Open Water Goals... How'd You Do??

[hanson]

When summer starts to transition to fall, I like to reflect upon my open water fishing season. I like to do the same when the ice starts to melt but this is the time of year when I like to evaluate my open water season. How'd ya do?

Perhaps open water isn't done yet for most of you. In that case, what are your goals for fishing this transition period of autumn?

I searched back and found the thread on open water goal setting. Here it is... Goals

-My personal goal this summer was to learn a little more about our wiskered, finned friends- Catfish!! That is to become a better catfisherman. Goal Accomplished!!

<-------- Goal #2 was to catch a 20lb Channel Cat. Pretty lofty goal but just look to my avatar on the left. Goal Accomplished.

-Goal #3 was to catch my first Flathead Cat. It didn't take too long this summer and Dennis Steele hooked me up with Flathead Cat #1. Goal Accomplished.

-Goal #4 was to catch a Flathead Cat over 30lbs. Unfortunately, I'm not quite there. My biggest flattie of the summer is 26lbs so far. Yeah, there is some time left and I still hope to break the 30lb barrier.

-Goal #5 was to learn some Mississippi & Minnesota river catfishing spots. Oh yeah!!! Goal Accomplished!

-Goal #6 was to make it up to Cats on the Red in Lockport, MB. Ain't going to happen this year

-Goal #7 was to fish the inner-city Metro lakes. Lets just say I found much better places to fish on the rivers and totally forgot about this goal!

Anyone else care to divulge? How'd summer treat ya?

[fiskyknut]

My goal weekend before last was to get Hanson on his 20# Red river Channel Cat, no problem with that at all, look at that smile and avatar now because next weekend he'll be vogueing it up with a bigger one! lol!

I Continually year after year try and get that 48 inch green and slimey Pike. Maybe next year, to late in the year now unless I get way lucky.

What I do have potential of doing again this year is getting masters of 3 different species. Got the Pike and the Catfish, their pretty easy. I need to get that big walleye this fall out of the Rainy....I think I can!

Wanted to do a bit more flyfishing for panfish on a nice quiet and very scenic nearby lake but did'nt get to.

And as always share good times with friends and family in/on our states woods and waters.

fiskyknut

[Captain B.R.K]

You both are walking wiskery face catheads

• Going into the summer, my first goal was to rip up my old carpet, by a brand new electronic graph/gps for my boat. Accomplished just before walleye opener! Plus with my new looking boat, I was hoping to get out on the water more than ever....accomplished!!

Being new to the St.Cloud area, I was hoping to learn some of the area lakes. An opportunity to fish in an area league appeared and I accomplished this by fishing various lakes all summer long.

Last, but not least I wanted to learn how to bass with spinnerbaits, jig n pigs, jig n worm, senkos, and other plastics. Accomplished that goal (though I still have plenty to learn, but I've got the basics down). Caught plenty of 3-5lb bass all summer long.

Summer went by pretty fast, but I can honestly say I had a good summer!

[hanson]

Fisky-

Master crappie perhaps??? 15" is a monster goal. I've seen plenty of 14 1/2" to 14 3/4" but that last 1/4" has been very elusive to me.

[Stratosman]

A new addition to the family cut into the fishin this year, so no goals achieved as of yet in the fishing department, but I could care less. An ongoing goal of mine is to try to catch a trophy caliber fish from each common sportfish species native to this area. Didn't do so good this summer, but the fall is piggy time anyway, the only problem is that the woods start calling my name about now.

[fiskyknut]

Well if we cut a big hole with a chainsaw and I jigged from an Otter tub we could then still call it an openwater goal eh! I think that threepeat will count if they're all caught in a 1 year timespan. Hmmm how bout the big wally and the big speck this year? My minnow will die trying anyhow! 15 inch Perch would then make it a fivepeat.

[Dennis Steele]

My goals for the year were to fish as much new water as I could and to get back to spending some time on the water with my family. I could have done better but I would say goal accomplished.

I tried a dozen new stretches on several rivers. I would have liked to fish the St Loius but never got around to it. Next year!

I also went from last three years not spending anytime on the water with my family, to getting out with my wife 3 times, my daughter twice and my brother twice. Not too bad, but I think the wife and my daughter would have loved to just go boating. They love to fish and go on their own often but they do like the Minnetonka cruising experiance as well. Just cruise around and bop into the many restraunts on the lake.

That will be on the list next year.

[Borch]

My goal for this summer was to fish new water and have fun. well this summer I did both. Many of the new waters I fished were on the LET's Tourney circut. As all that participated in those know...It's a lot of fun!

Talk about killing two birds with one stone.

[cheektowaga]

I had to double back to the thread to see exactly what I posted, which was "to catch that pesky 22" largemouth."

Mission Accomplished

[delmuts]

i didn't do much toward working on using cranks, i tried some, but didn't get out much with the heat this year. now i'm anxious for the fall panfish bite to get started.nex year ?

[gunflint]

I still have about 6 weeks of open water so I have time to work on goals. The one goal that I have accomplished so far, thanks to "Northlander" is to better use the art of bottom bouncing.

[Aquaman01]

My goals were fairly modest, and moving (again! ) put a wrench into some of my goals. Keep in mind - I haven't been fishing around these parts for long (6 years).

1-Pike over 25"; done, thanks to Mr. Special and some schooling in the art of trolling.

2-Smallie over 16"; SMASHED IT with 19 1/2" New goal is 20"

3-Walleye over 27 1/2"; Failed. Lost the S.O.B. at the boat. She was 30" if an inch.

4-Go Flatheading; failed due to the move out of the metro area.

5-Get my son (6) on a flathead; Done. It was early season and 16" long caught on a crawler.

6-Get my son some fish on artificials; Done, with special thanks to Hawgtide. The boy also learned the value of jigs.

7-Get out to fish with friends; can ya ever really get enough of that? Thanks Phil - there's more to come!

Like Dennis, I explored new stretches of river. I also found several shore spots.

[Jim Hudson]

Well my first goal I listed on the earlier thread did not come true.. It is a bit out there, but can be done. That 50" northern never made it to the boat. Although I caught a mid 40" pike from inland waters.

Besides that, I learned the ins and outs of some more inland waters close to home, along with putting a lot of effort into hunting down big muskies. No big girls as of yet, but I did catch a handful of nice fish so far.

All in all, it was a fun year so far, but we still have a couple more months of open water and I am looking forward to some great fall fishing!!!

Speaking of fall... I hope it will entail an encounter with a large musky or two!! Other then that, just monkey around out here on the big lake, exploring new and old spots for different species.

[Guest]

I'm still working on my main goal of the year.. 60# Flat.. the year is far from over. If I fail, it was sure fun trying, and there is always next year...

It doesnt make a difference if I meet my pesonal goals.. I have acheived nothing short of a phenominal year on catfish if it ended today.. and I have put 100's of fish in the reach of my family, and friends alike.

* hanson * needs to quit losing those fish over 30#.. I shouldnt have to catch the fish myself to get my hooks back!