Fisherman's Friend

About Fisherman's Friend

Hello, all anglers! Join me, Giovanni, your friendly fisherman, as I share the best fishing tips and action-packed stories from my adventures in both saltwater and freshwater. As a student at Hopewell Valley High School, I fish almost every week and can't wait to pass on my knowledge to both new and experienced anglers. While I may not be a tournament pro, I bring a wealth of insights from my trips, including experiences on charter boats. Tune in for thrilling fishing tales, expert tips, and plenty of fun! Keep fishing and catching those big ones—I'll see you on the next amazing fishing trip!

Publisher

Hopewell Valley Student Publications Network

Category

leisure · sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 Oct 2024

Latest episode

29 Jan 2025

Latest episodes

11 of 11 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   29 Jan 2025TRANSCRIPT

   The Musky!!

   Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network Show Name: Fisherman’s Friend Episode Title: The Musky!! Hello fellow freshwater fisherman, You are listening to Fisherman’s Friend the podcast with your host Gio. In this episode of Fisherman’s Friend the Podcast we discuss: rod and line for musky,bait and lures for musky, and extra things you should have when targeting musky. Segment 1: Rod and line Musky are huge fish! When you are targeting musky, you need to be very careful when targeting them. You should only really be targeting musky if you're decently experienced with fishing. I'm saying this because you can actually get dragged into the water by a musky if you're not strong enough.Now, when you are thinking of buying a rod for musky, you need a very powerful rod. Musky are absolutely huge so you're going to want a rod that can withstand a ton of power. The weight range for a musky is 15-40 pounds. Muskie also have a ton of force so you're going to want a good reel too. You're going to need a 8-9 foot rod so then you can cast out very far. Heavy power rods are the best rods when fishing for muskie. For the line you're going to need a 60-80 pound braided line.The best rods in my opinion are penn fishing and ugly stik Segment 2: Bait and lures When fishing for a big fish like the muskie, you're going to need very good bait or lures. Muskie loves big and colorful lures. The best colors are bright orange, bright green, bright white, silver, bright purple, sparkly blue, and pink. Don’t try to buy small lures or dark colored lures when fishing for muskie Big no no when fishing for muskie. The best lures and baits for muskie are: Large bucktails Large spoons Large soft plastics ‘ Pieces of carp Frogs Dead mice (Narrative about cousin fishing) As we walk up the brownish/greenish trail, we can hear crickets chirping. As I walk up the trail, my foot makes a crunching sound after stepping on an old leaf. As the frogs ribbit, and the squirrels crawl up the tree, the forest is made up of a ton of sounds. Segment 3: Other things recommended when targeting musky When you're targeting a big fish like the musky, you're going to want other things than just a rod and line. One thing I highly recommend is a net. Getting a fish that big out of the water with your bare hands and holding onto your rod at the same time will be extremely difficult. I also recommend fishing with a friend if you're targeting musky. Also, a couple spare rods. A musky could easily snap one of your rods and if you want to keep fishing, you should bring about 2-4 spare rods. Lastly, this is very optimal but an engine powered boat. The price ranges from 1,500 dollars to 50k. I recommend getting a boat when you're very experienced with fishing and you know you will stick with it for a super long time. <span style="background-color:...

2. 

   17 Jan 2025TRANSCRIPT

   The Pike!

   Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network Show Name: Fisherman’s Friend Episode Title: The Pike!! Hello Fellow freshwater fisherman, you are listening to Fisherman’s Friend_ the podcast with your host Gio. In this episode of Fisherman’s Friend the Podcast we discuss: Rod and line for pike,lures for pike, and where you can find pike and what to do when you catch the pike. Segment 1: Rod and Line Pike are huge and long fish. Pike sometimes gets chunky and very powerful. When you are picking out a rod and wanting to target a pike, you need a very powerful rod that can withstand a ton of force. You are going to want to buy a fast action and heavy weight rod. The best rod brand you could choose for pike fishing is ugly stik. I'm saying this because ugly stik make their rods out of carbon fiber. Now line, when you're fishing for a big fish, you're going to want a heavy line. The recommended weight of the line is between 20-40 pound braided line. (Call to actions) Segment 2: Lures/Bait People always wonder what lures or bait huge fish like pike eat. Pike are very unusual when it comes to lure. Pike loves eating BIG bait or fish. People don’t know the reason for this but we know that pike sometimes eat baits that are twice their size. Some recommended colors for lures when fishing for pike are purple, green, orange, red, yellow, white, and neon blue. Recommended baits and lures are: Big pike lures Large spoons Bucktail lures Squid Live minnows Worms Jerkbaits Crankbaits Segment 3: Where to find pike and what to do when you catch one Pike like big bodys of water since they are big themselves. When you want to target pikes, you should target them mostly during the fall. You can sometimes fish for pike during the late summer. Also, if you do ice fishing you can fish for them during the winter. You can most likely find pike in reservoirs in the north or big lakes. Pike mostly like the cold so they will be most active during the colder days. Pike like to hide in the shade, so try to throw your lure or bait near a shady area. Now, when you catch one, what should you do? I recommend you buy a net for pike since they have very sharp teeth. If you don’t have a net, that's okay, it will just be a little harder to get the pike out of the water. Pike also get pretty big so they can get pretty heavy. But, when you are holding the pike, you're gonna want to hold it up by its gill, right next to the jaw of the fish. (Keep fishing and keep catching huge fish) Music Credits: Chertovski by done with fish <span style="background-color:...

