2004 Sept - Lake Oseetah, NY

In September we went on vacation to Lake Placid, NY and discovered a wonderful lake for fishing, Oseetah Lake.  We caught a little bit of everything that day: smallmouth, largemouth, perch, northern pike, and I even caught a hornpout! Here's a picture of one of the pike Frank caught.

Frank with a NY pike

These fish are scary and strong as you can see from Frank's reaction below.

The pike trying to get away!

2004 June - Bear Spring Camps, Maine

We rented a cottage for a week at Bear Spring Camps which is right on Great Pond in the Belgrade Lakes region in Maine.

Our cottage at Bear Spring Camps

Early in that week, we were fishing in the late afternoon for bass.  Frank was using a number 2 Mepps spinner, 8-lb test line, and no steel leader, casting into shore when he suddenly had a big hit on his lure.  It took him awhile to bring the fish up and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it!  All I could say was "OMG It's a Pike!!" I helped Frank land it with a really small net and we didn't know what to do with it once we got it in the boat. Frank somehow weighed it, measured it and got it onto a stringer.  What a trophy fish. He now has the record for the largest pike. 

Frank with his 36", 13 lb Pike

Later on in the week I had some success too.  I was determined to learn how to land these pike and not be afraid to handle them.  I caught two that week, but neither were as large as Frank's pike.

Esther landing a pike.

Esther's 24" 6-3/4 lb pike

Esther landing her 24" pike

2003 June 19 - Knops Pond, Groton, Ma

Esther with a trout

Brown trout

It's not very often that I catch a trout.  So when I caught this one, I brought it home and ate it!

2002 Sept - Provincetown, Ma

Esther with her first bluefish

Frank with one of the bluefish he caught

On our vacation in P-town we spent pretty much every day surfcasting for bluefish or stripers. On several occasions, we could see the bluefish just far enough off shore out of our reach. We could see where the fish were by the seagulls flying over the water to pick up the bits of baitfish left behind by the vicious bluefish. 
But we did get lucky on one of our last days when a bluefish blitz came in very close to shore.  We cast as fast as we could and found ourselves running down the beach so we could keep casting into the school of fish.  I only landed one, but Frank caught a couple and a striper as well.  At one point, Frank landed a bluefish and when he turned around he had an audience clapping for him!

2002 May 24th - Maine fishing

Esther with a largemouth bass

Our favorite lake also has some really good sized largemouth bass.

2000 - Maine

Esther with a smallmouth bass

Another spring and another couple of nice smallmouth from our favorite pond in Maine.

Esther with a bigger smallmouth bass

1999 March - Lake Okeechobee

We decided to go to Lake Okeechobee to fish.  We had to get up really early and we saw a beautiful sunrise.

Okeechobee Sunrise

 I was still asleep but managed to catch a largemouth bass.

But mine was nothing compared to what Frank pulled in - a 9 lb largemouth!  Even the guide was excited, he said you don't see them that large very often anymore.

Frank and his 9 lb. Largemouth

The guide was so impressed, he used the picture on his website as an advertisement.  Well it looks like Frank has the record now for the largest Largemouth bass :-(