# Fallfish, a story of glory and horror



## Scott17 (Apr 27, 2016)

So my wife finally got to feeling like taking the kayaks out for our first 2016 fishing trip to one of our favorite little Adirondacks lakes. We had a terrific day, landed a few big bullhead and perch and a mess of 10" and better sunfish. Just the kind of catch I love since she won't touch a bite of fish that doesn't come from the store, so it's all bound for my plate  

We capped off the day with her 22" pickerel which put up a real nice fight and brought a huge smile to her face, and then came my thing. My thing was caught on one of those "what the heck, we have a couple worms left, let's just toss em over at that spot we never try and see what happens before we head back" casts. I put a big fat nightcrawler on the hook, gave it about four feet of line under the bobber, and pitched it out into the middle of the deepest channel where the lake empties into the stream we use to get there. 

I figured if I was lucky another big perch might be sitting along the edges of the channel and come out for a bite, or maybe I could match my wife's fiesty pickerel. My heart got pumping when there was only the slightest hint of a nibble and the bobber was yanked under fast. A quick tug to set the hook and we were off to the races, line racing off the reel. With a sensitive Ugly Stick rod and 6 pound line I really enjoy the back and forth you get from a nice fish, and this was one of the best I've had in the past few years. For just the briefest moment I saw silver scales and rainbow colors and thought I might have hooked one of the big trout that work their way in from the lake and up the stream. The thought of taking a picture of such a fish had me smiling like a kid with his first catch. What glory it would be.

But after a few more minutes I had the thing in the boat, and I was at a loss. I have never, in 30+ years of fishing the same places, seen a fallfish. I only found out later what it was. I will never, in 30+ years of fishing hopefully to come, take a fallfish out of the water except to get my hook out of it's filthy little mouth. And I most certainly will never, in all the years left to me, ever allow a single bite of fallfish to pass my lips again. It was without doubt the most horrible tasting thing I have ever tried to eat, and I'm sure I will have nightmares about being stranded and left with no choice but to eat fallfish or starve...


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## ticndig (Sep 7, 2014)

I've never heard of a fall fish . after looking it up I see we have them here in Va rivers as well . I'll be sure not to eat one , thanks for the heads up ..


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## nyhunter (Nov 14, 2014)

I caught one once in the southern Adirondack's first and only one I've seen. From what I can tell their An oversized minnow. Sounds like a good day fishing,I'm hoping to get out on the kayak this weekend.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

looks like a variation of carp 

bow fishing for carp here is a big thing , a brief drive around this small town and you will see a few john boats outfitted with lights all round the front. they go out at sun down and shine the muddy shallow banks of the river 

there is even a tournament over labor day weekend the winner will usually take near a hundred 

but not to many people eat them , they are mostly fertilizer 

as we were coming in from fishing last night we saw two guys headed out with a very nice rig , all LED lights so they didn't have to run a generator , and a 1/2 a 55 gallon barrel in the center of the boat to toss all the fish in


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## brownegg (Jan 5, 2006)

They should be cleaned and smoked, for some of the finest smoked fish ever...large bones making them easy to eat...just sayin!


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## Scott17 (Apr 27, 2016)

Not sure if I have the guts to try again even smoked, that taste lingered in my mouth for hours despite mouthwash and a few other things I tried to get rid of it. The closest thing I can think of to compare is the smell from the menhaden processing plants down in Virginia that we went past once on a humid day.

I grew up on the Mohawk River here in NY and know a lot of carp are caught there. When they were younger my uncles would sell them to a few oldtimers that smoked them on the weekends. I've heard them tell about laying out rows of them on a tarp after a good day and buyers coming with a sack to load up. 

I don't think the fallfish is built the same as a carp though, because mine had bones more like the pickerel - small and lots of them, and tough to avoid. Apparently the one I got was larger than usual, mostly around here they'll be 15-20" tops, but I'm not surprised since I can't imagine anyone that tries one ever taking another home. 

I have heard that smoking is much easier with pickerel and pike, and next time I may try that with them since I've all but given up on trying to get a filet knife around those weird bones.


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

Yep, they will fight enough to make you think you've got something. They are more edible if they come from more pristine water, but still fishy and lot's of bones.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Where I grew up you would have gotten tarred and feathered if people found out you were to lazy to clean carp or suckers for smoking or canning.
Up at deer camp about mid May the carp come in the shallows to spawn. Lots of action with the bow and you don't even need a boat just some knee boots.
Gotta watch out for the sea gulls though.

 Al


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