Size of Nikon's "Senior Market"

WestEndFoto

If you are a fly fisherman in lakes, investigate the Kamloops area. Rivers would be Montana.

DaveyJ

You are apparently planning on going to a luxury lodge, where a 48 inch Northern Pike is considered huge! That by definition is NOT fly fishing. Assume from our correspondence you know that. The Go Pro will probably serve you well if you can get hooked up. In terms of on board cameras the Coolpix Donald suggests won't begin to cut it. I'd get the Nikon in a Pelican Box or equivalent or a SealDry kayak boat bag or something to allow quick access so you can record your catch if you land a big one. The guides and accommodations are really wonderful.

Myself I go to land big fish, and get their portrait, better even if they are free swimming and not hooked, and I do not like to be waited on and never could afford luxury lodges because my income is spent on high end fishing gear, cameras, and I take knots and other technical details pretty seriously as too often it can be a case of the one that got away that dominates the memory years later! For a boat camera my personal preference is the D7200, and a zoom lens like the 16-80 or the 18-140. Changing lens in a boat with a big fish thrashing around is a tough project. I use a net bag filled with old net floats big enough to hold a 50 inch plus fish and after netting with a long handled net, get the hook out with the fish uninjured and you'd better have a nice pair of hemostats to safely remove the hook, and slip the big boy in the net bag, get ready for a hero shot, and sure don't touch the gills, etc., get the photo and let him or her go. If you do this with your troll pro and Go Pro pointed in the right direction (we use mo I toes to get the right direction and make sure the underwater scene is OK, then often the swim away is the best image or video.

rmp

I agree, people do not -- normally -- fly fish for northern pike or sail fish. But, why not? Salmon do not eat on there return to fresh water, but I still fish for them with fly's. Again I agree, catch-and-release, safe release is the way to go.

And yes, these trips are frivolous -- but fun and enjoyable. I get out of NC in the heat of summer and the cold of winter. I go places I've never been, take pictures of things I've never seen, and meet people I've never met.

I use a D500 and the 70-200 and a D810 with a 24-70, so I do not need to change lenses.

Thanks Daveyj. What is a "mo I toes." It looks like I will be on the web a while.:-)

WestEndFoto

Pike! I figured you would be fishing for trout.

heartyfisher

All this talk about fishing has got my fisher fingers twitching ... have not fished for years !! may have to drop a line down by the local wharf in the next week or so :-) !!

rmp

Yes, "fly fishing" is normally associated with trout. But, there is no rule that makes us be "normal." Once, while practicing fly casting in a New Jersey bay, I hooked a 10 lb blue fish. It startled me like you cannot believe. Then came dry fly fishing for bass (bass bugging). That was when I could only afford and only had time for local fishing.

Today, I think of "fishing" as an add-on to a touring, photographing, traveling, excuse (or backdrop) to visit with friends and family. It is better that siting around and talking about the weather, neighbors, or politics. In actual practice, I end up spending most of the trips photographing stuff as opposed to real-fishing. And the comradery is much more enjoyable.

MegapixelSchnitzel

RMP, I hope you didn't have to play Marine in Hue or Khe Sanh. Thank you for your service, Brotha'. Now we have some time to play with what we want and life is gravy!

rmp

Thanks, I missed both, but saw a lot of Danang and the sea coast. And you are right - it is time to play. Enjoy!

vtc2002

@rmp Where are you located in NC? I am a avid fly fisherman. I leave in a couple of days for a trip to Colorado to fish and hopefully some late fall colors. I mostly fish for trout but enjoy bass as well.

rmp

I am in GSO, actually Summerfield, NC. Where are you?

DaveyJ

The mor I toes is my mini iPad correction,of the word monitors.....so my mistake! As to fly fishing for pike....which I have done a lot of......I prefer a bait casting rod and reel....like Shimano Cruicial rod and Shimano Curado 200 reel, of maybe a Curado 300. I use this gear a lot.....even for Blackfin Tuna with a rinse down to reduce salt corrosion, our,target whenever possible in fresh water is Tiger Muskeliunge...the cross between Muskelunge and Northern Pike. Years ago in Canada I caught some natural hybrids and instantly formed a love affair with them....they are sterile, grow very fast, have beautiful tiger markings, and have become a fish management tool in places,like Washington and Utah, and to a lessor (unfortunately) degree in New York State. I have stocked them in New York and West Virginia when I worked for fisheries in those two states and a friend, Dr. Al Hazzard put quite a few in Pennslyvania.

rmp

I agree DaveyJ, pike are better handled on stronger gear, like the casting gear you mentioned. I have never caught large northern pike or musky on any gear, and the guides I have talked to think I am crazy (so do many other people). But the guides are willing to give it a try. My "flys" will be LARGE bass bugs. If it fails, I will switch back to casting plugs. If it works, I should get a lot of top water action and the fights should last a long time.

