Which fishing year would you consider to be your very best?

[Leecher]

Well first and foremost, I’d like to apologize to those that were offended by the words I posted in my last thread I’m truly sorry Not intentional but got caught up in the moment at the time of posting

 

Of all the years I’ve been fishing, 2008 and 2009 were my most productive years to date To start, 2008 was the year of abundance… the year, where I was out fishing every weekend, rain or shine or snow and got into a multitude of different species of fish…. it was absolutely phenomenal!!! The long hours spent on soft & hard water, was time well spent amongst friends

 

2009 was the year of quality, not as much time spent on soft & hard water, but nonetheless, some great moments that I soon not forget. I’ve made a couple of videos of those two years to share… I know you’ve seen most of them but I’m proud of what we, the amigos have accomplished

 

I’d like to know your story, so please, go ahead and post away!!!

Leechman

 

p.s. Forgot to say that 2008 video the pics go by real fast since there's so many

 

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Edited December 17, 2011 by Leechman

[timmeh]

Hopefully the next one.

[solopaddler]

Back when I was younger my user name actually meant something.

 

I've completed a great many lengthy solo canoe trips but the summer of '96 was special.

 

I started my trip on May 12 and finished it on Sept 15.

 

Over the course of those 4 months I paddled over 1200 km's by myself and managed to fish some of the finest brook trout waters in the world.

 

Fabled trout rivers like the Asheweig, Winisk, Frog, Fawn and Severn were my playground.

 

I ate when I was hungry, slept when I was tired and fished 'till my hearts content. I carried my shelter on my back, transportation was my canoe.

 

It really drove home to me how little one needs to be truly happy.

 

Every day was an adventure seeing new and amazing country at every turn.

 

It instilled a confidence in me that I still carry with me to this day.

 

That year will never again be repeated, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity.

[DRIFTER_016]

I would have to say my best year was back in 1999.

I spent 15 years guiding on Great Bear Lake and I get as much if not more pleasure out of my guests catching their fish of a lifetime as I do catching my own.

 

1999 was "my" year at the lodge with my clients landing at least one laker over 40#'s each week of the season. The best week of the season was the first week of August. My guests caught 7 of the 10 biggest fish of the week. The smallest fish on the board that week was 43#'s and my guest's biggest fish was 64#'s just 2#'s shy of the world record at the time.

[bigugli]

With all the years of fishing under the belt, I can't say I have a best year. The only bad years were those where I let everything get in the way of fishing.

I can relate to 2 special years. In 2003 I made a trip, with my son, back to a lake I spent much of my childhood. It was my first time back in 20 years. It was something to be able to share the stories, the history, of that place with my son, and even run into a couple of the oldtimers. Best was taking my son to some of my favourite holes and having them be just like i left them, but a better bite, from so many years back.

Roll forward 3 years to L Dalrymple at the resort. We booked a week with my family, my Mother, and my Uncle Harry from Nova Scotia. I was so tickled to be able to spend a week fishing with my Mom and Uncle. Being able to get them to be out fishing together (first time in 40 years. Having the pleasure of getting my uncle out in the boat despite his leg irons. He had to crawl in and out of the boat, but dammitall if he was going to let it stop him.

I can say that this year has been a great year for perchin both in spring and fall. Of course I have some great fishing partners.

 

Sometimes its not just about the volumes of fish you got but, rather, the journey, and the company one has had the pleasure of keeping.

Edited December 13, 2011 by bigugli

[dhickey]

Ihave been one of the fortunate. had many good years

 

The best was 97 couldnt do anything wrong on soft water.

2006 on hard water was insain as well.

