What are your Hobbies??

[Elephant]

That's awesome Ss... I put aside the 1oz. silver bar for my son that my grandmother gave me when I was born.

 

[Snydershrugged]

That's awesome Ss... I put aside the 1oz. silver bar for my son that my grandmother gave me when I was born.

In hindsight, I wish we had given more gifts like that to loved ones, I especially wish I had for my daughters, oh well. No time like the present to get started right!?

I'm thinking they will get an oz or 2 annually from their folks at least.

 

[Nobody]

Just ordered my youngest daughter's first silver 1 oz coin! She has a birthday approaching next week. I had so much fun looking at all the options she had to begin her collection.

She decided that she wants to collect 1 Oz Silver Australian coins. She will get the 2012 Koala coin next week

Are you a coin collector, bullion collector or both?

 

[Snydershrugged]

Are you a coin collector, bullion collector or both?

Right now, just beginning to dabble in coins.

 

[Nobody]

I posted a thread about it a while back. At the time, only me and El's mom were collectors

If you have any questions about anything, my expertise is in being able to tell you if a price is terrible or fair, and whether the coin is counterfeit and why. Also, never assume something is legitimate just because you got it from a dealer, I've run across a few shady dealers.

If there's ever anything specific you're looking for and can't find, or anything higher priced you're interested in, let me know. There's a dealer right up the street from me that hooks me up, along with anyone I refer to him. He sells typically 20% or more below red book value on everything I get from him, and he will ship direct to you if he has something you're looking for. His spot prices on silver are also well below most places. When the 2012 silver eagles were first made available, he was selling them for $34, and everyone else around here was $45+.

If you're ever going to buy a certified slabbed coin, go on the site for the grading company (usually NGC or PCGS) and type in the number on the placard. It will give you a general history of that number, and a picture so you can tell if it's legit. The Chinese have gotten so good at faking coins and certified slabs that people on ebay sell them every day to unsuspecting victims. Checking is the only way to be sure.

 

[Snydershrugged]

I posted a thread about it a while back. At the time, only me and El's mom were collectors

If you have any questions about anything, my expertise is in being able to tell you if a price is terrible or fair, and whether the coin is counterfeit and why. Also, never assume something is legitimate just because you got it from a dealer, I've run across a few shady dealers.

If there's ever anything specific you're looking for and can't find, or anything higher priced you're interested in, let me know. There's a dealer right up the street from me that hooks me up, along with anyone I refer to him. He sells typically 20% or more below red book value on everything I get from him, and he will ship direct to you if he has something you're looking for. His spot prices on silver are also well below most places. When the 2012 silver eagles were first made available, he was selling them for $34, and everyone else around here was $45+.

If you're ever going to buy a certified slabbed coin, go on the site for the grading company (usually NGC or PCGS) and type in the number on the placard. It will give you a general history of that number, and a picture so you can tell if it's legit. The Chinese have gotten so good at faking coins and certified slabs that people on ebay sell them every day to unsuspecting victims. Checking is the only way to be sure.

awesome stuff! I will definitely come to you with my questions!

In fact, I would like to get a tube of 20 Eagles with some of tax return. Any good leads on where to get them through? I was thinking about a local coin show that is coming up.



Thank you so much for your advice!

 

[Nobody]

awesome stuff! I will definitely come to you with my questions!

In fact, I would like to get a tube of 20 Eagles with some of tax return. Any good leads on where to get them through? I was thinking about a local coin show that is coming up.



Thank you so much for your advice!

Coin shows are tough. The vendors there have to pay for both booth and entry fees, so they generally mark their stuff up to cover the cost an you end up paying more. Sometimes you get lucky though, because guys are more apt to cut you a deal when you spend more. Coin shows are best used for buying large quantities or rare coins.

