Language

P
pinstriper
I am finding, being new to .... the fishing "lifestyle", I'll call it...that much like coming into a room of strangers, you all have a language that uses familiar words, but in strange contexts that tells me there is different meanings. I won't accuse anyone of jargon. Or can't.

But I do say that you have a vocabulary that, if not actively kept secret from outsiders, you all cherish having cracked the code and being able to "in-speak" so that outsiders are baffled.

For instance, I can figure out that a "bucket mouth" is a largemouth bass. I figured out that "springers" are spring chinook (I think). And I had to ask what the deuce it meant to be "bobber doggin'". I'm not sure I can explain it, but I did it. I'm pretty sure a "silver" is one of any number of salmon, but maybe it's more specific.

But what in the heck is a "pellet head" ? Is it a type of fish ? That eats "pellets" ? What are pellets ? Some special kind of artificial bait ? Are they homemade ?

Or are pellets a fish, and those who chase them are the pellet heads ?

It borders on the incomprehensible, sometimes.

Or do I need to buy someone a beer and get let into the fraternity ? And learn the secret handshake, and swallow a live goldfish or something whacky ? I'm not fallin' for that....again....anyway. What gives ? Is there a glossary ? Does anyone actually know, or do you all just throw these words around without knowing, yourselves, confident that nobody will challenge you because it would be admitting they don't know the in-speak either ?

Arghh !
 
D
DrTheopolis
A "silver" is a coho salmon.

A pellethead is a stocker trout. The feed them pellet food at the hatchery.


That'll do for now -- we won't get into highfiners, snakes, or a cracker-job just yet.
 
P
pinstriper
DrTheopolis said:
A "silver" is a coho salmon.

A pellethead is a stocker trout. The feed them pellet food at the hatchery.


That'll do for now -- we won't get into highfiners, snakes, or a cracker-job just yet.

He gives with one hand, then takes away with the other...

But thanks for replacing one set of obsessions with newer, improved, more arcane ones !
 
M
montym
Hey man, that's what Google is for right? When I started here last year I could not understand practically anything without googling things. Fishing is complicated.
 
C_Run
C_Run
Give it time. It will come. There are plenty of abbreviations, too, as I have learned like nook, ho, smallie or geographical locations such as Slaw, Clack, Willie, GP etc. A lot of those you can figure out on your own. Google images is also good for looking up what gear is being discussed.
 
P
pinstriper
C_Run said:
Give it time. It will come. There are plenty of abbreviations, too, as I have learned like nook, ho, smallie or geographical locations such as Slaw, Clack, Willie, GP etc. A lot of those you can figure out on your own. Google images is also good for looking up what gear is being discussed.

I've been buying and reading all the books they sell at Bi-mart and Fisherman's etc. to check that the way I have my rigging matches what I think I'm doing. It's getting better. Still, there's always a new phrase for the same darned thing, or what looks like the same setup used in multiple scenarios/techniques. That will fall into place, too, as I try stuff.

I'm frankly afraid to find out what kind of results would come back from googling "pellet head willie worm".
 
W
wils
took me a while to figure out what a "shaker" was.
 
rogerdodger
rogerdodger
here are some of my favorites, some of these are well know, others less so...

pig, hawg, toad = really large fish
dragon = really large female salmon/steelhead (ref: Shrek)
take-down, drive-by, grab&go, dine&dash = aggressive strike that doesn’t hook-up
chromer = bright salmon or steelhead fresh from the ocean but not necessarily caught in the ocean.
tail dance = acrobatics during a fight, where they jump with speed and appear to ‘dance’ on their tails above the water for several yards…well known coho trick that occasionally results in a fisherman getting whacked in the head by his own spinner…
WAF = wife approval factor
farmer = someone who can't seem to land a fish
B&B fridge = Beer and Bait fridge
 
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S
Stonefish
I love me some ditch pickles...;)
 
P
pinstriper
Stonefish said:
I love me some ditch pickles...;)

Definitely NOT googling that.
 
rogerdodger
rogerdodger
"my B&B fridge has a really high WAF because it keeps me from putting stinky herring in our 'Tiny House' fridge"...:D:D:D
 
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