What was your best new find for 2022 & plans for 2023?

[Tigereye]

Best find was a secluded "hole within a hole" that seemed to attract and hold salmon allowing a number of drifts. Not a soul within 100+ yards. Like having the stream to yourself.

Seemed to have a step change in my tightlining abilities and success. Hookups were significantly higher. Thanks to Dominic Swentosky of Troutbitten. A day on the stream with him is worth double the cost. Unbelievably knowledgeable and helpful.

 

[krayfish2]

Nice. I live near a warm water river that something like that would be perfect for. Only ever go down it in a canoe, and I hate fishing out of a canoe.

Do you have a pickup truck or utility trailer? There are smaller inflatables that you can get compared to what I can flycraft or scadden are the two that immediately come to mind. An inflatable is a lot more work than a canoe because if you don't take care of it, you will explode it in the sun. Most of them are stable enough stand up and fish out of order fish from an anchored position. I can't lie, they are a bit of a pain but the positives outweigh the negatives is why I've had a man pontoon for the last 15 plus years occasionally we'll break it out and give it a run down the. The rafting those photos is 13 ft 2 in. Frame, the oars, the cooler The tackle bags in it it's well over 300 pounds I'm pulling up on the trailer and I've struggled to do it why I have to divide some type of winching system. I have run it down the river with an adult and two dogs or with three adults in it and we've been able to go for a water that was just a few inches deep without any snags

 

[krayfish2]

Very nice job. Can you stand in it?

It does have the high pressure drop stitch floor which I have never pumped up to the recommended psi cuz I'm afraid of blowing it up 😁. It does have some wobble to it when you stand but once you get your sea legs you get used to it. I've stood on it anything going through class one and two rapids. You just need to make sure that you wedge your feet somewhere when you stand up so that you don't get ejected. Thought of adding standing platforms or make a floor that fits inside of it but I thought that added weight takes away from its shallow draft and make it even more difficult to load. Already partially tore forearm and bicep trying to load it. 6 months later, still not healed.

I had to steal the seats off of my drift boat to put them on the raft because it was a 6-month wait to get seats for a raft. I turned around and replaced the seats on the drift boat with really comfortable ones from a bass boat and people have remarked and how nice they are.

Prior to covid, you were able to buy a raft with the fishing frame and seats for less than $2,000 used. Currently, a fishing raft of the frame on is going for at least 5000 which is outrageous. Do you think that's expensive, just the oars will run you $700 - $1,000.

 

[Kyle]

like every year. my plan is to fish more then the previous year. and of course to find new water to explore. in 2022 i finally became member of a trout club on my home waters(the river is in my backyard) so that was great to fish new private water and help out with stockings and other club activities. 2023 i would like to get on the delaware river more. either north for trout or main stem for smallmouth and carp. i live 5 min from it. but i feel like i need a raft or jon boat to really take advantage of the fishery. the rock hopping i do doesnt really pay off and i find myself back on the smaller streams. however, time will tell. my christmas bonus was amazing this year so maybe a boat will be in the works.

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

Bought a kayak at the end of the 2022 season. Plan to use it on central Oregon lakes in 2023. Also plan to take my son-in-law out to some local hot spots, since he recently got bit by the FF bug,

 

[Nymph-wristed]

My goal for 2023 is simple, fish more often. I need Mother Nature's help though, as some of my streams were so low in 2022 that I didn't even bother fishing them.

Same here. My year end tally is off by close to 25 trips. The deep freeze to end the fall surf season too soon also contributed.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

I got my teenage son out this year on a few unique excursions that I hope can continue to be annual rituals even when he goes off to college. I am hoping to add a couple more to make up for the missed beach buggy ride on IBSP that got canned twice due to conditions!

I had a chance to remind him how much he likes it outside and even likes spending time with his old man, who has gotten better at slowing down and enjoying the time over beating up the fish (most days).

 

[BruceC2C]

2022 Find…tailwaters…and, managing time on water around release schedules.

2023 Plan…Fish more Dry-dropper rigs

WATER MASTER inflatables

Might have odd occasion to trade fly gear for spin gear to throw
metal & anger some Bluefish…( damn, THAT looks like FUN!!!)

