Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Quick Survey...Fishing Destinations

Okay, folks,
If you want to play golf in "The" places, you'll go to The Old Course in Scotland, Pebble Beach, Augusta and Pinehurst #2. Those places have achieved 'godlike' status among golfers.

What are those places for fishing in North America? And, why?

What are your bucket list places to fish...and why?

Bob:

I'm going to throw a kink in your survey because I like fishing Salt Water.

In no particular order:
16 or 21 day trip out of San Diego for Monster Tuna
Like this one (The Excel is a nice boat - been on it a number of times)

Monster Bluefin Tuna trip off the New England Coast

Richmond Mills for monster Bluegills

Where my buddy goes in Canada for Lake Trout and Northerns on a flyrod in the Spring

Somewhere to catch a 15+ Largemouth

Alaska for Salmon, Grayling and barndoor Halibut, both in the ocean and in the streams/rivers.

Just North America?

My bucket list would include a white sturgeon from Alaska, Trinity River for an alligator gar, the Mississippi Delta for redfish, Lake of the Woods musky.... Oh, there's so many more...

Josh, look into Webster Lake in Indiana for Muskie fishing.....
IIRC there's more per acre there than any other place in the world.

Or you can join us to the Lake of the woods this summer. So far I have a 47 1/2 and a 49 incher, this is the year for that 50+

I go to the places that I want to freshwater fish except maybe grayling so my bucket list is saltwater. I have no experience with saltwater fishing so many species interest me from Halibut to tuna to the sailfish, etc

California Delta for LMB
Alaska for Salmon (going this Spring)
Thousand Islands for SMB
TJ's pond for YP

Mark:

I'd seriously look at the Excel for a 16 day trip in October. Yes, it's a long boat ride to get to where the fish are, but it's worth it! You'll gain weight on the trip because the food is good too. Plan on 3 squares a day, plus mid morning and mid-afternoon snacks. They have tackle to rent.

Nice! And noted!

My Dad, my self, and my son (age 10) are headed to Canada this June with some friends from work. Nine of us in all. Six nights. Can't wait.

David

Richmond Mills is the only place I really have a desire to pay and fish.. Then maybe some saltwater action but nothing in particular..

Return to Algoma , WI to hit the King Salmon bite this july........
and of coarse a little tarpon fishing in a local pond I know of....

Scott sounds great just real bad time of year. I typically up in saskatchewan chasing snow geese. I know you need to give something up once in a while. Thinking more like a Jan/feb trip when it is nasty cold here. Sorry bob for getting the topic off center

Castaic or Miramar Lake in California. Maybe others because 22 of the top 25 bass have come from California.

Richmond Mills. That looks like a lot of fun and I would love to catch a nice bass and/or a giant bluegill.

Probably just about anywhere the Herman boys have managed for big hybrids. Not on the ice, thank you.

Come to think of it; probably Lake Fork with Al(Fire is Hot). He knows the lake and I haven't fished anywhere but ponds for many years. It would be a fun trip even if the fish had lockjaw. Kinda wondering if I even know how to cast over 25 ft any longer. Probably not.

Cape Cod for striped bass during the run...man... that would be great. Striped bass in the 40# range.

Canoe fishing Southern Missouri streams for smallmouth in the special management areas. Beautiful scenery, whole stream to yourself, SMBs up to 5# in 3' of water fight like fish five times their size.

Good answers, guys. I'm at King Fisher/Richmond Mill Lake, talking with Jim and Dave. They are examining their business model and were asking me how important the experience is compared to catch rates, size of fish and numbers of fish.

Another vote for Richmond Mill and some giant BG.

Bob:

I'd put fish catching, size of fish and staying busy catching fish over accomidations every time, but then again I'm not bringing a wife along either.....

Having nice accomidations temper a poor day on the water, but I'm on a "fishing" vacation, not on a "spa" vacation.

I think I’ve found that the experience is as, or possibly more, important than the fish themselves. Of course, the catch can sometimes dictate whether that experience was a good one or not, but more often than not I will have forgotten what fish I caught, but remember the good times had with friends and family. Or, in relation to this conversation, the water we utilized.

Kenai River Alaska area because of the multiple species freshwater and Saltwater. A one stop shop of Salmon, Trout, Halibut, Cod, ect.. to go along with alot of natural wildlife viewing. Just would like to catch some of everything available and enjoy the scenic views.

I know this doesn't really answer the question. But, when I was still really young and dumb, going to college and holding down three jobs -- one of which included "fishing guide" -- I found that it was best to only take clients to places where there were lots of great fish that you could catch.

Because of licensing and travel-time restraints to make money, I was restricted to northeastern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin, even though I had easy access to Upper Michigan, lower Ontario, and eastern Manitoba. So, I made the best of it.

Nearly every great fishing area that I knew in that area, from the mid-1950s to the early-1970s, has changed considerably in recent decades for many good and bad reasons.

Yet, I would not rule out the mouth of St. Louis River between Duluth, MN, and Superior, WI. With a good guide, on a well equipped small boat, you can bring in an incredible number of great walleye. With the right guide, you can experience sturgeon that will make you swell with goose bumps when you bring one aboard. With the same guides (mainly out of Barkers Island, Superior, WI) you can go out into Lake Superior for lake trout and a variety of different salmon.

The entire northern Wisconsin, northeastern Minnesota, southern Ontario, and eastern Manitoba waters will bring experiences for trout of many kinds, salmon, walleye, northern pike, natural and tiger musky, sturgeon, lawyer (burbot to the rest of you), smallmouth bass, jumbo yellow perch, and fish you never thought you would experience or even imagine -- like big white fish and cisco.

Darn. I was just called to dinner -- it's chicken!

I probably should add that for me, the fishing itself is the draw. I don't want to spend the night in a tent, but by the same token I don't require a serenade or flaming dessert to feel comfortable either. Fishing for me, is about the fish. I've always fished alone, (until I had kids anyway), and my peculiarity has meant that I never developed a taste for socializing. So, if I ever make it to Richmond Mill, I'll probably be alone. But that just means when the guide says I'll pick you up at 6:00 a.m.....I won't have any problem being on the dock by 5:30.

I could care less about the experience if I'm landing 3lb BG lol they could make me sleep in a dumpster for them fish of a lifetime

Bob...when I was kid growing up in the seventies Lake Okeechobee was always talked about...so it kind of had this magical aura about it for me. I've always wanted to fish the Big O. I am not in-tune with the top bass fishing lakes like I used to be...so I'm not even sure if Lake Okeechobee is even a top lake anymore. Being from Texas I can't believe I've never fished Toledo Bend, so that would have to be on the list too.

As far as experience vs fish...at this point in my life it's almost all about the experience. That's one reason I love Caddo Lake so much. It's just so darn beautiful and unique it doesnt really bother me whether I catch many fish or not...don't get me wrong I love to catch some fish...but just a few fish and I'm happy. If the setting is pretty, the accomodations are nice, with good food, good friends, cold beer, then catching fish is the icing on the cake. I prefer black bass, but if I catch 10 of anything decent size...I won't be complaining. I brought a guy out to my pond this past Sat and he caught 3 fish...but he also rode an ATV, did some shooting, help build a fire, and help drop a tree in the water...and he told me today at work "that was one of his best saturdays in quite awhile"....heck thats what it's all about to me.

1/2 mile south of my property in Fremont, MI. Kinda has everything in the system. Never boring!

Last time I launched Golf Balls was with a baseball bat!

What is their target market? Serious fishermen? Families? Rich guys on vacation? Corporate trips?