If you're looking to buy eagles and the year doesn't matter, the best price right now is here.......https://www.texmetals.com/american-silver-eagle.html?gclid=CKnn16fenbUCFQHNOgoduUYA-A

They have them for $35.03 each right now and free shipping for the 2013 ones. Even my guy doesn't have them that cheap, and he's almost always the lowest. Most places are selling them for $820-$880 a tube right now, so getting a tube for $700 is a steal.

 

[Win4us]

Just picked it up for the first time this year but boy do i love ice fishing! It's not for everyone but i can do it everyday. Actually fishing period is something i enjoy passing the time but weather plays a huge part in it.

 

[Snydershrugged]

Thanks for the advice and Link Ex!

and I used to Love ice fishing when I was growing up in upstate NY! Man it was freaking COLD though! Not just a normal cold, but a bone deep nasty killer cold.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I'd prefer fishing off a boat in blue water in a tropical area by about 10000000%, but that's just me.

 

[Nobody]

I'd prefer fishing off a boat in blue water in a tropical area by about 10000000%, but that's just me.

I agree with the boat part, but most fishing in tropical waters is sport fishing. I don't fish for sport, I fish to eat the fish

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I agree with the boat part, but most fishing in tropical waters is sport fishing. I don't fish for sport, I fish to eat the fish

False. There are many delicious eating fish you can catch in tropical waters.

EDIT: I guess it depends on your definition of sport fishing - however the point stands that you can eat many fish in tropical waters. Mahi Mahi is my personal favorite, with Tuna a close second.

 

[Elephant]

Grouper is my favorite...snapper is a close 2nd.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Grouper is my favorite...snapper is a close 2nd.

I've only spear-fished Grouper & Snapper, but they are also deeee-licious!

 

[Nobody]

Lanky, let me clarify - I never said there are no edible fish in tropical waters. And for the record, Mahi Mahi is disgusting. Maybe it's an acquired taste, but it tastes like ****. Also, Tuna is not a tropical fish. Doesn't mean you can't catch them in tropical waters, but they aren't a tropical fish - every one I have ever caught was in the Oregon Inlet in North Carolina, not what anyone would consider a tropical area.

Mike - do people seriously eat Marlin? Serious question, because I have been fishing since I was old enough to hold a rod and reel, and I've done it all over the country. The consensus everywhere I've been was don't eat bill fish. But I've seen Asians eat some crazy ****, so I guess it's all technically edible

My point Lanky, was most people that fish in tropical waters are sport fisherman. It's not an opinion, that's just what the majority of them do, unless they're fishing the flats in Florida. When you go to a restaurant or store to buy fish to make for a meal, almost nothing available is tropical aside from Grouper, Snapper, Roughy or Mahi Mahi, but there are dozens of non tropical fish to choose from. Most edible tropical fish are fished for by commercial trollers.

Shark is everywhere too, and delicious as hell. Anyone who hasn't tried it should. And all you guys that like Grouper, you owe it to yourselves to try Orange Roughy. And anyone who likes crabs, get a hold of some Pompano, by far the best fish around. It tastes just like blue crab, because it's about all they eat.

 

[Elephant]

My point Lanky, was most people that fish in tropical waters are sport fisherman. It's not an opinion, that's just what the majority of them do, unless they're fishing the flats in Florida. When you go to a restaurant or store to buy fish to make for a meal, almost nothing available is tropical aside from Grouper, Snapper, Roughy or Mahi Mahi, but there are dozens of non tropical fish to choose from. Most edible tropical fish are fished for by commercial trollers.

How much time have you spent in South Florida? Because tropical fish are the most sought after cuisine in the majority of restaurants I worked at for nearly 10 years down there.

Of course places up north aren't going to have it, it's cheaper to serve what they have. Just like in tropical South Florida you're going to see more Dolphin, Grouper, Snapper. And as for your comment about Mahi Mahi being disgusting, well I am grateful to the "so-called" sport fisherman I know from South Florida who have given me fresh dolphin out of the ocean. It is GREAT! More people than not would agree with me since it was the single most consumed fish from any restaurant I worked at down there.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

And for the record, Mahi Mahi is disgusting. Maybe it's an acquired taste, but it tastes like ****.

