New to all this

[QueensJester]

Hello all,

I am a newbie who used to fish as a child.

I have only been out a dozen or so times as an adult.

In an effort to find common intrests with my adult son, we are taking up fishing.

SO for those of us who may have little gear and are looking to shore fish for something other than pan fish, what are the groups sugestions.

Also lake in the metro area where we could rent a boat

Thanks to all for all the great info I have found here!

[JBMasterAngler]

Rivers are your best bet. Minnesota would be closest to you, but the st. croix is my favorite. It's a who's who as to what you can catch...walleye, sauger, northern pike, catfish, white bass, smallmouth bass, sturgeon, sucker, redhorse, carp, sheephead, snapping turtle, rock bass, etc. It's as simple as casting out a nightcrawler, minnow, or cutbait. Most boat launches provide good shorefishing access.

[SkunkedAgain]

You can rent canoes on Calhoun. Drop a worm in that lake and see what you catch.

[waterbound]

I'm pretty sure Howard's Point Marina on Minnetonka rents boats. I think Harty's on Medicine Lake rents boats too.

[JBMasterAngler]

On the croix you can join the "aluminum hatch" and rent a canoe to float downstream. The park provides a ride back to the starting point. Some good smallie fishing (among other species) in the stretch between interstate and william o'brien parks. Twister tails and spinners are about the only lures you'll need.

[Acemac]

hit the minnesota river on black dog road with cut up sucker minnows and fish for cats that is a great time and cheep!

[QueensJester]

what the best method for the cats?

[JBMasterAngler]

Acemac pretty much summed it up. Cut bait. Just pick up a few sucker minnows at the bait store and then cut them into chunks...the meaty middle chunks would be best. Or, just pile on a few fathead minnows onto a hook and crush 1 or 2 heads (for scent). Or just use the ol' reliable nightcrawlers Although with those, you'll be spending more time taking sheephead off your hooks than catching catfish.

[QueensJester]

do I want to put that under a bobber or just weith it to the bottom?

Any fancey rigging I shoudl know wbaout or just a hook on a leader?

Thanks for all the hand holding guys !

[Acemac]

there is lots of rigging info in the catfish section of the forums those guys use some wacky rigs so you would be better off looking there.

you will prob have to read this quick as the moderators have been trying to silence me all day.... lol big brother on HSO O.o

[JBMasterAngler]

Personally I think bobber fishing on a river is a waste of time...I laugh to myself everyone I see people doing this. You'll have to reel in and cast every 10 seconds because of the current taking your bobber downstream.

Anyway, I keep the rigs pretty simple. Tie a 3 way swivel to your main line, then tie about a 15 to 24 inch leader with a worm hook on the other end. Then on the bottom swivel, tie a loop where you can attach split shots on. That way if you get stuck on the bottom, you can apply a slow steady pull and just pull off the split shots and save your rig.

[blakeb]

and check your bait often, >15 minutes

[mainbutter]

Depending on how much money you feel like spending, you can consider buying a canoe.

I've been doing all my fishing this year out of a canoe, and it's some of the most relaxing and happy times on the water (as long as the wind isn't too bad). I feel I'm able to set up drifts better and sneak up on fish better than with a boat anyhoo.

[QueensJester]

if we stick with it ths year Imay buy a flat butt canoe and put a trolling motor on it.

Want something I canlaunch and retreve by myself.

if I dont need a trailer of course that is a plus:)

Thanks for all the input folks!

[NaturesRespect]

to be honest you will not catch anything without first learning how to. I have spent 2-3 years learning about bass fishing and how to catch them when i was 13-15 around that time span. I spent countless hours watching bass professor on youtube and tons of other bass fishing videos on youtube as well as google research about their behaviour and spawning phases and the way they react to it. What you will have to do is do what I did witch is to learn and go try it! use youtube and google to learn about LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing since you don't want panfish bass would be the next best thing since its such a popular game fish you will find all you need on youtube and google. It took me so long since i was never able to go fish until i had my license and when i got it i went straight to fishing and guess what! i was very successful! shore fishing you will soon adapt and learn alot about were to find the fish and how to adapt to the limited space you have. before you go out I'd suggest what you should first learn is the lures and rigs that work heres the list and what you BETTER do is research how to fish it and dont forget to study bass behaviour and spawning phases

list of lures and rigs and lures to research and learn to fish

1. Texas Rig

lure- plastic worms (senkos), plastic crawfish or lizards

2. carolina rig

lure- same as Texas Rig lures

3.Crankbaits

lures- rapalas, lures that look like rapalas, basikly any crankbait

4. spinner baits

lure- go to spinnerbait section or ask worker for spinnerbaits and choose ones of your liking and colors of your choice

5. Inline spinners

lure- the most basik river lure to catch Smallmouth bass, white bass, pike look for some Blue Fox spinners and Rooster Tails and Mepps spinners

Look up bass rigs for other rigs for soft plastics like worms and creatures and look up bass lures for other types of lures for bass as well i just posted some of the basik easyest lures to learn to fish and just because they are easy dosnt mean it will just catch fish it can even catch you the biggest fish you have ever caught!

[QueensJester]

coul dbe best advice yet.

We are studying as we go

[Comit 2]

Well here I go.

A few thing keep in mind when learning to fish.

Never expect to do the same today as you did yesterday. I call it fishing yesterday. You can use yesterday as a starting point but be ready to change spots and presentation.

When fishing rivers look for eddies (where the water turns and gos up stream) and fish the seam next to where the water is moving down stream and fish the eddie from beginning to end. Look for up welling water.

Lakes have current, use it. It is not always easy to see but you can learn to see it. Where bars have a deeper areas, where deep water points come close to shore, something made that area deeper. Gravel and sand bottoms, something keeps the area clean. Saddle areas!

Always pay attention to the wind and light.

Watch the waves. If you see an area where the small waves seem to disappear (glassie area) on the up wind side of the lake the water is most likely up welling in that area (good chance good size bass are somewhere within 50yards).

There is more but I'm out of time. If you catch a fish there is a reason it was there. Look for clues.