Fishing Variety Pack

[Big Skyz]

I didn't have to work Friday and couldn't think of a better way to spend my time than fishing. I first zipped down to Holter Lake and was a little surprised to find that 90% of the ice was gone. Just a little bit of ice in the marina's on the east side of the lake. I imagine it's all melted by today. Anyway on my third cast I caught this little rainbow. I have some friends that wanted some trout so in the cooler he went. I was thinking it was going to be a great day of fishing, but it was the last strike I had on the lake.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Troy%20Adams%20Holter%202-19-16_zps0hrgwumq.jpg

After a frustrating 3 hours of not getting a single bite I decided to hit the Missouri River between Holter Dam and Cascade. I did manage to hook and lose three trout. Two of which were pretty darn decent. As in 20" or better. This average brown was the only other trout that was unfortunate to stay on the hook long enough for me to land. I let him go though as I have a soft spot for brown trout.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Troy%20on%20MO%202-19-16A_zpsxo9dzo9b.jpg

The real surprise of the day though is when I hooked and landed this perch. It was on a section of the river where perch are very uncommon. Anyway I always enjoy a nice surprise. For those that were wondering every single fish was caught with a marabou jig.

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Troy%20on%20MO%202-19-16B_zpsqnc5uzxn.jpg

[Big Skyz]

The next day (Saturday) I decided to fish the warm water side of the Missouri River. One of the great and unique things about living here is if I drive 45 minutes one way I can have blue ribbon cold water fishing for trout on the MO and if I drive 45 minutes the other way it's fantastic warm water fishing on the same river. I'm not sure there are very many places in the whole US where one can do that on the same body of water. It's pretty cool actually. I had a couple friends join me on Saturday. The wind blew around 40 mph or more the majority of the day. I got pretty wind burned. However I had a good time exploring the shore, messing around climbing cliffs, and taking photos. Why was I doing all that instead of fishing? Well it's like this. I never got out of ear shot of my fishing rods and they had bells on them to indicate a strike. I spent most of my time right there with those rods, but I didn't catch a single fish. My partners each caught one fish each. It was a pretty brutal day for only two fish. The first 3/4's of the day it was stupid windy and the last quarter it rained and snowed on us. However I enjoyed the company and would still have rather been there fishing than stuck behind my desk at work!

Here's one of my pard's with one the of the bigger sauger I've ever seen caught. They aren't big by nature, but for it's species this one is really decent.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Mike%20Hodges%202-20-16_zps4ff5vhpu.jpg

Here is the other partner with his sole walleye. Again a very nice river fish.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Jason%20on%20the%20Missouri%202-20-16_zpst5esz0jh.jpg

We had several pairs of geese roosted in the cliffs above and behind us. They sure were noisy, but I did have to admire their choice of roost. No non-flying predator would present even a remote threat to them. I had to scale a cliff to get a photo of this pair. When I got back down the river my partner commented he was glad I didn't fall and break my hip. To be honest I did question my sanity for scaling those cliffs, but boredom will drive a guy like me to do crazy things. It's all good though I got a decent photo or two, and I didn't fall. So it was worth it. :)

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/MIssouri%201_zpswzb70jjl.jpg

A close up of the cagey pair. I was close as I could get before spooking them, or falling off the cliff myself. All in all it was a good weekend!
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/MIssouri%202_zpsochpkozh.jpg

[BarryBobPosthole]

I'd like to see that part of the Mizzou some day. Nice variety, Troy! You're wearing the fuzz off that maribou jig!

BKB

[Big Muddy]

Dang, Sky, ya'll just got too many species of fish to keep up with....down here, we fish for crappie, cats, and bream....of course, some idjits chase those nasty bass, too. ;)

[Hombre]

From an eatin perspective I'm not much for the trout, but its hard to beat the walleye

[Thumper]

I'm with Hombre, I can eat walleye for breakfast, lunch and dinner ... but I'm not real crazy about trout. That said, Lynn LOVES trout, but she also likes mullet! She has no problem with an "oily" fish that actually TASTES like fish. If it tastes fishy, I don't want anything to do with it!

My buddy just sent me this pic. It's some sort of Yankee fish and looks a lot like that sauger as far as "shape" is concerned. It's a lot darker (but so is he) :D. I don't know much about "northern" fish other than pike and walleye.

6660

[Big Skyz]

Hombre, I thought walleye were my favorite fresh water fish to eat until last week when I cooked up some ling. I actually like them better than walleye, but not by a whole lot. I'd have to be pert near starving to eat a trout though.

I got to say I do like the variety I have around here. I can also fish for bass, crappie, blue gill, and green eared sunfish, but those opportunities are fairly limited to just a couple places. At least they exist though. The one fish we thought we would for sure catch Saturday was a northern pike or two, but for whatever reason they weren't biting. We've also caught a fair number of smallmouth bass out of the Missouri, but they usually turn on when the water gets a little warmer. Not mention once the water warms up it turns into a really good catfish and sturgeon fishery. For those that like something more exotic paddlefish run up the river in the spring. In all honesty the Missouri River is a pretty dynamic and diverse river when it comes to multiple species of fish. The crazy part is outside of Montana it's mostly known as a warm water fishery, but the blue ribbon stretch near where I live is considered one of the best trout fisheries in the whole world. It really spoils a guy.

[Big Skyz]

Jim, I don't know what that beast is, but it ain't no sauger. I suspect it's an ocean run fish and not fresh water. Ling cod maybe?

[Chicken Dinner]

Looks like a tautog or "tog". Good eats.

[Thumper]

I'll have to ask him. It could very well be an ocean fish (looks like a LOT of open water behind him) and he lives in Seattle, so it's most likely off the Washington coast.

[Big Skyz]

Pic of a ling cod from Alaska...
http://www.alaskafishingandlodging.com/photos/lingcod.jpg

[Thumper]

Kinda looks like it, huh?

[Hombre]

Jim - If I had to guess I'd say Ling. We catch them all the time off the coast of Washington, out around Port Angeles. In fact I have another trip booked for may to do some Halibut, Ling and Salmon fishing. Pretty good time. Weirdest type of fishing I've ever seen. We generally go 20-30 miles out and drop what I would consider a weight. Its a copper pipe about 6" filled with concrete and has a treble hook on it. Waters ranging from 100'-350' and they hit it like crazy.

BigSky - I agree Ling is pretty good. Not sure if fresh and salt water taste the same but the saltwater's are pretty decent. I think my favorite is probably Halibut when it comes to saltwater.

[johnboy]

Ling for sure and a nice one. Best fish ever for fish and chips. Way better than hali, IMHO.

[Big Skyz]

I actually like salt water fish quite a bit better than fresh water when it comes to eating them. I love dolphin fish or whatever other name you want to call them. Swordfish, red snapper, and halibut/flounder all get an approval rating from me as well. The fresh water ling I ate last week tasted a whole lot like cod fish used for fish and chips.

[Thumper]

I've made the determination B/S and I have the same preferences when it comes to fish. I'm really not a big fish eater, but when I do eat it, I don't want it to TASTE like fish. And fried is my preference, but I can do some baked/broiled from time to time.

[Buckrub]

Sky we have some saugeye.....a cross.....Y'all gave those?