Anyone ever fished while hunting? I convinced my buddy that we should take some rods on an afternoon duck hunt a few years back and we actually brought home a speckled trout. I thought it was pretty cool and has the potential for an interesting mixed bag. I'm thinking about trying to set either a hoop net or trotline or either just a simple hand line for catfish while we duck hunt this year. Just wondering if anyone had any experience with this or if it's not worth the effort.
Anchorite
Member
Yes. While gator hunting in the Mobile delta at night.
courtgreene
Member
When in Colorado bear hunting we reduced the load we had to carry to spike camp by taking fly rods instead of meals. It worked well but was a bit risky.
Patocazador
Member
I deer hunted a lot from a river system where there were no roads. In the middle of the day I'd sometimes fish for brim and bass. I didn't get many at high noon hours but it killed the time before I went back to the deer. Hint: use a beetle spin lure. I have caught most every kind of fresh-water fish using one.
Armored farmer
Member
I seldom go anywhere without my fishing gear.
My recent trip to Saskatchewan was no exception. I was so excited about catching some walleye and northern but we were kept so busy with the waterfowl hunts that I didn't even get my gear out...maybe next time....
Yes @Patocazador ...I agree that the beetlespin is the most productive lure in my box. I buy them by the dozen on ebay...that reminds me, I could use some!
Black ant is my go-to fly.
I went moose hunting in Ontario about 15 years ago....no moose but we were in the boat about as much as we were not.....we ate well! Walleye and Lakers galore!
Some of my best hunting memories come from that hunt. Reeling in a walleye with my 30-06 leaning against the side of a Lund 15' deep v, binos around my neck looking for moose in a steady snowfall... is a pretty good time!
My recent trip to Saskatchewan was no exception. I was so excited about catching some walleye and northern but we were kept so busy with the waterfowl hunts that I didn't even get my gear out...maybe next time....
Yes @Patocazador ...I agree that the beetlespin is the most productive lure in my box. I buy them by the dozen on ebay...that reminds me, I could use some!
Black ant is my go-to fly.
I went moose hunting in Ontario about 15 years ago....no moose but we were in the boat about as much as we were not.....we ate well! Walleye and Lakers galore!
Some of my best hunting memories come from that hunt. Reeling in a walleye with my 30-06 leaning against the side of a Lund 15' deep v, binos around my neck looking for moose in a steady snowfall... is a pretty good time!
.308 Norma
Member
Not worth the effort??? I don't like fish very much, but somehow I've never really thought about how much "effort" I put into hunting OR fishing.
To answer your question though - yes, many years ago while I was still a working stiff and had left-over vacation time when we were through deer hunting for the year, my wife and I would sometimes pull our camp trailer down to "Treasureton Reservoir" - about 30 miles south of here. There was a lot of pheasants in the fields around that reservoir, and the reservoir itself offered pretty good trout fishing. So, my wife and I (and our Chesapeake named "Winchester") would hunt pheasants during the day when the fishing was slow, and in the evenings, we'd build a fire behind the trailer and fish until well after dark. Believe me - it was well "worth the effort" even though I still prefer Spam (or any other kind of canned meat byproducts) to fish.
Chuck R.
Member
Not fishing, but we used to set crab pots (Dungenees) sometimes while duck hunting in oR/WA. Drop the pots, put out the dekes, then pick up after the flight. Only problem was the *&^^* seals stealing the salmon head bait.
EIB0879
Member
When my stepfather was alive we would sometimes go deer hunting in the morning and crappie fishing in the evening.
Savage30L
Member
We used to float down rivers and creeks here in central KY and hunt (squirrels, ducks) and fish at the same time. That was back in the 70s. Nowadays, the properties abutting the creeks have mostly been bought up by wealthy folks who won't let people hunt (or even fish, even though it's navigable water) on "their" creek....
Patocazador
Member
Yeah! When I was in college in Alabama in the '60s, my friend and I would float a small, twisting river every Thanksgiving weekend in a canoe. Bow man would have the shotgun while the stern man steered. Anything legal was the game we were after. When the shooter fired, his turn was up and we'd switch places. We trailed a trolling hook with a tiny cork baited with a crawfish. We got mostly wood ducks and squirrels although once we had a chance at a very large 7 point buck. Bluegills and redbreast were the fish we caught. A shore lunch followed at the take-out place.
Memories like this are one of the best rewards from a life of hunting. Thanks for bringing me back to those times.
Random 8
Member
Yes. There's a lake I hunt for late season waterfowl that also has a very good late pike bite. Sucker minnows, drab green bobbers and a couple heavy pike rods are normal gear. We don't really use decoys on the deep channel where the pike cruise, so it works well. Just have to reel fast if a duck is downed anywhere near the pole so the dog doesn't get fouled.
I've also run tip-ups through the ice at the same time as ML deer hunting. Posting a narrows where deer like to cross, and it's also a banner pike spot. The deer are used to a few fishermen, so the commotion of drilling holes doesn't seem to disturb them.
I've also run tip-ups through the ice at the same time as ML deer hunting. Posting a narrows where deer like to cross, and it's also a banner pike spot. The deer are used to a few fishermen, so the commotion of drilling holes doesn't seem to disturb them.
