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Thread: long story / my 60 years of fishing

  1. #1
    NIMROD's Avatar
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    Default long story / my 60 years of fishing


    I just thought I would reflect on how fishing has changed in my lifetime . I started out catching Bluegills sitting on a boat seat next to my dad as he sculled the boat . Most young guys never used a sculling paddle .
    We really got into Crappie fishing about 1970 and shortly after moved to Lake Nimrod . Not many kids lived in our small community on the lake . I learned about yoyos and trotlines fishing with old retired commercial fishermen . They used trotlines baited with minnows to catch slab Crappie . Some were outlaws and sold them . When I fished with my dad we used cane poles baited with minnows , hung in a rack. We called it trolling but now people with high tech tackle say spider rigging . I was in tall cotton when I got my first boat for my birthday . No motor just a sculling paddle . Closest thing to a depth finder or marker bouys was a brick, string and chunk of styrofoam . Spent countless hours running lines , trolling and got a few lures to try Bass fishing .
    I graduated high school went to trade school and started working part time . This really hurt my fishing . I got into snagging Catfish below the dams on the Arkansas River after working the night shift . I caught a state record at that time off the bank one night . Took it in and only place big enough to hold it till next day was the bath tub !
    Finally able to buy a boat with a motor . Started Bass fishing with friends and actually got away from fishing for everything else . I have a 11 lber mounted I caught in 1982 .
    Started going back home every weekend fishing mostly for Bass but did some Crappie and Catfishing too . I moved back to the lake about 1992 and stayed through the week out of town . Gradually shifted from fishing mainly for Bass back to Crappie and Catfish .
    Once I left work after volunteering for a lay off in 2002 . I started helping my parents as their health was going down . Really got into fishing once again and quit trolling all together . Went to jig only Crappie fishing . Still Catfishing in hot weather . Even did some guiding for Catfish and Crappie . Helped a commercial fisherman with nets for awhile for fun .
    This is where fishing really starting changing . I learned about deth finders (100 dollar Cuda with 3'' screen ) and a handheld GPS (Garmin etrex ) . I thought this is all I need . It worked for years as we built and marked hundreds of brushpiles .
    Then everyone started using all the new high tech electronics and I said I did not need them . Started fishing with people that had them after getting on Crappie.com . Finally broke down and got Humminbird 570 with 5'' screen down imaging . Went through a few different units . When I decided I had to have sideimaging I got a Humminbird 1199 . I thought it can't get any better . I bought a new boat to replace the Express I got in 1987. I think this Excel will last boat I will ever need .
    I bought Helix 10 for the trolling motor next . Then had to up grade to Helix Mega 12'' for console and move 1199 just for maps on the bow . Once again thought this is all I will ever need .
    About two years ago I heard about something called livescope . I said no more or atleast wait and see . It really peaked my interest . But I was determined I had spent enough on fishing .
    Well more I heard about it the more I wanted one . About a year ago I bought a Garmin 1242xsv with livescope . Took awhile to learn it enough to feel confident in it . After a year , will have to say best thing I ever bought for fishing besides a boat . Never caught so many big strings of big Crappie . Like a friend told me ''with livescope , you will never have another fishless day '' . Still learning and all my fishing buddies that can afford one have gone to livescope . It is something to learn over time not just plug and play for sure .
    What does the future hold for Crappie fishing ? Who knows but I have seen some small lakes hammered by livescope . It is all the rage in fishing circles . Our game and fish sitting back with wait and see attitude as far as livescope . Some been hollaring the Crappie will be caught out way back when Humminbird sold the first electronics . It was just the old flasher . The side imaging came along and it was the same . But livescope is so much better , it has me worried . I think we may see lower limits and more size restictions to maintain good fishing in the future . May have to start releasing more but this is debatable . We were releasing some big fish in the spring . I thought this was the thing to do . But a couple biologists said this thinking is backwards . Release the 10 to 12'' fish and keep the big ones . Crappie have a short life span in the south . The big ones are old and will most likely not live much longer .
    I tried to condense this . Over 60 years fishing has changed like it did when my grandparents saw changes . I remember an uncle who said that a man on the moon was fake .
    Last edited by NIMROD; 09-26-2020 at 08:48 AM.
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    Good recap and post NIMROD. Being stork brought myself in ‘56 and my family owning and operating a freshwater fish camp from 1962 through 1970 the techniques, tactics, and technology changes are stunning. One thing that has remained is tall-tale telling ability of many anglers, lol. Though the quieter, less populated times on the lakes are greatly missed. Thanks for the memory prompt.
    Pass the "Sportsman Baton" on before you're gone, promote values for others to hunt and fish upon.
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    Thanks for sharing your story. It was a good read. Very interesting to see how the technologies have changed and your progression through different types of fishing.
    Check out my Instagram fishing pics:
    https://www.instagram.com/fishfishwish/
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  4. #4
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    Good read


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    Thanks for sharing, good read
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  6. #6
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    I was one of the scullers way back when. Except I think we was one of the lucky ones. We had a 7 1/2 Seahorse and a wooden boat we kept chained to a tree at the dock. Thanks for sharing your reflection with us.

