2015 Fishing Goal - Year 2

FreshAirGetter · #1 11-28-2014, 09:47 AM

Hello fellow AOF'ers...

2014 has been a great year for me. It was my first full year of fishing (started Aug 2013) and I had a lofty goal that you helped make a reality. Thanks for that! I'm putting together a scrapbook, showing each species and a page-long writeup for each. I haven't caught a fish in awhile now and am getting jealous of Rav and all the derby'ers showing their lunkers...where the heck do you guys go at this time of year?

For 2015 I have another lofty goal. If I don't succeed I'll extend it for as long as it takes. I thought I'd share my goal with you in the hopes of getting some tips again :-) So here it is:

1) Catch a Brookie 5 lbs+
2) Catch a Brown 5 lbs+
3) Catch a Bull 5 lbs+
4) Catch 5 Goldens
5) Catch a Grayling 1 lbs+
6) Catch a Jack 20 lbs+
7) Catch a Lake Trout 10 lbs+
8) Catch a Perch 1 lbs+
9) Catch 5 Rainbows (wild)
10) Catch a Sturgeon 50 lbs+
11) Catch a Walleye 8 lbs+
12) Catch 20 Lake Whitefish

Any tips or advice would really help - I'm hoping I didn't get greedy here and may be biting off more than I can chew. Feel free to pm me if you'd prefer to keep spots/advice a secret...so whaddaya think, doable? Oh, I should mention, it has to be in Alberta only!

binnzer32 · #2 11-28-2014, 02:25 PM

The toughest will be the brook trout and sturgeon. .

Mike

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreshAirGetter

Hello fellow AOF'ers...

2014 has been a great year for me. It was my first full year of fishing (started Aug 2013) and I had a lofty goal that you helped make a reality. Thanks for that! I'm putting together a scrapbook, showing each species and a page-long writeup for each. I haven't caught a fish in awhile now and am getting jealous of Rav and all the derby'ers showing their lunkers...where the heck do you guys go at this time of year?

For 2015 I have another lofty goal. If I don't succeed I'll extend it for as long as it takes. I thought I'd share my goal with you in the hopes of getting some tips again :-) So here it is:

1) Catch a Brookie 5 lbs+
2) Catch a Brown 5 lbs+
3) Catch a Bull 5 lbs+
4) Catch 5 Goldens
5) Catch a Grayling 1 lbs+
6) Catch a Jack 20 lbs+
7) Catch a Lake Trout 10 lbs+
8) Catch a Perch 1 lbs+
9) Catch 5 Rainbows (wild)
10) Catch a Sturgeon 50 lbs+
11) Catch a Walleye 8 lbs+
12) Catch 20 Lake Whitefish

Any tips or advice would really help - I'm hoping I didn't get greedy here and may be biting off more than I can chew. Feel free to pm me if you'd prefer to keep spots/advice a secret...so whaddaya think, doable? Oh, I should mention, it has to be in Alberta only!

CanadianBadass · #3 11-28-2014, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by binnzer32

The toughest will be the brook trout and sturgeon. .

Mike

I agree 100% , A 50 Lb sturgeon up on the NSR is really hard to get , most people catch a 4 footer and think its 50 lbs, but the 59"er I caught this year came in at about 39 lbs , Sturgeon weights are always so over estimated,

Now that brookie, That's gonna be a bitch ! lol The sturgeon may be easier !

FreshAirGetter · #4 11-28-2014, 04:03 PM

lol, well maybe I'm over-shooting the Sturgeon then. Everyone and their dog always says they caught a 50 lb'er, so I figured it would be a good goal. If mostly everyone is exaggerating, then maybe I should go with 40 lbs or 35 lbs...oh well, I'll just do my best :-)

As for the Brookie you think that'd be the toughest? The one Brookie pic floating around these forums looks about that size, so I'm thinking shouldn't be too crazy...of course I have no clue where that was though...lol.

If you guys think the other goals shouldn't be as bad, any ideas on them? Goldens I sort of know, just a matter of time. Same with wild rainbows. Grayling maybe I can get Rav to help me, I know he caught a big one (Mr. Ultimate Alberta Angler!). The bigger Brown and Bull - no real clue. Same with Perch and Walleye...gonna be a tough year for me so far!

binnzer32 · #5 11-28-2014, 04:13 PM

The pic floating around is less than 3 lbs. Grotto pond for grayling . Obed lake for brown. I can help you with walleye if you want

FreshAirGetter · #6 11-28-2014, 04:20 PM

Thanks Binnzer! I'll pm you on the Walleye :-)

I hate the beginning of goals, always seems like so much to do....one step at a time I guess!

Cory1 · #7 11-28-2014, 08:32 PM

Just my thoughts, but it might be easier to justify everything with a length, easier and more conclusive than a weight.

Good luck on the Brookie, would be the hardest in my opinion, mind you I've caught no more than 5 in my life and they never want to cooperate.

Best of luck!
Cory

FreshAirGetter · #8 11-29-2014, 12:25 AM

Yeah length is probably better...I do find it goofy that for a nice record all you need is a fish that just ate a meal. That being said in the record books they seem to go by weight (maybe length too)....so that's why I keep weight on my mind, despite it not really being reliable. I caught a 3 lbs Bull this year but it was so skinny...if it ate first probably woulda been 5 lbs....sucks to be me!