 

But my fondest memory was in 97 when my 3 1/2 yr old son could through a lure 50-70 ft and he hooked into a monster that tore his light weight rod and real into pieces. Still have the rod and real. I had the dam fish in my hand and lost it

 

Later that year AWSUME/INSAIN The fishing gods smiled on me that year

[Twocoda]

Im going to have to say 2001 has been the best for me ...my 12 year old son (at the time) started fishing with me as a team in derbies...it was time to teach him the ins/outs/ups and downs of derby fishing for salmon and rainbows on lake Huron..my goal was to get his name on the leaderboard and he acheived that with a rainbow in the trout catagory weighing in at 14+ pounds....his first monster....( i can still hear his screams of excitement when he seen the big male slide into the net ...what a celebration we had out on the water....my goal was achieved....now it was time to place my name on the board in the salmon catagory....although there were many fish (salmon 57, lakers 4,) we caught over the next days to the end of the derby...it wasnt until the last day of the derby i hooked into the the winning fish (26+ pounds...and proved to my son that persistence, sleep deprivation and FUN has it rewards....between the two of us we pulled tens of thousands of dollars in prizes for that derby.... Home for a couple of weeks to regroup/recover then off to the next derby on Georgian....applying the same techniques of determination we out fished EVERYONE... day in and day out... but with nothing significant to put his name on the board...UNTIL.... we find ourselves all alone in the dark (no moon) about 11 miles out in 290 feet of water and the rod fires off almost ripping out of the holder..my son grabs it and after a thirty or so minute battle of him and a King that used the depth many times to its advantage he lands the fish into the net...at this very moment he became a Salmon fisherman for life!!! The fish weighed in at 24+ pounds and would have secured second place prizes for that day but the scales were closed ( by a few minutes)....That was his WIN!!! My win came in the form of...the boat ride comming back in with this fish is one of the most satisfying moments of my life as the water was as flat as glass...the sky blanketed in blackness with millions of little pinholes in it....the scream of the 140 horse Merc racing against the clock and my son standing beside me on watch with the anticipation of bettering me from the last derby as we flew into the sound....

 

Prizes or no prizes...the memories and quality of time spent with the ones you love..... are the real trophies and now that he is an adult and travels all over the country for his work eveytimne i see him come home ...that "boat ride" feeling comes back when i see his smiling face.....and that alone ...is what makes it my BEST year of fishing ....yes i still win Deries and stuff but it isnt the same without him by my side...too bad kids have to grow up

 

Cheers

[Skipper D]

2011 when my brother turned fifty and i with him went fishing together for the first time .

[bottombouncer]

id say 2008/2009 was my most productive..i iced more big gators,more slabs and caught consistently more big fish all year then any other.

[mercman]

First of all, you have nothing to appologize for Jacques.We are all human.

My best year would have to be this year.

First Musky, second and third too

PB Walleye

First Carp

Most walleye ever.

Seeing my Brother get his PB Smalllie

New Boat

Met Mike and fished with him often.

 

Yup, 2011 was a good year. Come on 2012

[mike rousseau]

The last couple years have been better and better for me...

 

But this was a banner year for me...

 

I'm at 946 walleye in my boat with a 10.5lb being the biggest and a 105 walleye day setting a numbers PB and 44 musky with a pair of 52 inchers being the biggest...

 

A bunch of accidental smallmouth...

 

A whack of nice carp...

 

Also tried pike fishing this year with a 16 fish day...

 

Had a great bullhead season... Most days we all put $5 in the pot and biggest catfish wins it... Marissa managed to win it most days...lol

 

Got to meet some fine people from this site... And made a couple friends... Especially Paul/Mercman... Talk about a nice guy...

 

And the 2 week forecast is saying I will be fishing till at least christmas in the boat...

[tonyb]

Some great stories here already! I thought I would share my best year fishing.

 

It's definately 2009.

 

It all begain in 2004 when I decided that I wanted to own my own Lund ProV tournament boat, so I began a 5-year plan that involved saving cash, flipping a house, and buying one that had room to store a boat (once I built a garage for it)...and really truly appreciating my wife for being so understanding and supportive!

 

I did it! and in 2009 with the boat rigged properly I began to realize that not only was it a great boat, it is a lucky boat.

 

One of my first trips was for Channel Catfish on the Grand River in Dunnville, and the result a new Personal Best!