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    Excellent read! I've been at this crappie fishing since the 1950's. I relate to about everything that you said.
    Quote Originally Posted by NIMROD View Post
    I just thought I would reflect on how fishing has changed in my lifetime . I started out catching Bluegills sitting on a boat seat next to my dad as he sculled the boat . Most young guys never used a sculling paddle .
    We really got into Crappie fishing about 1970 and shortly after moved to Lake Nimrod . Not many kids lived in our small community on the lake . I learned about yoyos and trotlines fishing with old retired commercial fishermen . They used trotlines baited with minnows to catch slab Crappie . Some were outlaws and sold them . When I fished with my dad we used cane poles baited with minnows , hung in a rack. We called it trolling but now people with high tech tackle say spider rigging . I was in tall cotton when I got my first boat for my birthday . No motor just a sculling paddle . Closest thing to a depth finder or marker bouys was a brick, string and chunk of styrofoam . Spent countless hours running lines , trolling and got a few lures to try Bass fishing .
    I graduated high school went to trade school and started working part time . This really hurt my fishing . I got into snagging Catfish below the dams on the Arkansas River after working the night shift . I caught a state record at that time off the bank one night . Took it in and only place big enough to hold it till next day was the bath tub !
    Finally able to buy a boat with a motor . Started Bass fishing with friends and actually got away from fishing for everything else . I have a 11 lber mounted I caught in 1982 .
    Started going back home every weekend fishing mostly for Bass but did some Crappie and Catfishing too . I moved back to the lake about 1992 and stayed through the week out of town . Gradually shifted from fishing mainly for Bass back to Crappie and Catfish .
    Once I left work after volunteering for a lay off in 2002 . I started helping my parents as their health was going down . Really got into fishing once again and quit trolling all together . Went to jig only Crappie fishing . Still Catfishing in hot weather . Even did some guiding for Catfish and Crappie . Helped a commercial fisherman with nets for awhile for fun .
    This is where fishing really starting changing . I learned about deth finders (100 dollar Cuda with 3'' screen ) and a handheld GPS (Garmin etrex ) . I thought this is all I need . It worked for years as we built and marked hundreds of brushpiles .
    Then everyone started using all the new high tech electronics and I said I did not need them . Started fishing with people that had them after getting on Crappie.com . Finally broke down and got Humminbird 570 with 5'' screen down imaging . Went through a few different units . When I decided I had to have sideimaging I got a Humminbird 1199 . I thought it can't get any better . I bought a new boat to replace the Express I got in 1987. I think this Excel will last boat I will ever need .
    I bought Helix 10 for the trolling motor next . Then had to up grade to Helix Mega 12'' for console and move 1199 just for maps on the bow . Once again thought this is all I will ever need .
    About two years ago I heard about something called livescope . I said no more or atleast wait and see . It really peaked my interest . But I was determined I had spent enough on fishing .
    Well more I heard about it the more I wanted one . About a year ago I bought a Garmin 1242xsv with livescope . Took awhile to learn it enough to feel confident in it . After a year , will have to say best thing I ever bought for fishing besides a boat . Never caught so many big strings of big Crappie . Like a friend told me ''with livescope , you will never have another fishless day '' . Still learning and all my fishing buddies that can afford one have gone to livescope . It is something to learn over time not just plug and play for sure .
    What does the future hold for Crappie fishing ? Who knows but I have seen some small lakes hammered by livescope . It is all the rage in fishing circles . Our game and fish sitting back with wait and see attitude as far as livescope . Some been hollaring the Crappie will be caught out way back when Humminbird sold the first electronics . It was just the old flasher . The side imaging came along and it was the same . But livescope is so much better , it has me worried . I think we may see lower limits and more size restictions to maintain good fishing in the future . May have to start releasing more but this is debatable . We were releasing some big fish in the spring . I thought this was the thing to do . But a couple biologists said this thinking is backwards . Release the 10 to 12'' fish and keep the big ones . Crappie have a short life span in the south . The big ones are old and will most likely not live much longer .
    I tried to condense this . Over 60 years fishing has changed like it did when my grandparents saw changes . I remember an uncle who said that a man on the moon was fake .
    Sent from my SM-G960U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
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    Good story. I'm right there with ya on on all the graphs. Mine from the eighties was the Eagle Mach 1 paper graph.

    Red
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    Quote Originally Posted by z520tom View Post
    Excellent read! I've been at this crappie fishing since the 1950's. I relate to about everything that you said.

    Sent from my SM-G960U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
    Thanks for taking the time to do that, I actually wish you had gone into more details, a couple pages at least!

    Trotlines look kindof cool, would be fun to play with occasionally but I do believe they are illegal here. one line, one hook. the MN way....
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  10. #10
    Slabprowler is offline Crappie.com Legend * Crappie.com Supporter
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    Thanks for sharing! Keep hammering those toads !!
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