Home Forums Fishing Freshwater favorite freshwater fish?!?

What is your favorite freshwater fish and why???<P>panfish is my favorite because they are in most lakes/ponds, will bite live baits, and flies, put up a good fight for their size, and good to eat.<P>J.R.

Tough question. I think I will go with Steelhead. I like working up and down the river, so even if I am not catching anything, I still have something to do. When you do hook one, you'll feel like your arms are getting yanked out.

My favorite is the Shellcracker bream.They are found in almost every pond,lake,river and stream.They are easy to catch and put up a very good fight for there size.Also they are my most favorite fish to eat.Very delicious. [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img]

Trout in a stream setting. All streams are riparian ares that atract wildlife, and offer the challenge of reading the water. Ready made for the handgun armed, fly fisherman. E.

Nice, big walleyes hooked in fast water on light/medium spinning tackle. It can be even more fun when a musky grabs the walleye! Either will make a mouth-watering meal, besides being great fun. A howdah pistol is rarely needed (grin), although it used to be common practice to carry a .22 rf pistol to subdue a big, toothy musky prior to boating one.

i would have to say it's a split between Steelhead and King Salmon. Steelhead on a highline with about 300 feet of line behind the boat and you will really see a show. Those guys like to get up on the surface and dance around. Kings will really stress test your drag on the reel if they get it in their head to run. Hooked one on a down rigger once and the rod never even poped. he started taking line and decided to take off to Chicago. By the time we got the boat turned around, he damn near stripped all the line off the reel. Never did get a look at him, just kept running. Couldn't turn him. Lots of fun! I guess that's why they call it fishin, not catchin. <BR>Keeb

Native BrookTrout would have to be my favorite fish to catch no doubt. they put up a great fight for their size.<BR>YH

Silver salmon (coho's). Hard hitters, good fighters, great eating or smoking. Saltwater, freshwater, heavy or light tackle. Got an 8 weight rod I'd like to catch one on this year!<P>good luck, all!<BR>John

Smallmouth without a doubt all fun and fight 4oz or 4lb. When you use ultra light in small clear streams it makes for great fishing.

Walleyes first, then Muskies, after that stream trout. All northern WI, MN.

Stream trout in northern Wyo--just spent 5 days in the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone upper drainage and caught probably 100-200 fish per day. Rainbows, cuts, brookies, some browns and the odd greyling. From 3 inches to 20.
<br>Steve95

Definatly steelhead. Nothing like fighting a 10 lb fish on 6 lb leader, and have come out of the water. What a show! As a second, i do enjoy the 80+ fish days in late summer fishing for smallmouth. If only they got to 10 lbs.

yes, trout fishing is a blast. Wyomings a great place to get a few. In addition to wyoming trout. I like to go to lake powell. They have such a great variety of fish, its a fantastic place to take your kids. Panfish, Bass, Striped Bass, Catfish, an occasional Walleye. its all good

Apparently none of you gentleman have had the pleasure of ice fishing for yellow perch in the Dakotas. I'm from NE South Dakota, the heart of glacial lakes fishing and believe me, nothing that swims beats a 10-15" yellow perch pulled from underneath of 2 feet of ice! Anyway you cook em is good, but fried is definitely the best. The added fun of hitting a 10-20 lb. northern while jigging for the culinary delights makes it even more fun, some of us more demented folk even fish for northerns with smelt and tip-ups while we catch our limits of big perch. Believe, most people think walleye is better until they have our perch!
<br>Selmer
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No question about it! Lake trout on light tackle.
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<br>They will outfight a salmon any day of the week and are absolutely delicious in the pan, on the grill or in the oven. (:-))
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<br>Ted

Yukoner, I've been holding off asking about lake trout but decided I think I can do it tactfully, truly more curiosity than critique. Maybe I just got in on lake trout from a bad place or something. My only experience catching and eating them was in northern Saskatchewan, either in the Churchill River system and attendant lakes, or near the edge of that maze. They were bright and pretty, a bit sluggish (mid May to late June), and astoundingly oily with a near rancid taste. Are we talking about the same fish? Are they different in different areas? Of course, my friends in Europe just love carp.... and who am I to question the taste preferences of another.
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<br>This is making me hungry. I'm going to fix a combo lunch of seabright sockeye salmon and halibut cheeks, my favorites among fish for this morning at least. If I catch a steelhead this evening, it will be steelhead tomorrow.

I caught some lake trout in colorado last summer, and i was dissapointed in the fight, they were definatly sluggish. I landed a 20" laker on an ultralight spinning rod rated from 1-4 lb line and 4 lb maxima and it came right to the boat, didnt even take any line. Landed a 16" brown in the colorado river on the same rig, and it was a handful on that rod, fought very hard. just for comparisons. I cooked up the 16" brown and about a 18" laker and both were tasty, but the laker was exceptionally good. I have heard the smaller ones are better for eating.

