What with living inland and longing to fish we have taken up fresh water fishing just to get a taste of the real stuff. This has to last untill we hit the sea again and do some serious fishing.

We have tried most of the dams and rivers in this area with little success so my buddy resorted to using the old throw net.

Well we caught two small eels on 6 rods but bagged 10 freshwater mullet with the net.

The only problem with freshwater fish is that they smell and taste like mud. My buddy intends to mince the mullets to make fish cakes but I honestly fear the taste! I simply do not have the stomach to try the concoction.

In the past the old folk made pickled and curried fish to hide the muddy taste but I do not think one could make curried fish cakes - let alone pickled fish balls !!!

As far as fresh water goes we settle mostly for bass and eel but catches have been poor lately and the various fishing spots vary so much that one can often be caught off gaurd. Last sunday we tried a new spot and the guys had a good laugh at my choice of heavy tackle because the spot turned out to be between the rapids - shallow water where they all used small bass rods and reels as compared to my 8 foot rods decked out with oukama and jigmasters.

Rapid fishing is new to me but what a surprise to see them eeling in broad daylight !!

As the say - a change is as good as a holiday so here goes nothing - even fish in a muddy pool by the looks of it !!!

Hi Shortman

I normally fish in saltwater but always try my luck in freshwater when I'm on holiday or close to some lakes or rivers.

The taste seems to depend a lot on how muddy the water is.

I caught some brown trout last year and it tasted fantastic - a bit like salmon.
But the water was crystal clear.

cheers

Shortman,Welcome and where are you Freshwater Fishing ? Out here in the Ozarks,USA, you can use 4-6 lb line with light,ultra, or Med light rods,( in summer the trout hit the 4 lb line easier, this was on the bank, if you are on a river boat ,then you need heavier lines, with like reels.
I helped a Friend , on leave from the Air Force, buy a nice Spinning Shakespeare ,Dimension with 10 bearings, for 39 USD, what a nice smooth reel for the money it is a dandy.
If you can afford the Okuma reels, some are reasonable costs( we are on a budget so we are careful) they have good reviews , i want to try one next. Choose a good rod if you can afford it , i have a Graphite from when they started making them by Lamiglass-Graphiteer,(way over twenty years) and yah know i broke the tip once, it got forced in the back of my Truck, fixed it with a kit, and it is as good as new, this Rod is a great investment, so pick out one you like and has good rep. There are less expensive rods that are fine, i would try the Shakespeare line as well as Ugly sticks for Bass,Comfort is important consideration.
On the lakes for Bass, we are using 10-20 lb line, with med duty Rods and reels for trolling, if you are on the bank you can try lighter lines like 6-8 but if you hit a large one, you know you will have to work that Fish carefully to bring him in. Don't forget to ask your local Bait shop that you trust, and be sure to speak to fishing guides and local papers,Visit the local Fishing resorts and ask around.Look for good clean water to fish.... We also have a State site,( here in Arkansas,USA), that even emails out weekly report. The more info you have , the better chances are you will start to improve you catches. This was my 2 cents worth, use it as you may and Keep on gaining experience and your skills will shine!
Best Wishes, AJ

Thanks Hillbilly.

My biggest problem is that I have relocated to an unfamilier area where things are way different - from very dry to semi tropical. The area I grew up in I knew very well but now all has changed. Here I find people fishing rapids that are not more than 2 feet deep for easl whereas I always fished dams that offered deep water. The dams too were stocked with trout and bass and I knew where to fish and what lure to use at what time of year.

I appreciate your advice regarding eqipment as I have always gone with the in store specials. I must have about 10 different types of small rods that I use for fresh water and three sea ploes. Reels range from all over just as the occasion required. I bought a brand new 5 piece sea rod in January and happened to see a smart new bass combo on Saturday that I will probably buy. It is way expensive so I may just go to the city to price one there before buying. However, I agree, my fresh water tackle leaves much to be desired.

I have decided to replace my gear with something specific to the need and started off with bass line as I noted that the normal stuff cannot handle the spinner motion and teases itself into a crow nest fury after a while - despite putting on an in line swivel.

So,as far as equipment goes, I am getting there but still have to make a decdent catch. We mostly hit the dams in the area but I will start travelling wider in order to find in order to improve the yield.

Hi Markt.

Our rivers and dams mostly run muddy being in Afrika but the bass and trout are OK eating if skinned and salted for about 1 hour brfore cooking. in fact, they will probably do just as well unsalted too.

The other fish are all mud orientated and taste vile unless curried. The eel, however, taste OK because they are skinned and have that perfect white flesh that can easily rival the salt water fish taste.

The other fish are basically only eaten by the indigent and we usually donate our catch to some or other poor family.

Some dams have clear water but, due to the recent heavy rains, these too are brounish and the bass are lazy to chase so catches are poor at the moment.

Hello Shortman, if milk is available you might try soaking your fish in the milk before you cook ,will improve the flavor .Also go to Bass sites and read about different methods and lures or live bait to attract the Bass or fish you are looking for . Best Wishes, AJ

When I hear someone say they miss saltwater fishing I can relate. Years ago I had 3 day weekends and I spent them offshore. The hardest thing for me to give up was catching big fish. I really enjoy the physical fight.

As for the taste of the freshwater fish I have found that if I soak the in cold saltwater for awhile, sometimes over night, they taste fantastic. People will tell me they don’t taste fishy at all. The saltwater soak will take the blood out of the meat.

I have retired to the inland now and rarely get the chance to get offshore any more. I have found that the big catfish have been able to fill the void. If you have any rivers near you with some deep holes in them they may be holding some very big fish. I always release any fish over 10#.

If you get the chance, try catfishing. Here is a photo of my grandson Hayden with a blue cat he caught last Monday. Hayden is 13 years old. This fish beat out the previous “Jr. Rod & Reel Record” by 15#.