3. 

   6 Jan 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Bluegill!!

   Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network Show Name: Fisherman’s Friend Episode Title: Bluegill Hello Fellow freshwater fisherman,You are listening to Fisherman’s Friend, the podcast with your host Gio. In this episode of Fisherman’s Friend,the Podcast we discuss: Equipment for bluegill, Bait and lures for bluegill, and different types of bluegill to target. Interview: Today, we will be interviewing somebody and asking them a couple questions. Would you like to introduce yourself and your podcast that you have? Me and John actually both fish and both have a fishing podcast. So John, there are a couple questions I have for you about fishing. What is your most favorite rod and reel combo for fishing? What is your PB bass? Your favorite fish to catch? What do you think is the best lure to use? That is all for the interview today. Segment 1: Equipment for bluegill Bluegill are probably the smallest fish you're gonna target with a rod. When targeting bluegill, you don’t need to worry about a big fight since bluegill are very small and don’t have a ton of strength. Some bluegill wil be fat but still won’t have a ton of power. For rods, you can really buy any rod with any power. This is because the bluegill don’t have a ton of power so you don’t have to worry about breaking your rod when targeting a bluegill. The recommended power for a rod when targeting bluegill is an ultralight rod. When you're buying a line, you're going to want to buy a 5-10 pound line. Sometimes when you're targeting bluegill, you're going to want a bobber. (Narrative) Segment 2: Bait and lures for bluegill Bluegill will basically eat anything. Bluegill are not the smartest fish and will go for almost anything. You want bright colors for lures when targeting bluegill. Bluegill get excited when they see something bright. Some colors you should use when buying a lure are green, yellow, silver, white, red, orange, pink, and bright blue. Some recommended lures or baits are: Nightcrawlers(Live) Small swimbaits Small senkos Spinnerbaits Crickets Bread( Sometimes works) Soft plastic baits with jig head hook Segment 3: Different bluegill species to target There are multiple species for bluegill. Each different bluegill looks different. Some have amazing bright colors, and some have amazing stripes on them. Some different species of bluegill are: Spotted sunfish Bluegill(Most common) Longear sunfish(Looks amazing) Redear sunfish Warmouth <span...

4. 

   9 Dec 2024TRANSCRIPT

   Walleye!

   Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network Show Name: Fisherman’s Friend Episode Title: Walleye! Hello Fellow Freshwater Fisherman, You are listening to Fisherman’s Friend, the podcast with your host Gio. In this episode of Fisherman’s Friend the Podcast we discuss:Rod and Line for Walleye,Bait for Walleye, and Where you can find walleye in the US. Segment 1: Rod and Line Walleye are decent sized fish and are usually the size of bass. When targeting a walleye, you're gonna need a powerful rod and line. A walleye’s weight can range from 5-25 pounds. You don’t have to worry about a 30 or 40 pound walleye since the world record is 25 pounds and this was achieved in 1960. When purchasing a rod, you're gonna want a fast action heavy rod. You're gonna need this since walleye are very fast and powerful. When purchasing your line, you're gonna need a powerful braided line. A recommended line is from 15-30 pound line to save you money since braided lines can be pretty pricey. Some recommended rods to use are: Ugly stik Abu garcia Penn fishing (Walleye teeth, be careful when picking up fish) Segment 2: Bait for walleye Bait is very important to catch a specific fish because if you don’t have the right bait for a walleye, you are going to catch a different fish. Walleye have huge eyes which means they have amazing vision, so for colors of bait, you're gonna want bright colors. Some color lures you want for walleye are red, green, orange, yellow, and bright white. Some good lures and bait for walleye are: Jerkbaits Crankbaits Berkley Minnow(Artificial) Bucktail jigs Soft baits (Brands: 6th sense, googan, Berkeley) Segment 3: Where you can find Walleye in the US You can mostly find walleye in the Central North, Northeast, or sometimes the central parts of the US. Walleye love the cold water so they will be most active during fall and winter. Some states that have a ton of walleye are Michigan, northern New York, Illinois, Ohio, Vermont, Minnesota, and many more states. Most of the states that have the most walleye are near michigan. Most walleye can be found in huge lakes such as lake erie, lake superior, lake ontario, and many other huge lakes in the US. Music Credits: Chertovski by done with fish Southern Cross 2005 by crosby stills and Nash &amp; Young Connect with us on Social Media <a href="https://twitter.com/thehvspn?lang=en" target="_blank"...

