in a rut when fishing, complacent to continue to do only those things with which they are comfortable. While some are content with this, others are not. I am one of the latter. I long to better myself as an angler; to be more flexible and adaptable to the varying conditions I may face. As such, I have come up with 3 goals for myself this coming softwater season (these goals are discussed more colourfully and in greater detail on my blog if you care to read it lol);

• This is The Year of the Soft Plastics - For countless anglers, soft plastics are their go-to lures. Often I read that anglers will throw soft plastics in 80-90% of fishing situations. I, on the other hand, use soft plastics perhaps 10% of the time. I want soft plastics to become confidence lures for me as well but learning how to fish them effectively.
• Thou Shalt Keep a Fishing Log - One of the things that I have read about successful anglers is how they meticulously keep records of the fish they caught, the lures and presentation used, and the conditions used. The purpose of this log is, over time, to be able to develop patterns for fish that will help you in the future when you encounter various fishing conditions. With that said, I will keep a log of my fishing outings this year on my blog. I will include various details that should allow me to be able to apply my experience to my future outings.
• Don't Gimme No Lip - Two years ago, I bought a bunch of lipless crankbaits and did not have much success with them and quickly resorted to my confidence lures. This year, I am planning on learning to fish these lures properly; to learn the various retrieves that will make these lures successful; and the conditions for which lipless crankbaits are ideal. This year, when I reach for a crankbait, I don`t want no lip for my first crankbait out of the box.

[goteeboy]

My goals are to learn simcoe smallies. Never really tried that before. Related to that I want to become more skilled at dropshotting.

 

I also want to improve on my crankbait techniques.

 

And teach my boys how to use a baitcaster.

Edited March 21, 2011 by goteeboy

[goteeboy]

Ditto on the senkos

 

I want to rip-jig some weed walleye, and to justify my senko collection by actually catching some bass with them!

[bigbuck]

Wayne, from your lips to the big guy up there's ears! I hope you get out there with your fishing partner this summer.

 

My goals are to get out more and be able to spend more time power fishing as opposed to just an hour here and there.

My list of goals:

48+ inch musky

42+ inch pike

3+ lb smallie

3+ lb largie

any walleye for the pan

slab crappies (agian, for the pan)

[MCTFisher9120]

Many anglers get stuck in a rut when fishing, complacent to continue to do only those things with which they are comfortable. While some are content with this, others are not. I am one of the latter. I long to better myself as an angler; to be more flexible and adaptable to the varying conditions I may face. As such, I have come up with 3 goals for myself this coming softwater season (these goals are discussed more colourfully and in greater detail on my blog if you care to read it lol);

• This is The Year of the Soft Plastics - For countless anglers, soft plastics are their go-to lures. Often I read that anglers will throw soft plastics in 80-90% of fishing situations. I, on the other hand, use soft plastics perhaps 10% of the time. I want soft plastics to become confidence lures for me as well but learning how to fish them effectively.
• Thou Shalt Keep a Fishing Log - One of the things that I have read about successful anglers is how they meticulously keep records of the fish they caught, the lures and presentation used, and the conditions used. The purpose of this log is, over time, to be able to develop patterns for fish that will help you in the future when you encounter various fishing conditions. With that said, I will keep a log of my fishing outings this year on my blog. I will include various details that should allow me to be able to apply my experience to my future outings.
• Don't Gimme No Lip - Two years ago, I bought a bunch of lipless crankbaits and did not have much success with them and quickly resorted to my confidence lures. This year, I am planning on learning to fish these lures properly; to learn the various retrieves that will make these lures successful; and the conditions for which lipless crankbaits are ideal. This year, when I reach for a crankbait, I don`t want no lip for my first crankbait out of the box.

 

 

Good post, I'm on the same path. Each season I try and master/learn a new technique or two. Last season it was flipping and pirching jigs, being good at fishing froggy's and spinnerbait fishing...season before that it was things like small topwaters and some plastic fishing, this season it's about swimbaits, and fishing deep water structure for bass....without good electronics.

 

That's what fishing should be about, learning new techniques and being versatile. As a young angler I will be in the tournament scene once through college so why not spend a hundred days each season in a boat fishing and learning...It's what I love

[Harrison]

Being a hard core jig fisherman for bass, it will be hard to drop that rod. But, I would like to try dailing in cranks a bit more for largies.

 

Also, I AM GOING TO TRY THIS - THIS YEAR, I have to engrave that in my brain. I have an idea to use a slip float for finiky bass around weedlines and other structure when there is a undergrowth. I've pondered it for a few years now.. but sometimes it's tough to try new things when you are pressed for time on the water. I figure this would still give a vertical presentation when you usually have to fish this water horizontally to avoid burying your bait in the undergrowth/silt. I AM GOING TO TRY THIS - THIS YEAR.

Edited March 21, 2011 by Harrison

[Ricky Bobby]

50" Muskie

 

30 lb king

 

Figure out my new downriggers and dipsy rigs and use my new boat with my wife and daughter.

 

Safe season to everyone

[Squid]

Fish the big waters for big muskie, 54inches +

[cuzza]

First and foremost get out more, so I can....

 

Catch a pike on a fly (never caught a pike so may as well kill two birds with one stone)

Explore more local area streams

Catch a Canadian carp - on a fly would be nice but I'm not too fussy

 

I too need to start a fishing journal (thanks for the reminder PainInTheBass!)

[bucktail]

Hopefully to just get out this year.

If my one trip holds up this year a 55"+ musky. I really think if my back holds up and I get to my spot I stand a 50% chance of getting one.

That and to find some pike and smallies along the north shore of Lake O during the summer.

Edited March 21, 2011 by bucktail