Maybe our lakers are a special brand. They certainly are anything but sluggish and mighty fine in the pan!

Best in the New Year to everyone.

Ted

Yukoner, sounds like you are way up north, really cold water. Wish I could try catching a few of your lakers with you. Someday I'll probably find out the reason for the taste of our lakers was that our cook was using an old can of boot grease he'd found in the cabin to cook them. Yes, best of the year to you!

I dont know maybe its the time of year or something? Ive read online articles of a guide here in oregon that uses 65 lb braided line and opens up 3/0 gammi hooks on the things. He wrote that he wont use reels that hold less than 1000 yards of line cuz he might get spooled? Granted they do get 30+ lbs.

Come on up sometime and we'll give it a try! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Ted

A thousand yards <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Now that's some lake trout! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Where did you find this strory online?

Ted

http://www.fishsniffer.com/index.html

they were on there about a year ago, articles written by kim daggett. I know he used to guide on some of the oregon lakes, and i think if i remember he developed a tui chub scent one of the big companies started making. I emailed him once for some info on fishing for lakers and browns and he emailed me back with some info, hes a nice guy. I searched for his articles on there and couldnt find them anymore. There are some good articles of lake trout fishing by mark wiza on there now.


http://www.kimdaggett.com/

J.R.
I would be split between the Smallmouth on Dale Hollow Lake TN. or Large Mouth on Lake Eufalua in Alabama. Both will put your heart in your throat. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

7400hunter

Ted
I'll second you on the eating qualities of lakers! Burbot and lakers are about the only freshwater fish that I can think of that are worth eating... saltwater fish will spoil a body.
best to you
art

Nice forum you have here----My favorite fresh-water fish would have to be smallmouth bass. River fish especially are so powerful and explosive. It makes for lots of fun in or out of the water.--------hemlock

My favorite is catching Catfish.....You know the Underwater Possum's!!!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The bigger the better, and the more the merrier.....

Them boy's pull and I mean pull good!!!!!!!

Oh, yeah....They ain't to bad to eat either....... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I love fishing for anything in general, but if i had to pick it would be panfish. they're not to hard to catch and can be found almost everywhere. Second favorite would be a toss up between bass and walleye.

Coho Salmon. Like another poster already posted, they hit hard and they'll thrash around for a while before you bring them in. They have broke my line many of times. Just a few more months before I'll be catching them again. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> And about another month before the king's start rolling on through.

Peacock Bass. They hit hard and fight hard. They are so aggressive that they will sometime throw your lure but hit again as quick as you can get back in the water. You can throw top water or shallow divers all day so most of the action is in your face.

I would have to say bass. I love to watch them hit a topwater lure. I like the way they fight too. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Use to live in Ohio. I miss the Perch and Walleye of Lake Erie and the large mouth of all the ponds and inland lakes. Colorado just don't have the Perch and Walleye like Lake Erie.
But it does have thousands of Praire dogs. Guess I'll just have to spend my spare time fishin for them using 22-250 bait.

Favorite to fish for is King Salmon. Favorite to eat is lake perch....As long as I don't have to scale them <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Stetson, you'd give up some beer battered fried walleye for pearch? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

They don't call em Kings for nothing, but I do like a good steelhead fight over deep water.

I've caught most species of fish available in the Northwest and I'd have to say the most fun fishing has been for smallmouth bass (especially in rivers). A close second is steelhead.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Very good question. I find it very interesting to look at the addresses of the posters. For the most part, all are west of the Mississippi. One was from N.Y. and his favorite is bass. I am from the east and travel fron N.H. to N.Y. almost weekly. 300 mile drive to be exact. I fish Lake Ontario and couldn't love anything much more. My first trip out was in 1988 and 10 days later I sunk $18,000 into a boat, trailer and equipment. We fish browns, steelehead, and Kings. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite. Trolling for big water fish, to me, is akin to big game hunting. I love the time on the water with my wife and family. I fish out of Oswego and am at the point where it's almost spring and spring fishing and turkey hunting are just around the corner <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Everyone to their own opinion but I think you'd be hard pressed to find any lake trout that could match the string stretching ability of a King Salmon. Tight lines to you my friend <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

For eating it�s tough to beat a nice walleye; you can bake it, fry it, grill it, smoke it � and it always is a crowd pleaser.

For sheer entertainment: CARP!

