What makes a fish "sporting" to you as an angler?

[WayneChristie]

Is it government decree? the fight they give you? The way they taste? To me any fish can be a sporting fish, depending on the gear you use, especially since Im not that fond of eating them. Ive watched peoples attitudes towards various species develop and change over the past way too many years, fish that people used to look down on are now considered desirable, and others are getting bored with species that we have forced on us. Personally Id rather catch a 3 or 4 pound Rocky on ultra light gear and light line, or an 8 pound hard fighting sucker than a 6 ounce rainbow that would rather eat hatchery crud than a real bug.

[chubbdarter]

In the past few years....its been level of difficulty that i find sporting and challenging. Trophy eyes, using less bait and relying on artificial baits.
And i dont like the stinky and really slimey fish

[Sundancefisher]

It is a well rounded experience...sun, friends and fish...substitute rain for sun on occasion. Catching a fish using a fly I have tied...seeing a Chinook swipe at fly I tied or seeing a kid catch their first fish. All makes for a great day. Even pointing out to someone where a fish just rose and having them hook one is entertaining.

From strictly a sporting perspective...matching the hatch. That is most rewarding.

[alodar]

I get just as much pleasure catching a sucker as i get catching a sturg or nice pike or eye..... but sharks gunna win in 2 weeks

[npauls]

The fight and the challenge of getting a fish to bite are the 2 things that drive me to target certain species.

[BeeGuy]

I took the wife to PCR and we were fishing barely 10 minutes before she turned to me and said, "This isn't very sporting."

But for all the kids running around it certainly was.


I always like to catch new species, but mostly I like to explore and bushwack, so, catching a fish where I've never been before is the best, regardless of what species it is.

I find the Bow to be mildly sporting because there are millions of easy to catch fish, however, hooking into a big charr today on the Bow was exciting as hell.

It's that sense of discovery that makes any fish sporting for me.

[Tezma]

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

In the past few years....its been level of difficulty that i find sporting and challenging. Trophy eyes, using less bait and relying on artificial baits.
And i dont like the stinky and really slimey fish

Like Suckers LOL!

[KegRiver]

To me, sporting is about enjoyment. Therefore to me lots of fight for the size is a key factor. Abundance, so I,m not sitting there waiting for a bite, is important. Challenging to catch can be part of the equation too.

For me, in this area, there are two fish that fit the criteria.
Chub, not good eating, but numerous and challenging with lots of fight.
And Goldeye. For the size, the hardest fighters in the province so far as I'm concerned. Plentiful. Good flavour, not so good texture, plus lots of small bones, but Easy to clean. I consider them good eating. And they can be challenging to catch.

[theking]

its all about the fight for me and the more rare the fish the better too like the stone cats in the milk river, they may be small but they are my MUST catch fish for 2012.

[Redfrog]

FLavor mostly. The better they taste the more sporting they are.

[gonefishin]

I can't stand the taste of most fish... it's all about the fight.

[slivers86]

I just like being outdoors, catching fish is a bonus. I do get excited everytime that tip makes a big dip though... the mystery of not knowing for a couple seconds what you have on!

[Darren N]

My Flyrod, by myself, catch something special, or see something special. Go home and keep the memory for yourself.

[greylynx]

Hey Wayne:
This book answers all your questions.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...Pavlov_s_Trout

Cheers.

[Gust]

Super challenging waters and conditions or trying to figure out how the fishing has changed at once fertile waters and re-learning it all. Catching a fish on a homemade lure/abonimation, offering suggestions counter to the status quo and watching people catch, especially kids.

Good Air and Scenery, I love it when the scenery overwhelms me, even out in the Prairies,, oh and I find mid afternoon naps while fishing with a bell to be the best naps ever. Shore lunch is up there too. The quietude of it all.

[fishpro]

To me it's a combination of two things - the take and the fight. For the take there needs to be some sort of challenge or technicality to it, it doesn't necessarily need to be difficult, but it needs to feel like I've one something right - made the right choice of fly or lure, made a good cast that nicely drifted until a certain log, etc. The fight is also what makes it exciting - through the fish's sheer power, aggresiveness, or stamina, whether overall or based on the size of the fish.

