Anybody here that likes fishing? I am an avid fisherman. Been now for almost 50 years. I love fishing in the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway. Been going there almost every year, once or twice, winter and summer, for the last 27 years. We even spent our honeymoon there, 23 years ago! Me in the small boat, my wife on the cliffs, waving for me to come ashore.......... I have always stayed in the same village, Reine, in the same Rorbu, renting from the same guy, Hans. Using the same little 16 foot boat with the same 9.9 hp outboard. But we bought our own small boat 2 years ago. A little bit bigger, safer. I have been taking our son with me since he was 6. He loves it there too. Father-son bonding. Education in the real life. Eating what you catch. Wife came with us for the first time since the honeymoon 2 years ago, and again last year. She realized how much we love it up there and proposed that we buy a house, there which we did. So her vacation destiny is now to spend time there with me, fishing or waving from the cliffs! Going in 2 weeks. A bit of fishing, a bit of fixing up the house.
Sounds like you've been enjoying yourself! What's the normal catch? Love to fish, grew up doing it. Mostly saltwater, but hit the lakes every now and then. One of the awesome things about Florida is the fishing, billfish, groupers, snappers, sharks, mackerel, there is so many choices.
There are two different seasons. One in winter, the catch then is mainly the large Skrei Cod. Cod that lives in the arents Sea then migrates down to the Lofoten Islands to breed. They are big, and very, very tasty! Then in summer it is the "normal' cod, halibut, mackerel, ling and other fish in the cod family, saithe and flat fish.
Mostly salmon fishing here in BC. The house I grew up in was waterfront on the pacific ocean. Fished daily growing up. Rock cod, salmon and also did some crabbing. These days I'm lazy, local Indian reserve is on the water and they sell their catch fresh at the dock. Few years ago it was illegal for the Indians to sell their fish. Now its legal near the reserves around my area, they all have fish stands. Its hours old non frozen salmon. They sell for $5 per fish un-cleaned or $10 for cleaned. Basically fresh salmon under $1 per pound. You clean it, let sit for 3 days, makes the best sashimi you'll ever have.
Salmon is a fish I have never caught. Summertime, when we get Mackerel, we do sashimi in the boat. So easy to take some soya and pickled ginger!
I love to fish! I live in Ohio about a mile from Lake Erie so I just bought a boat big enough to fish the big lake for walleye and smallmouth bass but small enough to fish smaller inland lakes for largemouth bass too. There are also two rivers close by that hold rainbow trout, bass, carp, gar and musky. I usually like to wade those with a fly rod they'll hold the boat in some areas.
Do you guys do "catch and release"? When I go to Norway, I always fill two Styrofoam boxes with skinless, boneless "choice" fillets, vacuum packed and deep frozen. Usually about 25-30 kilos each box. Then we eat fish almost every day when we are up there. The odd whale steak we buy locally and eat . The small/undersize fish I release, unless too badly damaged, those I cut up and give to the seagulls. We never buy fish down here.
Practice catch and release and catch and filet. Bass fishing down here usually put them back. Speckled perch( medium pan fish) is one of my favorites. They go to the fish fry. Need been a huge fan of cat fish, so don't keep those. On the saltwater side, some fish have to be released. Tiger sharks and hammerheads, snook and redfish have a slot you are allowed to keep a fish from, anything under or over goes back. But for the most part I fish for fun and to eat. Cobia, dolphin, grouper, snappers, shark and sea trout are my favorite. Never done any bill fishing. We also have a bay scallop season here that's a lot of fun, you snorkel the grass flats picking them up. Tasty as well.
Here we have a season for Conk and (Spiny) Lobster. But Conk is hell to clean and the Lobster have nasty spines, so I do not catch those. Prefer to go to a restaurant to eat them.
Bass always go back. Perch and walleye are good eating and Lake Erie is is a world class fishery for them.
My favorite fishing is in Guatemala , we catch billfish on a fly rod with 20lb tippet. Also fish backwater in Florida. Image Unavailable, Please Login
For me it is anything on a fly. I love the beauty of the Greater Yellowstone area. That big Tarpon on a fly on the Flats of Florida is still on my bucket list and still illudes me. It just means I have to keep going back! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Can't say from experience because I was born in 74. 😀 There was the incident when the Cuyahoga River caught fire but that was before my time too. If it was its rebounded nicely.
But is the fish safe to eat from those waters? I returned from Lofoten last week. Fishing was not bad, wife cought some nice large Cod and Coalfish, larger than the ones I got. I got loads of Mackerel, released most of them.
They are fine to eat. I wouldn't want to have breakfast, lunch and dinner every day but a few fish here and there are fine.
I also grew up fishing and as long as I can wet a hook it does not matter if it is freshwater or saltwater. I became a "catch and release" angler about 40yrs ago but would not hesitate keeping a legal fish of high quality table fare. Oh and I have also been fly fishing since I was about 9yrs old, love it! I have a few fishing locals on my bucket list and one would be Florida and the other Guatemala but I am not really too choosy.
Gregg , if you choose Guatemala let me know I've been going there 2-3 times a year for the last 14 years. I'm gonna be there in January and March. I fish out of Casa Vieja Lodge which is where you want to go . Great people and great captains.
everyone should check out my sister community for fishing & hunting. it is called www.bassbuck.com, but don't let that fool you as we talk about all forms of fishing. I documented my Billfishing this summer and we have several Europeans on too.