That's kinda what I was thinking about doing. Running a single rod or handline for catfish and maybe get one while duck hunting. My buddies don't really want to mess with it but I think going home with ducks and fish would be pretty cool. I actually like eating both anyway.
Lol, I guess I mean the effort of splitting focus by trying to do both at the same time. If I was hunting the morning and had time after it would 100% be worth it. I have little ones right now so I can't be gone long enough to do all day stuff very often. At least until they are big enough to go with me lol.Not worth the effort??? I don't like fish very much, but somehow I've never really thought about how much "effort" I put into hunting OR fishing.
To answer your question though - yes, many years ago while I was still a working stiff and had left-over vacation time when we were through deer hunting for the year, my wife and I would sometimes pull our camp trailer down to "Treasureton Reservoir" - about 30 miles south of here. There was a lot of pheasants in the fields around that reservoir, and the reservoir itself offered pretty good trout fishing. So, my wife and I (and our Chesapeake named "Winchester") would hunt pheasants during the day when the fishing was slow, and in the evenings, we'd build a fire behind the trailer and fish until well after dark. Believe me - it was well "worth the effort" even though I still prefer Spam (or any other kind of canned meat byproducts) to fish.
MacAR
Member
A good double gun, a bag full of #6 shells, a 5.5 foot fly rod and some flies make for an excellent day of woods wandering. Shoot some squirrels, the odd rabbit, and a few bluegill from the creek. You may not get a big bag, but it's a very pleasant departure from the "normal" hunting day. As a matter of fact, it's about my favorite way to spend a sunny January day!
Mac
Mac
Savage30L
Member
Mac, you're lucky that you live in a place where you can get access to do this. I read you post and sat here for 10 minutes trying to think of anywhere within 100 miles of me where I could do this, and couldn't come up with one. The powers-that-be in our state have done a terrible job of protecting rural land from overdevelopment. It makes me sick to think about it.
Finally I remembered one spot where I have permission to hunt, where this would be theoretically possible. The creek is a large creek that gets almost no fishing pressure, because there is absolutely no public access for put-in/take-out for more than 100 creek miles. The farm has about a mile of creek frontage, but the creek is very difficult to fish from the bank....the banks are vertical, 8-to-12 feet high, and comprised of mud so slick, that if you go down, you ain't getting back up, unless you find a large exposed root ball that you can climb up. The woods there are loaded with big, fat fox squirrels that have never been hunted (the landowner is picky about who he lets onto the property). I can walk right up to them, as if they were pet cats. I couldn't bring myself to shoot them!
Random 8
Member
Don't know how Central in KY you are, but I spent a couple months in and around in the DB National forest for work some years ago. Wasn't hunting season, but did a fair amount of fishing on weekends, mapping and hiking into remote fishing spots. There were areas you could get lost that were also open to hunting and I saw plenty of game. No doubt those get pressured some in hunting season, but I've found in my home state, so long as there are larger blocks of public with some challenging access, you can kill 'em with your boots!
.308 Norma
Member
Been there!
Our "little ones" are in their 40s now. In fact, a couple of their "little ones" are probably going to have "little ones" of their own before long.
Nasty Canasta
Member
I hunt while fall fishing & have taken several grouse while fishing the mountain rivers & streams.
MacAR
Member
That's a darn shame. I didn't get to go last year, but I'm thinking that once deer season has closed, I'll gather up the hounds, shotgun, and fly rod and make a little circle up the creek from the house. I'd always take a pot and a skillet and cook my lunch along the way; there's just something about cooking the food you've just shot/caught over an open fire, then washing it down with some cowboy coffee boiled over that same fire.
Used to, me and my buddy would hit the river and run up the creeks with fishing rods and shotguns. Whatever moved was on the menu. Shot a lot of wood-ducks that way, and a surprising number of deer that were dumb enough to watch us float by. Of course, some of the things we did "back then" aren't kosher any more, so those days are pretty well over.
Mac
.45Coltguy
Member
Indeed I have! While deer hunting in the Eastern Sierra's[Ca.], have fished right behind camp along Green Ck. or Virginia Ck a little further out. Stream trout are good! I'll have to see if I can dig up a picture. Hunt the mornings till about noon or so then, let the 'ol Fenwick do its thing. Fishing and hunting go together just fine.
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Armored farmer
Member
Man....you guys have me thinking about a cast and blast hunt somewhere.
Trout/grouse?
Moose/walleye?
Halibut/ black bear?
Salmon/?
I don't have to hunt big game......small game/ upland works for me, too.
Trout/grouse?
Moose/walleye?
Halibut/ black bear?
Salmon/?
I don't have to hunt big game......small game/ upland works for me, too.
Savage30L
Member
I live less than 2 miles from the DBNF headquarters building.
I used to do the same, I've spent a fair bit of time in various parts of it, mostly hiking. I'm older now and have arthritic knees, so it would be harder for me than it used to be in that rugged country. Also, a lot of the land (most of it, in some parts) within the DBNF boundary is privately owned. Sometimes the private inholdings are easy to identify, sometimes they aren't, but in my experience the more productive stretches along creeks are likely to be privately owned. I have a vivid memory of a crazy old alcoholic threatening to shoot me when I tried to ask him for permission to fish (and it may not even have been his land). I prefer going on private land where I know the landowner, and have permission.
.45Coltguy
Member
Found a picture for post #20.