Some of my favourite experiences are fly fishing small streams where you can often pinpoint where a fish will be and make a cast there, fly fishing for big pike is incredible, and the fight of a 100lb sturgeon is unreal!

[mooseknuckle]

Hiding it from the wife.

[Gust]

I meant to mention that the fishing for me is dependant on everything above and it doesn't matter the fish,, it's always a rush.

[packhuntr]

I like predators, alot. I like catching big predators even more. Sporting to me would be dealing with less fish interaction in specific scenarios, and sending the iron home on the biggest baddest ones, no matter the time required to do it. Alot like trophy hunting,,, some of a guys fishing lands exactly in the same place. Shes about running with the best data you have and lining er all up for the home run.

[gatorhunter]

It's never been a sport or about sports. Fishing like hunting is a form of recreation. The great thing about it is that it can be experienced by any person of any social or economic back ground. There is fishing equipment for all people!

[DarkAisling]

It may sound weird, but I have no idea what makes a fish sporting to me.

My father fished exclusively for salmon and trout after coming here from Scotland. I learned from him. That's just what we fish for.

I do target other fish, but they feel like a consolation prize.

[Steven Noel]

For me location is a big part of it; I half a passion, bordering obsession, for catching trout in high country streams and alpine lakes. In this, where I fish is often more important then numbers and size.

But each to their own. Some find great joy in searching out that monster eye in Chin or PCR, not my thing.

Tight Lines

[gor]

I have caught a ton of pike over the last 25yrs, Have gone through plenty of
ugly sticks. Blessed with a daughter 7 years ago, and she has been fishing lots with me and here trusty dora rod. Dad i got one HELP are the words i have come to love. If you find your self getting bored with your fish of choice
try reeling in a 10lb pike on a dora the explorer rod and you may find, all that
is needed is a equipment change.

[gor]

may be a dora or scubby rod derby would be fun.

[Dust1n]

Everything about it bassicly.
You can change it up to make it intresting again like switching locations to differnt fish species.
i like sightfishing on a light rod with the right hatch matched perfectly then casting it to your target and watching him slowly reject it.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by gor

may be a dora or scubby rod derby would be fun.

that idea has been kicked around. Maybe next summer we can set one up, novelty rods only derby, then donate all the rods to a kids group afterwards.
Ive seen a few members practicing already. JTS1 is already "one" with his little pink rod, heres another member breaking his in

[dodger]

Getting out and away from the city, finding that honey hole after years of exploring and trying new ideas, and the thrill when you set the hook and the rod keeps on bending as Moby starts heading in a different direction.

The best is when you see a family out fishing together, it always warms my heart and brings back memories.

Dodger.

[Jwood 456]

For me, the challenge of locating the fish is a large part of it for me, then getting them to bite. Also, the thrill of not knowing if your going to land that beast of a fish or not is another part of the sportyness for me. I also enjoy the accomplishment of eating the food that I put my own effort into catch and not just the food I could simply buy at a store.

I could also mention that it's a great time to relax in the wilderness from school, work and e.t.c.

[Gust]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

that idea has been kicked around. Maybe next summer we can set one up, novelty rods only derby, then donate all the rods to a kids group afterwards.
Ive seen a few members practicing already. JTS1 is already "one" with his little pink rod, heres another member breaking his in

I'll help you organise that derby,, The Huck Finn Wayne Christie Open Invitational Classic. Biggest Sucker wins.

[Heavy K]

Hmm... "sporting" eh? I guess locating the fish, figuring out their feeding habits and patterns, and then fooling them with an offering is challenge enough.

But really, it's spending upwards of 10 hours in a day, nose to the creek, battling the current, balancing on riverstones, thrashing through bushes, fighting the cold/wind/rain/sun/heat all without putting your quarry down, and then getting back to the car/bivy, only to come to the realization that you've moved less than 10 km as the bird flies and gained under 50 meters elevation. But despite this, you are absolutely shattered, and for some reason you're sporting a grin that stretches ear to freakin' ear!



Tight lines,

hk