Finally caught on! perch and trout

[OneGirlWolfPack]

Hi you guys! :) It's been ages since I've been around or posted a thread. You probably didn't even notice my absence but that's cool. Doesn't bother me at all. :cry: I apologize in advance if I do this wrong. I'm just going to post pics all willy nilly and hope for the best here. lol!

It was a long winter and a rough one for me personally so I didn't do any fishing. By the time spring rolled around I was so excited to get out I was willing to adopt a kid if it meant I could fish at a children's pond. hahah! jk. :D
This was me just sitting there so happy I was trying not to cry. lol! Didn't catch anything and didn't care.
http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u396/1girlwolfpack/Snapbucket/e6bba645-756b-4fd9-9386-831b4b39a79c_zps66ab6139.jpg

Right after that pic was taken, my life took a crappy turn again but on the bright side, my new reel came in! Stella 2500fe. Why yes I am a baller now. Not to be confused with 'bawler' like last year. lol!
http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u396/1girlwolfpack/Snapbucket/0ecf2ba7-846f-4533-a3c9-fca92ac19ed5_zpsa8490974.jpg

Thanks to advice from one of my ao friends, I finally figured out how to catch rainbow trout and perch. I'm no pro by any means but last year (and the year before) I would spend days fishing for trout and have zero luck so I gave up on them and focused on walleye and pike. This was my first day fishing for trout this season so you can imagine my shock when I caught some. :sHa_sarcasticlol: Excuse the crappy pics. This was 2 days ago and I was sick.

http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u396/1girlwolfpack/Snapbucket/6eb935e7-bdb9-46d7-b0c7-64c79cf4b7d2_zpsda7384e2.jpg

http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u396/1girlwolfpack/Snapbucket/68ca34a8-738f-4629-822f-a77e8a72bb9b_zps5ec6d000.jpg

http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u396/1girlwolfpack/Snapbucket/5f26449b-2789-4f67-9d36-690885081de6_zpsfbefc248.jpg

Can't wait for everything to open up so I can really get going this season. Missed you guys and hope you're all doing great!! :)

[JohninAB]

Nice to have you back and posting OneGirlWolfPack.

Sorry to hear of your troubles but glad you are back fishing. You be stylin' with that Stella on the GLoomis. That is a sweet setup.

Congrats on the fish. Jealous you are fishing open water already. No such luck up here yet. Be a few tears shed here May 15 when the boat hits Wabamun for the first day of the season.

Best of luck in your fishing adventures this year and looking forward to more reports.

[RavYak]

Ouch that rod and reel combo cost almost as much as my 7 rods, 6 reels, 2 ice fishing rods, 1 ice fishing reel, 3 fly rods and 3 fly reels all combined lol. The question is does it catch more fish haha.

Don't mind me, I am just jealous...

[super mario]

Congrats nice fish

[OneGirlWolfPack]

John it's good to see ya! Can't wait to see your fishing pics this year! Still frozen up there? Not much open here yet but at least all the ice is gone. Waiting for the river to open is torture but the hockey playoffs are a nice distraction. :)

Ravyak no worries. I'd be all like "look at this clown with her fancy stuff, can't even catch trout." Lol! :p The rod was my birthday gift last year and the reel I got for myself this year when I was going through a lot and buckling under the pressure. It gave me something to be excited about. I'm not a shopper and I don't splurge on bags and shoes, etc, like most chicks. Yeah the price tag made me dry heave but I make a decent living and most of it goes to helping others so I decided to do something nice for myself. Does it make me a better fisherman? At the start, no. Now it does. I couldn't cast that rod to save my life when I first got it. Just ask Wayne Christie who stood there laughing his butt off as the damn hook dropped in front of me over and over. Lol! Then I learned I was getting by on luck, not skill. With my old rod if I felt a tug on the line the fish was already hooked. With this one it's so sensitive that even hitting a rock or gust of wind makes you think you've got a bite and you set the hook over and over like some moron while swearing because there's nothing there and people are staring. Now I know the difference when I feel things and I'm doing better than before. So to answer your question: yes for me it helps catch more fish but a fisherman with skills can catch fish on anything because they know what they're doing. Experience and knowledge are going to trump any rod, every time. Just my opinion.

[silvercloud]

Congrats-I am jealous of the open water! Counting the days until May 15th....