 

[Millsertime]

Rediscovered Antietam creek in 2022. Exploring more on the Potomac in 2023.

Curious, what part of Antietam? I work in northern MD a few times a year and when I drive from Hagerstown to High Rock for work, I pass Antietam and it looks fishy. I generally pass it along the Leitersburg area.

 

[Clams]

Biggest success was becoming more proficient at fishing Valley Creek. I really focused on hitting Valley whenever possible this year, especially during and after rainy weather, and it's paying off - more fish, bigger fish and fewer skunks.

Plans for 2023? Well my 23 year old son is currently working as a guide at a lodge in Patagonia. He's at Green Baker Lodge which is on the Baker River in Chile. Wife and I will be visiting him in February and I wouldn't mind catching a couple of these:

 

[jifigz]

Best part of 2022 is a hard one to answer as I don't have anything that overly stands out.

Plans for 2023 are to spend more time catching crappie and the fly rod and saving up a mess of em' for a fry. It is hard to leave all the other fish alone that I like to target, however, and chase the crappie in the spring.

 

[salmo]

My 2023 plans are to fish the West Yellowstone area in August with my 35 year old son. I haven't fished Yellowstone since 1983. As for 2022 I now know where there are some brookies on Big Fishing Creek!

 

[Arminacast]

Best accomplishments of 2022 1 Catching a wild trout trifecta on my favorite stream.
2 Catching a trout on a dry fly in every month of the year.
2023 - I hope to go fishing in the Mosquito Bay in Florida.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

My best find of the year was definitely finding a native brook trout creek with a friend. This creek had the largest population of trout I have ever encountered and had the most aggressive elevation changes of any creek I have fished. The perfect creek that makes your quest for trout feel like you're Indiana Jones on a quest for the temple of doom!

My plans for next year are to explore more blue line streams with preference for natives, fish a style other than indicator nymphing, and plan out some longer trips (I usually just hang around locally and fish after work).

I also plan to stop buying fly gear on a monthly basis. 2022 was the year where I acquired the most gear resulting in 16 rods added to the quiver.

I would also like to get involved in a trout club (a real trout club that wants to preserve native fish).

 

[salmo]

Wow. That's an incredible collection. Which is your favorite?

 

[Silent Ocelot]

It various per situation, though one rod that enjoy for nymphing application is my Hardy UL LL 10'2" 2wt, such a beautiful rod and the one rod I have fished more than anything this year.

For small creek applications I'm thinking my SAGE LITTLE ONE 1wt 8'2" and my freshly acquired as of Monday stick, a new Orvis Superfine Carbon 2wt 6'6", are going to be my favorite light line rods. You will see either of these two rods when we fish next year.

 

[Prospector]

Best find was during buck season when I hiked up a couple streams and found some great habitat for trout. One stream I have never caught a trout in the lower section and the other I’ve only caught a few and I wrote them both off.

2023 goals is to finish the rebuild of my camp and invite some folks up for wild trout outings and to fish with WBranch in March or April for steelies (we’ve had plans since last spring).

 

[Fish Sticks]

Best part of 2022 is a hard one to answer as I don't have anything that overly stands out.

Plans for 2023 are to spend more time catching crappie and the fly rod and saving up a mess of em' for a fry. It is hard to leave all the other fish alone that I like to target, however, and chase the crappie in the spring.

Joseph sayers

 

[bdhoover77]

I got out today and got skunked. So my new plan for 2023 is to not get skunked the next time out.

In all seriousness, each time I do get skunked I get really down on myself and wonder whether it’s worth devoting time to fishing.

 

[Roofin' Trouter]

I spent much more time swinging wet flies this year and it paid off.

For next year, I want to try euro-nymphing rigs, which I have not previously tried.

What was your success and goals?

My biggest find in 2022 was the Ridgway Chainsaw Carvers Rendesvous. Giving the casting shoulder a few hour break can make the next day better.
My biggest goal for 2023 is to catch more fish on dries and emergers . I've read a few books to better understand aquatic insect lifecycles to better anticipate hatches . There were some days in 2022 that I waited longer than I should've to change from nymph rig to dry.