K I've amended Sturgeon on my list to 30 lbs, and Whitefish down to 10 count...I was tempted to bring Goldens down to 3 too, but they're so awesome the more the better!

Maybe this year I'll just prepare myself for disappointment...really I'd be happy with beating my current records, which aren't very high :-)

Wes_G · #9 11-30-2014, 01:52 PM

I wish you good luck sir. I am still looking for over half of the fish you have mentioned in those sizes and I have been fishing here 25 years now!

NCFlyfishin · #10 11-30-2014, 02:18 PM

I got some lakes for Ya,

Lake whites- go to gull lake, last hard water season I probably caught around 25 whites there from January to March (also seen and caught some nice perch there)

For the grayling- quarry lake in Canmore or wedge pond in kananaskis, heard of lots of grayling from both

Bulls- lower kananaskis lake always hear of some good ones from there, especially during hard water

Wild rainbows, I know there is a lot of them in Alberta, but myself have really only caught them in the bow river.

Lake trout- hear of some good ones from cold lake

Don't really know any of the others on your list as I am not the greatest at fishing in Alberta!

WayneChristie · #11 11-30-2014, 05:11 PM

Id go by length for sturgeon, the same length can vary in weight by a whole lot. maybe aim for 50 inches and just bump it up as you go

the local angler · #12 11-30-2014, 08:53 PM

i agree with the others for the two being hard even if you cut the brookie weight in half will still be a big challenge. but i like the challenge you set for yourself, cause i watched a fishing program in the UK of a similar thing. they set a date of 30 days to catch every species in that particular province. the series is 5 parts i think by Matt Hines can't remember. i also thought of this for myself too. good luck.

FreshAirGetter · #13 11-30-2014, 11:22 PM

Thanks guys, i appreciate the input! I can't believe all the feedback about the brookie being the hardest...with the pics floating around i assumed it wouldn't be too bad but i guess i was wrong, i guess pics can be deceiving! At any rate i can't wait to get started...i guess for jan the smart play would be for whitefish, perch, and jacks...oh, and lake trout..man, there's lots i can do in the winter!

whitetail Junkie · #14 11-30-2014, 11:25 PM

2 pound perch through the ice.

FreshAirGetter · #15 11-30-2014, 11:28 PM

Where whitetail? I've found lakes with tons of perch, but haven't found any 1 lbs +...my next goal would've been 2 lbs .. Lol..but i wanted to start off reasonable

ETOWNCANUCK · #16 12-01-2014, 12:01 AM

Hey Fresh.

Will all of your attempts be made in Alberta or will you go to other provinces?

Sask would offer more chances at filling the Pike and Walleye goals, and B.C. would for the trout(s)

Rennich98 · #17 12-01-2014, 12:29 AM

OP pm me if you're looking at finding some perch

FreshAirGetter · #18 12-01-2014, 09:25 AM

Just in Alberta Etown - figured I'd learn Alberta, there's enough here for me to do!

Thanks Rennich!

TMLhammy · #19 12-01-2014, 12:00 PM

Just think, even if you don't check them all off you will get to see a large portion of this province!
Good luck man!

WayneChristie · #20 12-01-2014, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ETOWNCANUCK

Hey Fresh.

Will all of your attempts be made in Alberta or will you go to other provinces?

Sask would offer more chances at filling the Pike and Walleye goals, and B.C. would for the trout(s)

Lots of lakes with 20 pound plus pike and 8 pound plus eyes. Ive caught both bigger than that from the SSR too

FreshAirGetter · #21 12-01-2014, 02:48 PM

Thanks Wayne, I'll keep that in mind...might have to make a trip or two down there - hopefully won't have to though, I'll already have to go south for Goldens. That being said if I can catch big pike, walleye, and sturgeon in there maybe it would be worth the trip. What do you think my odds would be of that? lol probably pushing it for a weekend...

jacenbeers · #22 12-01-2014, 03:32 PM

I think the 5 lb brookie and the 5 golden trout would be the toughest. Goldens are hard to get to and some people put a lot of effort to get to one of the few lakes they are in and get skunked. There are lakes with 5 lb brookies but that is an epic brookie goal.

FreshAirGetter · #23 12-01-2014, 03:42 PM

I feel fairly optimistic about the Goldens (might take some time though), but Brookies I don't know anywhere that has them over 3 lbs...

pinelakeperch · #24 12-01-2014, 04:14 PM

I think I'll make my 2015 goal to catch every game fish species in the province. I think I'm about half way there. I won't bother to put size restrictions on them, simply catch and release.

I'd love to catch a 20lb+ pike. Despite fishing for pike my entire life and even targeting them at Kesagami, the big ones have evaded me.

the local angler · #25 12-01-2014, 06:42 PM

yeah thats what i am going to do too cause i only have the golden trout left and then i have caught every species in alberta. i just want a picture of me with each species and also non species.

the brookies are very plentiful but you will most likely go through a ton of kindergarden to grade 4's to get at some decent size ones.

FreshAirGetter · #26 12-02-2014, 12:07 AM

Thanks guys!

FreshAirGetter · #27 12-02-2014, 12:07 AM

Haha, catching all the species was my 2014 goal, and from jan 1st to aug 17th i did it. Feel free to pm me on any species, but to warn u i 'm just a newb that got lucky; still can barely catch a fish! Anyway, can we please stay on topic and figure out how to help me fulfill my dreams?