 

21.36lbs

 

Shortly after that, it was Salmon time and the first salmon derby I competed in with some friends, we won!

 

 

Lake Simcoe's residents would become harassed more than the year before...

 

 

Returning the favor to Grandpa for taking me fishing when I was a kid...

 

 

Highlight Moment!

I have fished the Salmon Derby annually for many years, even back when it was run by The Toronto Star. I had never 'seriously' competed in it and this would be my first year giving it a serious try, in my first year with the new boat to boot! Result...33.76lbs of 1st place salmon!

 

 

And the irony being that the prize was...a new boat! So it seems if you want to win a boat, you must buy one first hehe

 

 

Once the Sun derby was over, it was time to take a moment to catch my breath, relax and share some time with others, like my nephew who did great for his first time out trolling!

 

 

Ok...I couldn't not compete in yet another small derby called the Skyway Salmon challenge, taking home more cash!

 

 

I even filmed a Perch fishing show for T.V. with my good friend Aaron, we had one of the best days I've ever experienced for size and #'s of Perch that day...this boat is Lucky! I tell ya

 

 

Time to get simple, and return to my own two feet for some fun...getting to meet and fish with Solopaddler and Bunk for the first time, solid lads.

 

 

 

 

Thanks to a couple generous OFC'ers, I was invited to film a TV show with In-Fisherman and Doug Stange, I also caught my first swimbait Quinte walleye. It was even my suggestion that once the trolling segment was over that we toss out the drift socks and cast at the fish we were connecting with on the troll...it worked! I think Doug was impressed by my lucky boat even

 

 

 

 

And finally, ending the year off at the Niagara River, and this beauty Brown was the fish of the day for me.

 

 

What an incredible year!

Tony

[torco]

Back when I was younger my user name actually meant something.

 

I've completed a great many lengthy solo canoe trips but the summer of '96 was special.

 

I started my trip on May 12 and finished it on Sept 15.

 

Over the course of those 4 months I paddled over 1200 km's by myself and managed to fish some of the finest brook trout waters in the world.

 

Fabled trout rivers like the Asheweig, Winisk, Frog, Fawn and Severn were my playground.

 

I ate when I was hungry, slept when I was tired and fished 'till my hearts content. I carried my shelter on my back, transportation was my canoe.

 

It really drove home to me how little one needs to be truly happy.

 

Every day was an adventure seeing new and amazing country at every turn.

 

It instilled a confidence in me that I still carry with me to this day.

 

That year will never again be repeated, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity.

 

 

Amazing, your name makes total sense now. You did what most of dream of but never have the courage or foresight to do and then when you realize what you should have done, the moment has passed and life doesn't allow for it.

 

Sorry to get all philosophical but I work in a cubicle for 8hrs a day and started working right after school. I chose a safe career but my heart is always in the outdoors not inside.

 

Anyways I can't remember the particular year maybe 2000 time frame. I was in my last year of high school with not much work to do, I fished the eastern tributaries (lived in oshawa at the time) heavily and literally all year. I got so dialed into the fishing it was incredible found spots that hold resident browns, resident rainbows plus all the migratory salmon and trout I could enjoy.

 

I remember working afternoon shifts till about midnight, going home grabbing my gear and fishing out of the mouth of port hope in august with virtually no one there and landing many beautiful silver chinook salmon from shore or my small 12 foot aluminum boat. Those were the days since then I have some great adventures but never did I have as much freedom to fish as that year.