5. 

   21 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

   Perch!

   Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network Show Name: Fisherman’s Friend Episode Title: Perch! Hello Fellow Freshwater Fisherman, You are listening to Fisherman’s Friend the podcast with your host Gio. In this episode of Fisherman’s Friend the Podcast we discuss: rod and line, bait for perch, and why you should target perch. Segment 1: Rod and Line for perch Perch are kind of like bluegill or crappie so this episode could also be used for those fishes. Perch are small and don’t have much power on them at all. When targeting perch, you should be careful when setting the hook. If you set the hook too powerfully, you might send the fish flying out of the water and die. When shopping for a rod, you should look for a lightweight or light sensitive rod. You should get those rods cause you won’t be able to tell if you have hooked onto a perch if the rod is not sensitive. Some good ultra light rods are abu garcia, ugly stik, and bass pro shops rods. Line is pretty important in fishing and you're probably thinking that it is not with a small fish. You're actually incorrect because you need the right line for your type of reel and rod combo. For example, if you have a heavy rod, you should have a powerful line. But, since we have a light rod, we don’t need super powerful lines. Recommended lines for perch are 8-15 pound line. Some different types of perch are: Yellow Perch(Most common) European Perch(Can catch in america) Balkhash Perch White Perch Segment 2: Bait for perch Bait for Perch are also very important. If you get the wrong bait for a perch, you will not catch a perch. If you ever target small fish, they are all mostly picky. Perch can be found in big river, creeks, or huge lakes. Perch loves the open area. Some baits for perch are: Small plastic worms Real worms Maggots Bread(Sometimes works) Segment 3: Why you should target perch Targeting perch is just fun and amazing. When you have a perch on your line, you know you're about to see an amazing fish. Also, you can eat perch in certain states. Before you decide to catch and cook, make sure it's legal in your state. A freshly cooked perch that was just pulled out of the water tastes absolutely delicious. (Keep fishing, keep catching huge fish) Music Credits: Chertovski by done with fish Southern Cross by Crosby stills, Nash &amp; Young Connect with us on Social Media @theHVSPN (https://twitter.com/thehvspn?lang=en)

6. 

   21 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

   Magi-Carp!

   Gio shares expert tips on catching carp, from selecting the right rod and line to choosing effective bait and essential equipment for a successful freshwater fishing experience.

7. 

   11 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

   Oh Catfish!

   Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network Show Name: Fisherman’s Friend Episode Title: Oh CATFISH! Hello Fellow Fisherman, You are listening to Fisherman’s friend the podcast with your host Gio. In this episode of Fisherman’s friend the Podcast we discuss: What Rod and line you need for catfish,What plastic lures to use, and What foods to use for catfish. Segment 1: Rod and Line to use for Catfish A rod for Catfish should always be a heavy rod or a rod that can take a lot of power. A catfish can weigh from 4-30 pounds. A catfishes weight depends on their age. Catfish are mostly fat unless they are young. Catfish are fat yet have a ton of power on them. Line is also very important because if you don’t use the right line, your line will break and lose your hook or lure. You should buy between 20-50 pound line for catfish just to be safe. Some rods I recommend for catfish are ugly stiks, abu garcia, and penn fishing. When a catfish hooks onto your line, you better be ready for a fight. Segment 2: Plastic lures for catfish Catfish mainly eat real food or live bait. But, they still do eat some plastic lures. Catfish like to stay near the bottom of the lake, So, you are going to have to get a very colorful lure that will attract a catfish. Some great colors to use would be green, orange, red, white, silver, and pink. Some plastic lures you could use for catfish are: Yum dingers- plastic worm Googan crawfish Powerbait Berkley shrimp Plastic bluegill Spooks Segment 3: Foods or live bait for catfish Catfish love live bait or some food. Catfish love their meats since they are lazy feeders and don’t like anything that really moves. Catfish also like shady areas so when you throw your bait, try to throw it towards a shady part of the water. Catfish also love the smell of sweet or meaty food. When you use bait for catfish, try to soak it into something that has a strong or good smell. You can always soak something in a plastic bowl or in a bag. Now, the best baits for catfish are: Chicken-not raw. You can also soak your chicken in kool aid in a bag Bacon Hot dogs- Can also soak in koolaid Night crawlers Music Credits: Chertovski by done with fish Southern Cross 2005 by Croby stills, Nash and Young Connect with us on Social Media <a href="https://twitter.com/thehvspn?lang=en"...

