Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

How many guys like to fish here? If so what do you like to fish for and what are some of your biggest fish? I like all kinds of fishing, a couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to set my personal best for Blue Catfish on the james River, a whopper 59 pounder. Of course any blue catfish would have been my personal best as this was my very first blue cat. :)




I like fishing for smallmouth, crappie and sturgeon. My best sturgeon is just shy of 10 feet. I'll post some good sturgeon photos later on.

I think those pictures are totally deserving of being in the hunting section!

I guess not too many here like to fish?

I used to fish quite a bit. As a matter of fact, I quit hunting for years because bass fishing didn't drop off until after hunting season was over, if then. I was in a bass club and the Virginia B.A.S.S. Federation for years. Fished all over the state, from Smith Mountain lake to Back Bay to the Potomac River. My favorites were the James River, The Chick, and Buggs Island. I liked tidewater over lakes, but oddly enough, Buggs Island was probably my favorite.

Then after about 15 years of that, I got burned out and quit. I realized one day during a tournament I was looking forward to going back to work so I could relax. It was time to hang it up. I sold the boat and quit cold turkey.

Then a few months later, my wife convinced me to buy a small boat and just go fishing. So we did. We rigged up a Carolina Skiff with a gas motor, a couple of trolling motors and started just fishing again. She taught me how to have fun again on the water. We fished for bass, we fished for brim. We stopped for lunch. We took naps. We went swimming. We left when we wanted, and stayed as long as we wanted. We spent next to nothing. Most of the places we fished were electric motor only and the gas motor stayed home. When we did use it, a six-gallon tank of gas would last all season. We had a blast for several years, until she got sick and it was to dangerous for her to get in and out of a boat, so once again, we sold it and are now "boatless bank trash."

Good story! That last paragraph is where it's at!

Never hunted but I like to fish. The problem is the fish don't like me back.

Haven't caught a freshwater fish in years and the Great South bay was fished out, so, been a very long time since I caught a fish. I have fond memories of trout fishing (successfully) with my dad in upstate NY.

The trout regs are.....complex in this state. The license was also surprisingly expensive.

Only got a license for a year here and never renewed it, couldn't find any good spots to fish without a boat around here. The Roanoke river is.....gross and Carvins Cove is a massive pain the ass since there must be a friggin forest under it with all the snags. SML is too far for a quick bit of fishing.

Growing up on an island spoiled me lol.

How can anybody not like to fish? It's just a matter of time for me; and not enough of it. So when I do get to go fishing, I tend to go to the big water and under circumstances where the probability is pretty good that I'll see some action. When I was younger, I kept the local lakes and trout streams hot; and I initiated both sons in good order and proper fashion. Now, after two back surgeries and a couple of dozen spinal implants, I've got mobility and balance issues and it just ain't safe for me to wade up and down these steep, slippery rock-strewn stream beds. And the trout streams are all terribly over-fished. And to tell the truth, I just don't enjoy it near as much anyhow without a son to fish with. Somewhere along the line, that became a large part of the magic.

I have fished a couple of tournaments, but I focus on the main reason to fish and that is to relax and have fun. Catch enough to place, icing on the cake. Get skunked, still had fun. Coming from the NW, lots of trout and salmon fisherman, just not my cup of tea!

Now you've done it - Allingeneral will be in here with all of Rock Fishing stuff!

Some one say Rock Fishing (36.5" 2012 April Catch)
Have not gone this year yet but I am looking forward to it


Vern

Nice fish Vern!