Ask any kid why they�re standing in the slop catchin� monster carp instead fishing for 4-oz. crappies. There�s no limit on carp, you can fly fish, bobber fish, spear, arrow, and hit one with a mallet if you get close enough. I once bagged a nice 20-pounder with a rock � I beaned the fish on the head and it panicked and beached itself. Years ago before safety was invented, we would toss popcorn on the water and shoot the rising carp with .22 rifles. It�s still a dream of mine to do that with a pump shotgun and slugs or a .30-30 lever action � how fun would that be? Maybe an AR-15 would be more your style?

My personal bests are a 37-pound carp and 44-pound buffalo using a bow. I have more money invested in my carp bow than most deer rifles. The 100-pound grass carp are making their way up the Mississippi River to Minnesota � I can hardly wait.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
best,
bhtr

My favourite fish for sports fishing would be the "Kamloops" strain of the Rainbow Trout indigenous to my home province of B.C.; these are the largest Trout on Earth. We have caught several that weighed nearly 30 lbs and they have been caught well over 50 lbs, in Kootenay Lake.

The "official" world record is about 37 lbs, from Idaho, but, the eggs came from Kootenay Lake. In the old days, before the accursed dams on the Columbia, these fish teemed in the tens of millions and 10-20 pounders were caught, several per day, each.

For sport and food, my absolute favourite is the Kokanee salmon, a landlocked Sockeye, on light tackle, they jump like Steelhead and are superb eating. When smoked and eaten with Nelson Brewing Company dark ale, icecold, they are so good, it is probably sinful!

I've caught everything from panfish and bass to trout, salmon, shad, lingcod, rockfish, halibut and the list goes on and on but the one fish I favor most is the carp... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I caught a monster 35 pounder on an ultralight Fenwick with 4lb line with a tiny #8 hook and white corn. They are excellent smoked and BETTER than salmon when canned. But don't tell anybody... I kinda like having the lake all to myself. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

As for fight, a kenai red hooked in the tail.
Grayling for eating.
Big northerns hit nice and hard and are fun to shoot with a bow and arrow.
dolly varden are the easiest to catch.
burbot is the ugliest, but i hear they are good eating.
Lake trout fight pretty good, the only one I have caught was in a yukon stream.
Kings are slugs, BIG slugs.
Silvers fight pretty good, around here they are ery scidish and hard to catch.
rainbows are boring, havent caught any big ones though. all under 20"
Chum fight pretty good when snagged.

Did I miss any?

oh the pinks, I caught one last fall that was 24" long and 11.5" tall. He weighed approximatly 8 pounds.

My favourite is small mouth bass caught in cold Canadian shield lakes. One of the things I truly miss about living in Ontario compared to Alberta

I don't really have a favorite fish, I like them all.

Favorite type of fishing, however, would be with a fly rod,
jacks and walleye, because they can be difficult to fish with the long rod. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Catnthehat

Landlocked Stripers in the spring and fall when the water temp gets around 60 degrees. Best topwater action you'll ever see. In fresh water anyway!

X-VERMINATOR

Yes sir, Carp sure are fun. With Rod, Bow, or firearm!

I like matching wits with Large Mouth Black Bass, Smallies are a hoot, pound for pound one of the best fighters that swim.
But if you want to get your adrenalin pumping, hook into a Six Foot 100+ pound or bigger Sturgeon! Here, anything over Six Feet or under 42" we have to throw back! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I live in central Ky. so Dale Hollow Lake and Lake Cumberland are lakes I fish as often as I can because of their high poulations of Smallmouth Bass. I also live within a 5 minute drive of the best Smallmouth stream in the state Elkhorn Creek. So I guess that pretty much sums up my favorite freshwater fish! Next to Smallmouth I would consider Muskies a very close second! Cave Run Lake is just a little over an hour away from me!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Pike! Pike and more Pike!! Taste great, love how they hit a top water plug, and well just something about thier predator like look.

Smallmouth bass. Gamest fish that swims...

It's cousins, the LM & spotted bass ain't no slouch either, though.

I think a "wiper" will out fight a smallmouth # for #.... They are some pole-bending, line stretchin SOB's.... and thats the little ones.... 721

Favorite? Big Northerns for catching, Yellow Perch for eating, and Walleye for time spent. When Walleye is most of your fishing buddie's favorite, it tends to redirect a lot of your effort.
Least favorite? Anything resembling a trout, with the exception of Lakers. Real fish are green!

Atlantic Salmon (Newfoundland Variety!) without a doubt gives a big thrill. Still my favourite, despite fishing for 8 hours today and not getting a single rise! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

M70, we need to go fishing together sometime. Our thinking is a lot alike!


BTW, I was out spearfishing this weekend and saw a tonne of big jacks (15 lbs and up). Those suckers put up a fight...