8. 

   10 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

   TROUT!

   Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network Show Name: Fisherman’s Friend Episode Title: Trout! You are listening to Fisherman’s Friend, the podcast with your host Gio. In this episode of Fisherman’s Podcast the Podcast we discuss: what rod and line you should use,Lures for trout , and After you catch the trout, what to do. Segment 1: What type of rod and line you should use Trout don’t have much power so you don’t need a super heavy rod. Unlike bass or crappie, trout are most of the time fat but small. Unless you live in the north or in Europe, then the trout are going to be huge. For rods, you should definitely not waste your money on some fancy 200 dollar heavy rod. You should instead purchase an ultra light rod. This is because trout are small and fat, sometimes skinny. This means that they are not too powerful so you are not going to need a really heavy rod. This will also save you a ton of money. Next is the line, as I said trout are not too powerful so you're not going to need a super heavy line unless you're in the north. So, the line you should purchase for trout fishing is around 5-10 pound line, super cheap and saves you a ton of money from the other expensive heavy lines. Segment 2: Lures for Trout There are many lures out there for trout. For trout, most trout go for smaller and colorful lures. Some colors you should use for trout are pink, green, orange, yellow, and silver. The trout get attracted to these bright colors. Some lures trout eat are small crank baits, rooster tails, grubs, or even small spoons. Segment 3: After the catch, what to do Once you catch the trout, you must have a net with you. The trout’s oils and skin do not like our skin. If a trout comes in contact with your hand, it will most likely kill the fish. So, when you catch this trout, you wanna first get it in your net. Once it is in your net, you want to decide if you want to hold the trout or just release it. If you want to hold it, you have to first wet your hands in the creek or river where you caught the fish. You could then hold the fish after that. Music Credits: Chertovski by done with fish Southern Cross by crosby stills, Nash and Young Connect with us on Social Media @theHVSPN (https://twitter.com/thehvspn?lang=en)

9. 

   15 Oct 2024TRANSCRIPT

   Best Lures!

   Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network Show Name: Fisherman’s Friend Episode Title: Best Lures! You are listening to Fisherman’s Friend, the podcast with your host Gio. In this episode of Fisherman’s Friend the Podcast we discuss: The best lures to use and when you should use these lures,Best colors for lures and how to work these types of lures Segment 1: Best Lures and when you should use these lures For the first segment, we will be talking about the best lures to use and when you should use these lures. There are many different types of lures and different lures are used at different times of the year. If you need help tying knots on these lures, go to YouTube, they have amazing videos on how to tie easy knots.So the best lures in general are: ● Crank Baits-Spring and Fall ● Buzz Baits -Summer Through Fall ● Spinner Baits- Fall and Early Spring ● Frogs(Plastic)- All throughout Summer ● Popper baits- Summer, Spring, deep into fall ● Whopper plopper baits- Summer ● Senko’s!! Anytime in the year ● Trick Worms- Anytime in the year There are many ways to rig a senko or hook a senko. One way you could rig a senko is a wacky rig or a texas rig. I recommend both because both of the way’s are very effective. Some stores you can get these lures from are Dick Sporting goods, Walmart, Bass pro Shops, and a local tackle store. Segment 2: Best colors to use and how to work these specific lures So, The best colors to use for lures are always bright colors. The bright colors attract the fish and make the fish bite. For example, some good colors to use on lures for freshwater fish are green, white, red, orange,yellow, and pink. But, for plastic worms, you can use almost any color. The fish get very confused when they see a senko and actually believe that the plastic worm is real. Some colors you should get for a worm are: dark green with purple flakes, white, purple with red or green flakes, and pink. Segment 3: What lures to use for specific fish Lastly, what lures you should use for the fish you are targeting. Each fish has different tastes in what size and color lures they like. For example, pike and muskie go for huge and colorful lures. One specific lure big pike or muskie go for is huge plastic lures or big jerk baits. A couple lures bass go for are crank baits, spinning lures, or senkos. The lures bluegill love are small senko’s or rooster tails. Crappie are kind of like bluegill and like the small lures also. Lastly, for catfish, they like to go for spooks. Spooks are kind of like jerk baits. Music Credits: ● Chertovski by done with fish ● Southern Cross by crosby stills, Nash and Young Connect with us on Social Media ● @theHVSPN

10. 