[oldphart]

~~~~AAAAAH the Good Old Daze BBQ Dec.29/03

 

Week later +5 on Lake Hal Jan.07/04 in my boat

,

and the way things are going, I hope to be up there again

[manitoubass2]

Alot of great stories guys!!!! This thread is a great read for sure

 

My best year was 2010, without a doubt. For numbers, size and days out it would just be tough to beat.

 

This year was great as well, the size wasn't quite there for bass/walleye, but I did have PB sturgeon and northern which were hyyyyuge endorphic rushes .

 

I grew as an angler more this year than any other, and so did my kids, so that was great as always. Nothing like the feeling of fishing with your kids, seeing them learn and that unadulterated passion coming through in a smile.

[adolson]

Even as a kid and teenager, I fished a lot but never have I had as much time put in, fish pulled out, and enjoyment experienced as this year.

 

Three or four years ago, my boss invited all of the programmers out to his cottage on Mattagami for a fishing weekend. We caught a bunch of walleye and I also got a pike, and I was sure it kick-started my passion again. However, I lived in North Bay at the time, was getting fatter by the day, had no money for a boat and no desire for a cheap canoe. I did do some limited shore fishing after that, but only pulled in a few little gross things (catfish). And that was that...

 

A little over two years ago, I moved back to where I grew up. Many good lakes no matter what direction I drive from my house, but south to the Temagami area is my favorite.

 

I had always liked the idea of photography, but never had a very good camera. Last Christmas, the wife and I tried to take a family portrait with our pets - it ended up in one smashed Canon A440. I was so angry - fresh alkaline batteries, fully-charged NiMH, new L-ion batteries, it did not matter - the thing would pop the lens out, then pull it back in telling me to change them. And so, thus the tale of the Canon A440 ended in dramatic fashion, with repeated hammer blows to the back of the head.

 

I had always liked the idea of photography, and being a photographer. Not to be a professional, but just to get outdoors, snap some pics of the tapestry God has laid upon the land, and preserve that beauty for future reference. I headed out to our new Staples outlet and after a couple trips ended up with a new Canon camera with many features I never had before. I got out in the winter and started taking pictures of sunsets, night time shots, bought a tripod, and so forth. I was determined to find and photograph water in the spring and summer, and get some cool pictures to hang on the wall.

 

In order to be able to hike, I needed to get into shape. Actually, I needed to get into shape, period. In March, I began a light workout regimen, which I will not get into the journalistic details here. Suffice it to say, I got a little lighter by summer time (my starting weight was literally off the scale, and now I am about 40lbs under the scale's upper limit), and much stronger in both power and endurance. I could now begin living again. That, of course, means I could get out and take pictures and - though I did not know it at the time - fish.

 

I did not touch a rod until this June, when my boss invited his small team back out to his cottage for a reprise of what went on a few years ago. I admit I was both looking forward to it and hesitant due to my strong desire to stick close to home. We caught a few walleye each day over a long weekend, culminating in a feast of pan-fried and lightly-seasoned fillets. As soon as I felt the first fish take my bait, I knew that it wasn't a walleye that was hooked - it was me.

 

A day, or maybe two, after bass opener, I took a trip to the Montreal River with my wife. An amazing woman, that one. She's stood by me through thick/fat and thin (well, slightly thinner), for almost ten years now (soon - 29th). She stood by me, camera in hand, to watch me achieve something I only managed to do in video games dating back to the Super Nintendo game, Super Black Bass. I landed my very first smallmouth bass. I was absolutely ecstatic. Any chances of fishing once again slipping away from one of the top slots of my hobby list absolutely vanished at that point. My wife was happy for me, despite being a vegetarian who thinks pike are cute and doesn't like to see them get hooked, and she's been amazingly supportive and happy for my re-found passion.

 

I bought an old Sportspal canoe that's been in the family since '67 or '68, fixed it up, and got out as much as I could. I caught fish at night on topwater. I caught brook trout. I tried lakes I never heard of. I met up with a stranger from the internet who thankfully slaughtered walleye, rather than slaughtered me.

 

