Teach the dumb fisherman (me) how to fish.

Some people think that just because a person was born and raised in Alaska, that person doesn’t know how to function is the “real world”. Basically what I’m saying is some people think I don’t know how to cross the street, order food, use the drink machine, Ect., Ect, Ect. All because I live in Alaska. I can function just as well as any other person in a city. I have one weakness, and that is my lack of knowledge in fishing for bass, sunfish, crappie, walleye, catfish, Ect., Ect. Only YOU can fix that weakness. If you know ANYTHING about fishing for any species (except for trout) that I might find in AZ and Oregon, please tell me.

Go to the top of the page, click on forums, then fishing forums. You will find forums for several fish species with many posts you can read. Scroll down farther and you will see forums by state. Note that they are all midwestern states. Not Alaska, Arizona or Oregon. If you have a specific question, fire away.

Bass….they are everywhere and tie on a crankbait or power worm/ plastic of some sort and you can cast and catch one. top water baits make it fun. think shallow water, docks or any dark ambush spots and Bass will be there.

panfish….bobber and worm for qauntity but upsize for quality. I like using a minnow under a float or cast plastic twister tail style baits for crappie. I have had big bull bluegills hit 4″ stick baits when guarding their spawining beds.

walleye…..the most sought after because of their elusiveness unless you live on a “walleye” factory. that and they are amazing table fare. I CPR 90% of my fish but catching them is tough and that is why they are my favorite fish. I don’t like easy but if you are going to target walleye, thinking columbia river based on your demographics, a jig and minnow is hard to beat…for numbers that is. targeting the big eyes, I would throw big plastic baits, troll lead or even cast jigging raps or blade baits in current seams. find slack water along strong current and you may find a fish waiting in ambush.

catfish…..cant help much there but a find a river with a sinker an octopus hook with a bunch of crawlers/minnows/stinkbait and wait is what I have been told. My biggest cat was a channel cat that was almost #50 out of the Mississippi while fishing walleyes…..jigging rap baby!

I’d spend a few hours watching old IDO or Lindner episodes for whatever you want to target, and base it off of what is in the lake you intend to fish. No sense fishing for walleye where there are very few or none. And for walleye fish near the bottom and hook em in the mouth

If you can bobber fish, you can catch them all.

Go old school and pick up some books. They are phenomenal. Lil outdated for equipment in the books 4&5 if I remember correctly but you will still gain much knowledge.

I’d mail you mine to borrow but the last 2 times I did that to new IDOers they never found their way back

I started fishing about 3 yrs ago and can relate to being frustrated when I couldn’t catch a plate of fish for supper.

Get a pair of binoculars and check out the locals. I’ve learned a ton by just watching when I’m in the truck or boat.

It also helps to study river/lake contour maps. Look for eddies, rock piles, stumps, any structure that fish (& bait fish) may be hanging around.

Bait shops aren’t very helpful. Support them but take any tips from them with a grain of salt.

Electric filet knifes are the cat’s meow.

Pay special attention to any boats with one (or especially two) 70yr old guy(s) in it. The dirty and crappy looking boats catch way more edible fish than the big expensive & shiny boats. Just an honest observation. Yes, even the big guys that chase walleyes.

I like to use the drop shot rig, which I’d never even heard of before 3 yrs ago. It’s deadly for perch & bluegills.

The best tip I can give you is this- If you do get on fish, take pics. (Don’t give up the location in the pic tho) tell the story but learn to lie about where you got them. I’m not joking. You will be amazed at how many people will load up on a spot once the word is out. The running joke around here is my standard answer “I got them all in the boat harbor.” Then I laugh as I drive by the boat harbor a week later and see hoards of guys there. I wasn’t anywhere near there but I was able to get a meal of fish when I wanted to because I kept the spot to myself.

Keep a journal and log the water temps, level, flow & weather conditions. This will help more and more each year as you plan your fishing trips. Looking back at previous years has helped me already.

Ya one time I made the mistake of telling someone where I caught my 2 foot salmon, and after I flayed it and I was hungry for more, so I went back to the spot, and there were 20 people there! I only caught one more. I would of caught so many more fish if It wasn’t for the stupid kid who saw that I caught my fish first cast. He took on cast and got weeds. Now he didn’t calmly take off the weeds. The idiot started slamming his hook as hard as he could on the water, and scared away all the fish. Moron. I am never telling anyone about a good spot again.

Dumb fishermen

James Fox wrote:

Ya one time I made the mistake of telling someone where I caught my 2 foot salmon, and after I flayed it and I was hungry for more, so I went back to the spot, and there were 20 people there! I only caught one more. I would of caught so many more fish if It wasn’t for the stupid kid who saw that I caught my fish first cast. He took on cast and got weeds. Now he didn’t calmly take off the weeds. The idiot started slamming his hook as hard as he could on the water, and scared away all the fish. Moron. I am never telling anyone about a good spot again.

A good fishing spot is a good fishing spot. I have a feeling the spot being good rather than anything you said to some random person is what brought the people there.

Deleted wrote:

Get a pair of binoculars and check out the locals. I’ve learned a ton by just watching when I’m in the truck or boat

I don’t know why this bothers me so much but it does. Loathe with a passion when people are glassing me, probably cause I feel like it’s my personal space being invaded. It’s not, and not that I don’t say not to do it but I feel a guy can learn so much more actually fishing themselves than following the crowd.

A 50lb channel cat would be a state record. Probably a flathead.