    9 Oct 2024TRANSCRIPT

    Best Freshwater Equipment!

    Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network Show Name: Fisherman’s Friend Episode Title: Best equipment! You are listening to Fisherman Friend, the podcast with your host(s) Giovanni Golino. In this episode of Fisherman’s friend the Podcast we discuss: Best rod and reel combos to use,The best line to use for freshwater, and Other equipment you are recommended to have. Segment 1: The Best rod and reel combos to Use For the first segment, we will be talking about the best rod and reel combos for experienced and beginner anglers. For beginners, really try to avoid the bait casters for a couple months while learning on a spinning reel. It takes a while to get the hang of a bait caster without getting a bird's nest. Beginner: ● Ugly stik spinning rod and reel ● Abu Garcia spinning rod and reel ● Penn fishing ● 6th sense rods ● Lew’s american hero ● Profisherey Experienced: ● Ugly stik baitcaster ● Baitcasters ● Heavy reel and rods Segment 2: The best line to use for freshwater Line in freshwater is very important. If you have too weak of a line, the line will most likely break when you hook onto a fish and lose your hook or lure. There are so many amazing brands out there that make amazing lines. When freshwater fishing, you SHOULD NOT use braided lines. Braided line is mainly used for saltwater fishing. Line mostly depends on what type of fish you are targeting. If you are targeting a bass, you should buy a 15-25 pound line. Most bass fight hard during the fall and spring. If you target bluegill, you only need about 5-10 pound lines. Bluegill are skinny small fish but love to fight. Bluegill mostly never are powerful. If you are targeting a catfish, you should definitely get a 30-50 pound line. Catfish are almost always very fat and very powerful. Now, if you are up in the north and almost always have huge fish, you should get a 50-70 pound line, just to save you money. For example, big fish you can catch in the north are huge pike and muskie. Segment 3: Other important equipment you should have There are also many other essentials to fishing. Fishing is not just a rod, reel, line, and a hook. Sometimes, if the fish is big enough, you might need a net. A net ranges from around 10-30 dollars. Another thing that is good to have is a fish gripper and a fish scale. A fish gripper helps you grip onto the fish without losing it. Also, a scale helps you give the right weight of the fish so then you can brag it to your friends and that you beat their PB bass. One last thing that is very optional is a boat. An engine powered fishing boat can range anywhere from 500-3,000 dollars. I definitely don’t recommend this unless you are at least 16 or older.You also must need a boating license to own an engine powered boat. You could also get a pedal kayak which is definitely way better. It saves you a ton of money and gets you exercise. Music Credits: Chertovski by done with fish ● Southern Cross by Crosby, stills, Nash and Young Connect with us on Social Media ● @theHVSPN

11. 

    7 Oct 2024TRANSCRIPT

    Fisherman's Friend: The Beginning

    Hello, all anglers! Join me, Giovanni Golino, your friendly fisherman, as I share the best fishing tips and action-packed stories from my adventures in both saltwater and freshwater. As a student at Hopewell Valley High School, I fish almost every week and can't wait to pass on my knowledge to both new and experienced anglers. While I may not be a tournament pro, I bring a wealth of insights from my trips, including experiences on charter boats. Tune in for thrilling fishing tales, expert tips, and plenty of fun! Keep fishing and catching those big ones—I'll see you on the next amazing fishing trip!

Inside a recent episode

The Musky!!

Published 29 Jan 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Now when you're thinking of buying a rod for Musky, you need a very powerful rod, very, very powerful rod. I'm not joking, very, because they are very big and they're very powerful because they have teeth and stuff. Musky are absolutely huge, so you're going to want a rod that can withstand a ton of power. The weight range for Musky is between 20 to 45 pounds. Musky always have a ton of force on them, so you're going to want a good reel too. You're going to want an 8 to 9 foot rod so then you can cast out pretty far. That's where most of the Musky hang out in the middle of the lake. They don't hang out by the shore and stuff. […]

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