And so, in a rather hurried fashion, my life became less about video games and sitting on the couch (I still do that - I've put over 120 hours into Skyrim on PS3 in the last month, but that's actually down from before, and in large part due to weather being non-Dana-friendly at the moment), and more about eating healthier, getting outdoors, living a more active lifestyle, losing fat... I've watched about four or five seasons of The Biggest Loser since April, and that show is so emotional for me. If you haven't gone through what those contestants went through to get to where they are when they decide to make a change, you might write it off, but I can identify with most of them, and they inspire me so much. The trainers motivate me, even when I'm just sitting there watching it. They teach the contestants to celebrate the small victories. I can do that now, too. The first time I ran a half-mile on a treadmill, that was an achievement for me. When I did 4K of walking/running intervals on the treadmill, that was something I never thought I could do. My ability to get out and fish like I did this summer - for example, walking up and down the banks of the Montreal for six to eight hours straight, without sitting down, without getting tired whatsoever - is thanks in no small part to the motivation and inspiration I got from that reality show (the only reality show that truly makes sense and makes a difference, I think). I set a goal for myself of catching 100 fish this year - lofty, considering the best day before that in my life was seven pike each for four of us, and that was over a decade ago. But, I did it, and then some. These are rewarding things for me. I don't mean to harp on fitness here, but they go hand-in-hand for me. Without one, I would simply not have the other. I just wouldn't.

 

I still have much work to do, but I'm off to a good start. And of course, getting outside and living - fishing - is the greatest reward.

 

It doesn't look like the ice is coming this year. I can not freaking wait for spring.

 

Back when I was younger my user name actually meant something.

 

I've completed a great many lengthy solo canoe trips but the summer of '96 was special.

 

I started my trip on May 12 and finished it on Sept 15.

 

Over the course of those 4 months I paddled over 1200 km's by myself and managed to fish some of the finest brook trout waters in the world.

 

Fabled trout rivers like the Asheweig, Winisk, Frog, Fawn and Severn were my playground.

 

I ate when I was hungry, slept when I was tired and fished 'till my hearts content. I carried my shelter on my back, transportation was my canoe.

 

It really drove home to me how little one needs to be truly happy.

 

Every day was an adventure seeing new and amazing country at every turn.

 

It instilled a confidence in me that I still carry with me to this day.

 

That year will never again be repeated, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity.

 

I wish I could let go of everything and just do that. You lived the dream. I can only hope to experience small parts of that, spread throughout the remainder of my life.

[mercman]

 

I wish I could let go of everything and just do that. You lived the dream. I can only hope to experience small parts of that, spread throughout the remainder of my life.

 

Dana,

You are one of the more likable, entertaining members here, and i really enjoy your stories. Dont change for anything or anyone.

 

Thanks for the read,

 

Paul

[Rich Clemens]

I would have to say this was the best year for us.

 

June - Lakair. Caught and landed a 47 1/2" Musky. PB for me and the first musky I had landed in the last 6 years. Woo Hoo.

 

Fast forward to September and the French River. Patsy caught and landed her very first musky at 49". Less than two hours later, I landed a 49" - a second PB for me - in the same year. The very next day, I landed a nice 45" musky.

 

Best year I ever had and may be tough to beat ... but we'll be trying come next year.

[danbouck]

This year was by far the best.

 

I figured out my local Browns and caught over 40 in about 5 total trips

 

My oldest (5 years old) reeled in his first Brown

 

 

His first bass

 

 

He received 2 Ontario angler awards for smallies

 

My youngest (3 years old) caught a trophy perch and recieved an ontario angler award

 

 

I managed to catch my first Bow on Lake O as well as my first Salmon, and my first Walleye

 

I met my goal of pulling over 1000 fish over the side of the boat

 

Biggest highlights were being able to spend more days on the water with my kids as well as many good friends, and of course the massive success of this years Fish-A-Thon

[esoxansteel]

1979 the pig run and 1980 the Ganny flood, where Steelhead made it to the extreme top end of the river and drop backs were caught in July in the legendary file hole, the flood washed the silt out of the redds, and incredible runs and year classes occured for the next 10 years with 1989 been the peak. During the peak runs, we had to do 15 minute lifts at the ladder, as the basket was full, with up to 100 fish, the counter could not keep up and count accurately as multiple fish passed through the beam at the same time, only when manual counts were taken with 2 guys standing with counters did we realize that the numbers were off condsiderably.