DaveyJ

I release all my nice fish and a fight that lasts too long is not a good thing for released fish survival. One real problem with Northerns or Tiger Muskelunge is the fish can easily bite right through a leader. Look into Flourocarbon Shock tippets. Don't use wire leaders as it kills the action and your chance of getting hits, This same type of fly rod shock Tippett is used routinely on tarpon as I think you already know. Do not get me wrong on fly rods, I generally prefer to get hooked up on really big fish with a fly rod as my salt water and it fish gear has 400 yards of powerful backing (gel spun), my Shimano Curodao 200 only has 150 yards. Pike though usually do not make long runs. Their way of getting away is to hold off the fight until they are close and their size and speed for a short distance, plus teeth a Baracuda would be proud of makes them one of the hardest fish to land safely if they above say 50 inches. For lures I like Krockodiles with the little kicker plate and a single Siwash hook. Fire Tiger color is one of the best by far.

Sounds like a really nice trip. The Nikon camera and Go Pro should serve well. We now have our Go Pro 5s, and the Nikon 170 coming to compare it to the about 15 of the Go Pros. We have been making our own gimbals and specialty poles for getting the right angle for years. We have Pro Class GNCC motorcycle race shots done from our bikes in the races, plus aerial.But our primary passion for that is the Underwater views of say Yellowfin Tuna, etc!
Recently we have had so every nice Smallmouth Bass UW shots for release fish, and Northern Pike. No huge fish though yet have been landed with this gear. It works better with that photo gear on a big offshore boat, or at least a flats boat. Right now I am using my 14 foot Raddison canoe with oars and such for wilderness trout fishing and the fall Adirondack Colors
Look like picture post cards in many views!

I should mention that casting bait casting gear is the important advantage over fly casting. I have to stand to double haul with a fly rod. In a little boat with being older and not as able to be as stable as in my youth or middle age, the casting advantage is really remarkable. For trolling the bait casting gear is far superior.

vtc2002

@rmp I am in the Durham area. We should get together and invite @Msmoto too. The Home Ranch in Colorado is a great place and can put you on some large trout. They are located near Steamboat Springs and there are plenty of photographic opportunities. The food is exceptional.

rmp

Thanks vtc2002. That was great advice. Colorado is always high on any list of fishing spots and the best advice comes from experience. I like the get-together idea. Maybe a short shoot at Duke Gardens and lunch? @Msmoto is always up for a shoot.

rmp

Thanks @Daveyj, You should like my fishing guide. Where can I see some of your photos?

vtc2002

@rmp That sounds good. The leaves will be changing colors in the next couple of weeks and the gardens are really pretty during that time. The Chapel is a short walk from the gardens and offers some photo opportunities. Send me a PM with some times that will work for you. Hope @Msmoto can join us.

Ironheart

Not sure if I qualify as a "senior", as a member of the "under-50" crowd (cough cough 49) But I've always said it's not the years, but the miles If the definition is "more money than time" I qualify. But it might be "more time than money" soon enough Either way the discussion has been interesting, hearing plenty about fishing, but no golf? Or bingo? What do "seniors" do besides shoot?!?

rmp

I know I can speak for only one senior, so what I do is complain about the lack of new Nikon toys and other stuff.

paulr

Has a qualified "Senior", I'll tell what we do, we still go out in all weathers and use our cameras,The modern 70 year old is yesterdays 40 year old and we don't need a new Nikon toy to help us go out to to take great images. LOL.

framer

I don't feel like 40... Just woke up and needed Advil... I did just get a 14-24 yesterday. Do I need it No, it was a forever want... Big question now is do I sell the old 15mm AIs f/3.5. I've had that as a never sell.

framer

Ironheart

@framer Have you done any astrophotography with the 15mm? How's the coma? If the price is right... I'll PM you

WestEndFoto

framer said:

I don't feel like 40... Just woke up and needed Advil... I did just get a 14-24 yesterday. Do I need it No, it was a forever want... Big question now is do I sell the old 15mm AIs f/3.5. I've had that as a never sell.

framer

Don't sell the 15. That is one of my favorite lenses. It is a joy even to simply hold when I daydream that it is really its big brother, the 13.

However, if you do sell it, make sure you get a good price. I suspect that it is worth more than a thousand.

vtc2002

@rmp Here are a couple of trout from Colorado.





This one is small but we caught atleast 50+ in a two hour window of time. None were big but it was fun anyway. We were fishing under the I-70 bridge in Silverthorne and downstream. Not your typical spot.



@Ironheart Ruptured disk in my back from a near fatal car accident put a end to my golfing days. I dearly love the sport. My father taught me to play and the quality time that I got to spend with playing golf before he passed is priceless. Golf payed for one of my college degrees.

rmp

Good looking fish. Colorado is a great place to fish. My trips the days involve boat as in float trips, I'm no longer up for wading rivers.