I think you are confusing Mahi Mahi with something else. Its not particularly fishy, and doesn't have a taste much different than any other fish. Unless you got your hands on some rotten Mahi Mahi, lol.

As to the rest of your point, I knew what it was, I was just proving it wrong. You implied sport fisherman don't eat their catch, which is 100% false. Unless you're characterizing deep sea and offshore fishing as sports fishing, which is probably correct in that they do it for fun, however most also keep the edible fish and then eat the hell out of them when done (or give them to friends like Brian). Its okay to be wrong, Ex.

As to Marlin - people don't usually eat it, I think Mike was maybe thinking of Swordfish, which is also found in tropical waters. I've never had it, I've always thought Marlin was inedible. Maybe they do though, who knows.

EDIT: Agreed about Orange Roughy, its delicious. I think its overfished though, so I try to avoid it.

 

[Nobody]

I think you are confusing Mahi Mahi with something else. Its not particularly fishy, and doesn't have a taste much different than any other fish. Unless you got your hands on some rotten Mahi Mahi, lol.

I'm not confusing it. I've had it twice - smoked and seared, and it was inedible both times. Then again, neither time was fresh, which could make a huge difference. Some fish goes south when it's frozen.

As to the rest of your point, I knew what it was, I was just proving it wrong. You implied sport fisherman don't eat their catch, which is 100% false.

No it's not. Sport fishing is done for the sport/competition of it, that's why it's called sport fishing. The people who are sport fishing are usually catching and releasing, or they are trying to get a citation for their catch. Recreational fishermen eat their catch, sport fishermen do not. The only exception to this that I know of is guys who fish for Mahi-Mahi. Some mount, some eat it or give it away. You don't fish much do you?

Unless you're characterizing deep sea and offshore fishing as sports fishing, which is probably correct in that they do it for fun, however most also keep the edible fish and then eat the hell out of them when done (or give them to friends like Brian). Its okay to be wrong, Ex.

That's big game/trophy fishing. They fish to mount their catch or get citations. There are also fishing regulations for season, size, distance from shore, etc. that make it illegal to keep and eat a lot of things you catch out there other than what you're going for. Mainly because people typically don't go and intentionally fish for illegal fish.

As to Marlin - people don't usually eat it, I think Mike was maybe thinking of Swordfish, which is also found in tropical waters. I've never had it, I've always thought Marlin was inedible. Maybe they do though, who knows.

Like I said, I've seen Asians eat some crazy nasty ****, so it wouldn't surprise me if there are people who eat it. Swordfish is predominantly a cold water fish though.

EDIT: Agreed about Orange Roughy, its delicious. I think its overfished though, so I try to avoid it.

Most fish is over fished unfortunately. I personally think commercial fishing should be temporarily banned or heavily minimized. Everything is so completely thinned out and overfished it's ridiculous. They need to do something. I'm a firm believer that if you don't catch it yourself, you don't need to eat it. The limitations on commercial fishing are so nonexistent that you almost can't catch anything from a pier or shoreline in Virginia anymore. Then the Chesapeake Bay, which had a blue crab shortage as recently as 3 years ago, has been so wiped out from everything else that the crabs are insanely thick at least in the lower bay. I've never in my life seen the crabs as plentiful as they've been the past 2 years. It's so crazy that they reduced the minimum size from 5.5 inches (which it was at for a very long time) to 3.5 inches this year, in hopes of thinning them out. When we went in the past, it took us all day (8-10 hours) to fill up a bushel basket by hand-lining crab, now it's maybe 2 hours on a slow day.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I'm not confusing it. I've had it twice - smoked and seared, and it was inedible both times. Then again, neither time was fresh, which could make a huge difference. Some fish goes south when it's frozen.