SS

SamSteele,
Sounds good, maybe after I get back from Africa.
M70guy

favorites for catching would rate N.P.O.
a) brookies
b) river northerns
c) bluegills (bullgills) on a flyrod

favorite eaters are N.P.O.
a) perch
b) crappie
c) walleye

Rainbows, Chinook, white sturgeon.

Well, I know it takes me quite a bit longer to get a 30 pound lake trout to the net than it does a 30 pound king.

Even a 15 pound laker will keep you busy for a while. A king that size is beside the boat in five minutes. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Ted

Muskys all the way, everything else is just BAIT

Ditto!! I have the Rollie & Helens bumper sticker that says just that. I've even used smaller Pike on a quick strike before <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I dont know why my favorite Wisconsin fish is one of the hardest to catch, but it is.

My favorite fish to catch and eat would have to be Alligator Gar, i'm originally from texas and those monsters can get pretty big, its fun hooking the smaller ones, sometimes you get the 6+ footers and cant even turn them. yes, they are the best tasting freshwater fish.

Hell I got Rolly and Helens in the backyard <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Lake superior...as far as taste....perch, but now days it is rare to catch even one of decent size. About 20 years ago you could catch 'em as quick as you could throw a line in, and they were almost all of decent size.

So far...steelhead.

I love me some pike, especially when im out in canoe by my lonesom and i hook into a biggin and it takes me for a ride-yeehaw. Brookies from a cold north eastern stream are good too, there nice to fish for on a hot summer day when you walkin down a cool brook with the sun shinning through the trees and your using an ultralight setup with 0 size aglias.

Steelhead with cutthroat not far behind.

Steelhead.....because they ream you...you don't control them. Reckless abandon, freight train runs, above water coho antics and a real zest for life....and freedom.

How can something so powderful and just plain crazy when hooked, take (egg clusters) so damn softly. Incredible, but part of the whole mystique of the Steelhead.

S&W "snubby" 38 Spec. with 110gr. SuperVels.....I got wet alot, but talk about terminal performance.......grin.

Fishin' was slow to begin with or I wouldn't have messed with the pristine waters, but slowed down a bunch more after the first carp belly rolled.

Chinooks ripp and rant pretty good, either a jack or a king still got some gusto after swimming a couple hundred miles up rivers. Its nice when its 2am and your sittin by the river in daylight, hookin into king.

large largemouths

If it ain't chrome...I'll just as soon stay home.
Without a doubt, King salmon & steelhead.

8-12 lb rated GLoomis rod & 10 lb test.

Jiggn' fussy Walleye for finesse and intrigue, Whuppn' big Pike on surface plugs and spoons for excitement, exersizing cooperative, exotic and beautiful big Arctic Grayling on a dry fly in a fast river riffle up north for adventure, and catching pails of yello Perch off the dock for summer relaxation.

Favorite - Walleye or wiper

Least Favorite - Stocker rainbows

+1 on the stockers

Chinook Salmon,and go figure ya don't have to live in Alaska to catch bigg'uns

For eating I like Crappie.

For catching, Brown Trout on a fly rod.

Though I fish for all of them, my favorite is big, fat ugly flathead catfish.

L'mouth bass. Followed closely by obese smallmouths.

Smallmouth bass for the fight. They jump. They wiggle. They shake. Most of all they never give up. Kings and steelhead rock too but I only get to fish for them once a year. White perch for eating.

By far, the most fun I've had is catching carp on a 20' crappie pole. I'm gonna go fight some tonight after work

Smallmouth. I cant decide which I like better; wade fishing in streams and rivers, or fish the resevoirs for the big boys out of a bassboat. I guess I will have to stay after them for the rest of my life to figure it out.

My favorite is Largemouth Bass. Primarily because I dont have a boat and I can flip and pitch to shoreline cover and catch alot of good fish. Ever notice that guys on shore try to cast to the middle of the lake, and guys in boats cast to the shore? Just a funny observation.

Hello everyone. I'm new to the site. Like what I see so far.

I would have to say my absolute favorite is Steelhead, Salmon and then Walleye.

Steelhead first and foremost. I absoluey love being on the rivers. The mighty muscle of those chrome rockets just sends the adreniline blasting through your veins. As do Salmon also. I enjoy the hunt more than the kill I guess. Putting it all together is the best part.

Welcome to the c'fire, RiverLady1.

Thanks biglmbass. Good to be here.

Nice to see ya here Riverlady, the crowd here is varied. Since I have never really said what I fish for, I like Brim, Perch, Pike and Catfish. Salmon are great to go after too. Les

Black Bass for the fun/fight factor. Flathead Cats, Crappie, Bluegill for the fingerlicking factor.

Smallmouths for me but it really is a tough call. I love to catch most all kinds fo fish !

I like catching Rockfish (Stripers)they put up a heck of a fight. The best eating to me are the channel cats.