Chicago fishing buddies sought

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jacob
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Location: USA, Zone 5b, Koppen Dfa, Elev. 620ft, Walkscore 77
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Chicago fishing buddies sought

Post by jacob »

Getting up at 4am or staying past 8pm is apparently what it takes to catch much of anything. Unfortunately, I lack to internal motivation to do this on my own, hence I'm seeking external motivation, that is, some other person(s) to go fishing with. Being ERE compatible always works for an all around good time compared to random people, hence asking here.

I usually fish off of Montrose harbor, but I can go anywhere covered by the red/purple line.

Anyone?

PS: Experience would be nice, since my lifetime catch is <10 fish (a couple of bass, a crappie, two trouts, and several sun fish), but not required. If you're a total noob, I'd be happy to teach/show what little I know. In principle you don't need anything but a pole, a reel, a $15 license, and the ability to suffer---remember 4am. I have tons of lures (yay, eBay) and am willing to share.

PPS: If desperate, you can borrow my pole/reed. I'll just borrow DW's fancy stuff. You still need the license though (can be bought online in about 5 minutes).

sshawnn
Posts: 458
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:17 pm

Re: Chicago fishing buddies sought

Post by sshawnn »

I had a recent 3 day visit with my sister in Wilmington, NC.

In the interest of progressing from consumer to producer, she has a keen in interest in beginning fishing. She has recently met a few ladies that provide and supplement their income with fishing in her area. My first questions about their business were where do they harbor their boat etc etc. Surprisingly at least to me, they fish off the beach! They treat it like a job and spend a few hours a day fishing and sell their fish to local markets (likely for cash) just like the commercial fishermen do.

Beyond eating the fish from Lake Michigan yourself, is there a local demand for such?

jacob
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Re: Chicago fishing buddies sought

Post by jacob »

I'd say there's a demand (various speciality fish stores around town). There's no fish market at the waterline, like, e.g. Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, that I'm aware of.

Commercial fishing licenses are priced in the thousands.

Keith H
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2013 2:31 pm
Location: Central, IN

Re: Chicago fishing buddies sought

Post by Keith H »

Good luck, I miss being out there sometimes. I used to lived a couple blocks in from Belmont Harbor and would fish there or the Diversey pier. I always enjoyed the odd looks I would get walking back from the lake with a coho in hand.

IlliniDave
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Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 7:46 pm

Re: Chicago fishing buddies sought

Post by IlliniDave »

Unfortunately I live in the southeast for now, but I plan on relocating back to Northern Illinois in a few years, and still visit there nearly every summer (and always get a license). So I wouldn't be a regular partner anytime soon, but perhaps on one of my visits we could arrange something. I'm a lifelong fisherman, and a "simple" fisherman too (don't spend much time in fancy boats with high tech gear). My parents live a ways west of the city, but I could probably get over that way easy enough.

thebbqguy
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Re: Chicago fishing buddies sought

Post by thebbqguy »

Jacob,

Here's a suggestion for how to meet some fishing buddies: http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/forum/i ... ing-fling/

You will learn how to catch fish in the 10 - 15 lbs. average weight if you want to catch something bigger and stronger than the typical bass, catfish, sunfish, bluegill, perch, etc.

sky
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Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 2:20 am

Re: Chicago fishing buddies sought

Post by sky »

You might look into whether you can catch salmon (coho, steelhead, lake trout, etc.) from the piers in Lake Michigan. On the east side of the Lake, we can catch them on spoons or spawn, pretty much any time of the day, and all year except when the water is warm.

I am out every once and a while casting a spoon in the river just inside the pierheads to try to catch a coho. They are top quality fish, worth eating that day, or drying or smoking.

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