I've had it fresh & frozen, its delicious both ways. I'm still convinced you got it very non-fresh, as in decayed. LOL. That's the only possible way its inedible.

No it's not. Sport fishing is done for the sport/competition of it, that's why it's called sport fishing. The people who are sport fishing are usually catching and releasing, or they are trying to get a citation for their catch. Recreational fishermen eat their catch, sport fishermen do not. The only exception to this that I know of is guys who fish for Mahi-Mahi. Some mount, some eat it or give it away. You don't fish much do you?

That's big game/trophy fishing. They fish to mount their catch or get citations. There are also fishing regulations for season, size, distance from shore, etc. that make it illegal to keep and eat a lot of things you catch out there other than what you're going for. Mainly because people typically don't go and intentionally fish for illegal fish.

Like I said in my OP, it depends on how you're defining "sport fishing." If you're defining it specifically as catch & release, then you're right. But then 99% of people in South Florida wouldn't be considered sport fishermen. I lived in South Florida for 9 years, Ex, so I know what I'm talking about. 99% of the people who go fishing down there keep the edible stuff they catch (obviously depending on season and other size restrictions, I thought that was implied). Also, South Florida has a "saltwater fishing license" that covers everything. Typically fisherman will go out for several different types of fish. Its the ocean - you can't really predict what is going to bite and what isn't.

 

[Nobody]

I've had it fresh & frozen, its delicious both ways. I'm still convinced you got it very non-fresh, as in decayed. LOL. That's the only possible way its inedible.

It was just ****ty frozen Mahi-Mahi. Just because it sucks, it doesn't mean it was spoiled. Cobia is like that. Delicious fresh, inedible after freezing. Spoiled fish has a distinct smell of ammonia and it's very obvious, so it wasn't spoiled. I know a lot of people that love it, I've just had two horrible experiences with it and that was more than enough to make me never give it another chance. There are people that love bluefish too, but unless it's smoked, it's pretty wretched.

Like I said in my OP, it depends on how you're defining "sport fishing." If you're defining it specifically as catch & release, then you're right. But then 99% of people in South Florida wouldn't be considered sport fishermen. I lived in South Florida for 9 years, Ex, so I know what I'm talking about. 99% of the people who go fishing down there keep the edible stuff they catch (obviously depending on season and other size restrictions, I thought that was implied).

South Florida is the sport fishing capital of the world. When people want to trophy fish, or show off for their buddies/girlfriends/etc., that's where they go. They have more tournaments, especially catch and release tournaments, than the rest of the country combined by almost 10 fold.

Also, South Florida has a "saltwater fishing license" that covers everything. Typically fisherman will go out for several different types of fish.

Every state with a coast that requires licenses has that. No fisherman that knows what they're doing ever goes fishing for several types of fish. You have to use different rigs and different bait depending on what you're going after, so it just isn't realistic. For example, if you're fishing for sheepshead or spade fish, there is nothing else you will catch on that rig if you actually have it rigged for one of those. Same goes for flounder rigs. Some people throw a piece of bait on a hook and claim they're fishing for 20 different species, but they're not going to catch more than one or two types of fish per rig. Some people claim they're going after a dozen types, but if they have one rod and one rig and one bait, they're full of it.

Being that that's the reality of multi species fishing, who in their right mind would go out on a boat with dozens of baits and rigs? People don't do that, I promise I'm not just talking out of my ass. I've lived the life of a fisherman for over 30 years, my whole family as far back as I can remember fishes year round multiple days a week. I can't remember the last time I didn't go fishing at least 100 times in a year. I kinda know what I'm talking about, and the other avid fishermen here who I won't drag into it, can verify what I'm saying. People who don't fish consistently only think they know what they're doing. If you went fishing every day for a week, you'd learn something new every day, and something you've done wrong for years at least once.

Its the ocean - you can't really predict what is going to bite and what isn't.

Tell that to a charter boat captain those bastards will tell you anything you want to hear, and even some things you don't.