[RavYak]

Oh I know, I have been breaking down and buying newer better equipment as well. No more Canadian Tire and Walmart specials for me anymore...

Now I buy everything used at half price so it doesn't feel as bad... One man's garbage is another man's treasure lol.

[Alberta Bigbore]

Congrats on the nice fish!!

[Wes_G]

Looks like they threw some little rainbows in that lake to feed the pike!

[KegRiver]

Glad you are back. Although I have to admit i hadn't noticed you were gone.

Great pictures too. Wish I had a friend like your friend who would show me how to catch perch. But I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually.

I'm real sorry to hear that you had a rough winter. I guess I'm too soft, it always troubles me when others are having a tough time, even if I don't know them.

May this year be the best ever for you and may your future be filled with sunshine and laughter.

Go get em girl!

[JohninAB]

I am hoping the ice goes off a trout pond around here or better yet off of Carson so I can take the boat for its maiden journey this weekend. May even keep a trout to try on the BBQ.

[waterninja]

nice to hear from you again. congrats on your new gear and on catching those open water fish. glad you didn't snap your rod on that monster perch. lol.
funny what you said about adopting a kid to go fishing. in the good old days i would "rent" some of the neighbor kids to go to herm pond when you had to have a kid if you wanted to fish (of course one of them broke my favorite eagle claw rod).

[ESOXangler]

Never apologize for buying quality equipment! Good taste should never be frowned upon! And congrats on the fish.

[wags]

Congrats on the fish. Thanks for posting.

Cheers

[fish gunner]

Nice out fit , you've got more fish than I have this year. Congrats thankx for posting the pics. All the best in the upcoming season.lots of luck.

[ETOWNCANUCK]

OGWP Welcome back. Sorry you had a rough winter. But you look happy sitting next to that little pond.
Some very nice pics indeed.
That new reel looks good on your new rod. Nothing wrong with spoiling yourself.
You work hard and you give to others and you deserve it.
Enjoy the set up I hope it brings you many wonderful catches.
I look forward to your posted pics throughout the season.

[tight line]

Congrats OGWP :)

[OneGirlWolfPack]

Thanks you guys! Nice to see some folks here still take the time to encourage others :)

[Norman]

That's a beautiful rod and reel combo, like someone else said, never feel guilty for spoiling yourself sometimes it's the you who needs it most

[newguy]

welcome back OGWP... i see your from southern ab, if you hear about the oldman res opening up let us know. i'm anxious to get the boat out. thanks!

[6mmhunter]

Welcome back. Sorry to hear you had a rough winter. Love the new rod and reel combo. Happy Fishing!!

[Brandonkop]

Nice job, thanks for the pics. I did notice your absence, glad you're back and posting.

[billycap]

Glad to see your no longer MIA :) Hope to see more of you and your catches in the near future. Its good to have positive minded folks like yourself around.
May spring and summer provide you with low stress and big fish.
cheers

[Puma]

Nice to see you back OGWP. :sign0016:

[OneGirlWolfPack]

Wow! Thanks you guys! :) I know they're just tiny bows from a stocked lake but I couldn't catch these little bastards last year so I'm pretty excited. lol! Man did I try hard to catch them last year. I'm laughing like crazy just thinking back to it. I tried so many different lakes and ponds it was comical. Even at a children's pond I watched little kids hammer the damn things while I'm standing there saying, "Seriously? Hey kid, what are you using?" lmao! This year I had no interest in catching them. I wanted pike and went out to a year round lake a few times and nothing was biting so I went back to this little lake thinking at least I can just relax with my puppy. Turns out they like me this year. The question is, can I catch them in non stocked lakes? Guess I'll find out eventually.

Went out last night for a little while. I love the spawning colors.

http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u396/1girlwolfpack/Snapbucket/a238a1a2-f5b8-4743-8ab6-fe12cc20fa14_zpsf8fb8fb0.jpg

http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u396/1girlwolfpack/Snapbucket/89c7b1e1-5eac-4827-bd06-39289a70f689_zps24538e77.jpg

http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u396/1girlwolfpack/Snapbucket/1D12EA6C_zps82c32a1c.jpg

http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u396/1girlwolfpack/Snapbucket/af84c7ba-6aab-4624-b379-6f0196ae355a_zps6ade4103.jpg

http://i1065.photobucket.com/albums/u396/1girlwolfpack/Snapbucket/e210dbb6-7b7f-4d31-8c62-79d2aaeb479e_zpsf2fdb278.jpg

[ETOWNCANUCK]

Very fine looking specimen (s)

[Rabdo]

I had a similar experience where I kept going out trying to catch trout and couldn't. It's fun when you figure it out and they cooperate though :)
welcome back as well

[58thecat]

Rod reel combo nice, fish nice but what are you using at the end of the line? What did you change to get it to all come together? Your a true fisherwoman so you will lie a bit to protect your new found fortune but do share....just a bit!