FYI the peak run in 1989 was over 18,000 fish over the ladder, with easily another 10,000 below the ladder.

[Whitespinnerbait]

In October of 2008, Buddy and I caught over Three Hundred Bass in a two day period....at one point him going 11 for 11 and myslef going 8 for 8

 

:thumbsup_anim:

[DRIFTER_016]

1979 the pig run and 1980 the Ganny flood, where Steelhead made it to the extreme top end of the river and drop backs were caught in July in the legendary file hole, the flood washed the silt out of the redds, and incredible runs and year classes occured for the next 10 years with 1989 been the peak. During the peak runs, we had to do 15 minute lifts at the ladder, as the basket was full, with up to 100 fish, the counter could not keep up and count accurately as multiple fish passed through the beam at the same time, only when manual counts were taken with 2 guys standing with counters did we realize that the numbers were off condsiderably.

FYI the peak run in 1989 was over 18,000 fish over the ladder, with easily another 10,000 below the ladder.

 

 

Yep, '89 was a good year for sure.

All through the 80's were great.

[Dontcryformejanhrdina]

This year was by far my best year. Bought my first boat, started out with a new PB bass while targetting walleye. I had only caught a couple of walleye when I was 12 so it was like a new species for me. No huge walleye but some nice eaters. Had a fishing weekend in early June with some friends and caught more walleye (the most of the weekend and the 2nd largest, missed out on the pool money when a guy caught a bigger one with an hour left lol).

 

Then my 2 brothers and 1 of my sisters and I rented a cottage for bass opening weekend and we had a blast. First night there resulted in my oldest brother's first walleye (my other brother caught his first walleye in my boat a couple weeks before). 2nd day my sister caught her first pike, 4.5lbs and she was excited. More walleye for my brother and I and some nice bass spread around. This was also the first time I tried fishing for musky. The last morning there I woke up early and was casting off the dock (pretty much practicing using a baitcaster for the first time) when I got my first musky hit but it jumped off right beside the dock as I was too excited to relax. What a huge disappointment (especially since nobody else saw it). My sister chose to sleep in a bit so my brothers and I went out in the boat together for the last time that weekend and I caught my first (and largest at 30") pike which helped ease the pain of losing that musky. we decided to call it a weekend after that as we were all tired but I kept casting off the dock where I lost my musky, resulting in 2 more pike and my brother caught a 5lb smallmouth off the dock that morning too.

 

I fished with friends, family, my 2 oldest nieces, 2 of my uncles for the first time resulting in some more walleye and lots of pike. In September it was time for the annual fall fishing weekend/tournament with the guys, I caught my first musky (about 38" if I had to guess) the first evening there, unfortunately the "tournament" doesn't start until Saturday so I missed out of money AGAIN! lol But that was okay, I had bragging rights by catching the biggest fish out of any of us since they are started going to that location every spring/fall.

 

I caught a 31" after that, then went fishing with Stacy Ash from protackle which resulted in a 42" musky and some new techniques. Another 33" musky and I was starting to get on a roll. I got to meet musky Mike and he got my 3 more musky including a personal best of 44.5". My brother also caught his first musky that day too.

 

Unfortunately the next day I broke the axle on my trailor somehow after launching and getting it stuck on something in Head Lake so I thought I was done for the year. I ended up buying a boat in November from another OFC member and had it out a few times. I was skunked each time though, nobody caught a single fish in my new boat. Can't wait until next year. I hope to put an end to that bad streak very quickly and put all the experience I got from fishing with Mike and Stacy to good use and get even more muskies in the boat. I already have 4 weekends planned for next year, and I hope I can get out to the St. Lawrence again and get Mike to teach me something about trolling walleye lol.

[Twocoda]

Great thread Leechman....i keep comming back to read others stories....

[wallyboss]

Me it was Winter 2007. I icefished 243 hours that winter. I went every Sat. and Sunday from 5:00am to 9:pm. Took some days off during the week also.

 

 

Now with fibromyalgia I icefish 2-3 hours and I am bushed, got to go home.