[marlin1]

nice :)

[BGSH]

Beauty :)

[Sledhead71]

Fantastic OGWP !

Always encouraging when a plan comes together..

Thanks for sharing.

[OneGirlWolfPack]

Rod reel combo nice, fish nice but what are you using at the end of the line? What did you change to get it to all come together? Your a true fisherwoman so you will lie a bit to protect your new found fortune but do share....just a bit!

Lol! There's no big secret. The biggest thing I was doing wrong before was not leaving space at the end of my hook to snag the fish. I'm an all or nothing kind of person so if someone says trout like maggots, I'm going to put 20 of the little bastards on that hook. Haha! I would get hits but could never catch anything. One of my friends said in passing "Make sure you're leaving enough room at the end of your hook so the fish have to eat the whole thing to get the bait." That was quite the "duh" moment for me. So I put the bait at the top of the hook and bang, 6 trout, 4 perch. Since then I've caught another 5 trout and 2 more perch. We'll see how it goes in a non stocked lake. I'm on pike now while I wait for everything to open.

As for lures, I've heard it all, mostly red and white spoons, small spinners, etc, but those haven't worked for me. What did was a jig head with a piece of (skinny) rubber worm cut in half and hooked onto the jig. Nothing fancy. I'm finding the simpler the better works. I've also noticed they change what bait they want after 6pm...as weird as that sounds. I'm a science nerd so I notice strange things like that. It's like clockwork. Before 6...they were going nuts for corn and suddenly they'd just stop biting completely so I'd switch to trout worms or the lure and sure enough they went nuts again. I'm sure it's a coincidence but it was that exact schedule three days in a row. So yeah, no big secrets. Just made a change that should've been obvious and watching behaviour. :)

[ETOWNCANUCK]

And that OGWP are the fundamentals. Absolute basics and it works. One can have hundreds of dollars worth of tackle (Guilty) and not be able to catch a thing. Sometimes just a bare hook with a tiny piece of something nets bigger gains. That is fishing at it's finest.

[OneGirlWolfPack]

Thanks you guys! To be honest, everything I've learned has been thanks to people from this board. Seriously. I've still got a lot to learn but I've come along way thanks to you guys and I appreciate the help so much! :)

[Rockjockey]

Nice job. I have a buddy from Ireland who could not catch a fish in Alberta to save his life. It all came together for him one day and now he out fishes me.
Rather than corn and maggots give uncooked pieces of shrimp with a squirt of garlic spray for the trout. Works like a hot damn up here on the stocked lakes.

[OneGirlWolfPack]

Nice job. I have a buddy from Ireland who could not catch a fish in Alberta to save his life. It all came together for him one day and now he out fishes me.
Rather than corn and maggots give uncooked pieces of shrimp with a squirt of garlic spray for the trout. Works like a hot damn up here on the stocked lakes.

You're right about the shrimp. I toss some into the bag with the corn and mix it all up so the flavour gets on everything. Cheaper that way. :D I didn't know about the garlic spray though. I'll try it. Thanks! :)

[WayneChristie]

sounds like good bait but if I have shrimp and garlic none of its going to make it to the fish! :sHa_shakeshout:

[Rockjockey]

sounds like good bait but if I have shrimp and garlic none of its going to make it to the fish! :sHa_shakeshout:

Hopefully you are fishing barbless there Wayne. Must still hurt the mouth.
:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[slivers86]

nice pics! Welcome back :D

You're welcome to join us anytime this summer on a trip to some mountain streams!

[OneGirlWolfPack]

Rock jockey I tried the garlic and all the bites stopped cold. Lol! I'm pretty sure one trout called me a name too. Guess that's what I get for fishing in Transylvania. :D

Slivers, thank you for the invite!! I would love to go with you guys some time :)