Most unusual catch of 2019

[ronaultmtd]

Hound fish? Lizard fish? Cutlass fish? I have caught all three this year and needlefish...weird fish seem to be in our neck of the woods this year...gotta wonder why...global warming? Or just a strange coincidence...big monster bull red drum have returned after decades of being absent...and Big Cobia, too...no big concentrations, but a few here and there...the health of this fishery is improving while the Striped Bass is declining...it does add some mystery to pulling a lure through the water when the possibilities include species once thought to be gone...you never know what just took your lure when the rod bends over...so what is your most unusual catch?

[rugbyfish]

Mine would have to be a spanish mackerel in 3 feet of water on a trolled paddletail. Certainly not what I was expecting, but I'll take it!

[Mark]

My entry to this thread is an almost catch...I wasn't in kayak either.

But I hooked no less than 5 bowfins in a VA tributary of the Chesapeake a weekend ago and I didn't land one. It was my first encounter with them. Very frustrating. Their splashes revealed their location. In some cases I actually watched them stalk the lure. I waited to set the hook, and then felt the strength of their pull, albeit not to a successful conclusion. I'll get a crack at them again. I hope to do much better then.

[M_Duong60]

I got a pinfish in Ocean City, MD. First time I've ever seen one in person myself, not sure if they're usually present in our area though. Always was under the impression they were more prevalent down south.

[J.A. Veil]

So far this year, I caught 11 new-to-me species. Two were in Maryland waters -- Atlantic cutlassfish and white crappie. The other nine species were caught on trips to Florida.

[Shady]

not that strange, but caught my first Severn Flounder last weekend.

[Mark]

I just thought of another unexpected catch. Again, it was an almost catch that I did not get into the boat. It happened on same trip to VA that I mentioned above. I caught a good sized snapping turtle in the mouth. It wasn't snagged. It tried to eat one of my homemade spinner jigs. At first I thought I was hung up on a snag. As I pulled, the weight slowly came up. At that point I thought it was a soggy log because it was just a heavy weight. Then I saw the shell and head. Critters always look bigger in the water but I think the shell on this guy was at least 18 inches long. My boat mates were readying their cameras when the spinner dislodged from its mouth. So another almost catch in VA.

I have caught turtles before. My last one prior to the snapper was a slider at Trap Pond, DE. That one I snagged on the foot. I did manage to get it in the kayak. Fortunately the hook's barb had not penetrated the turtle's tough skin. It was hissing as I lifted it from the water but swam away quickly when I flipped the hook from its foot.

[whenican]

I caught a spiny dogfish in St Mary’s County last week & lizardfish today & last weekend too!

[mepps3]

Caught my first two lizard fish in a tidal creek of the lower lower bay this past friday! Was definitely weird looking. Wasn't sure what it was and so was worried it would have nasty spines or something.

[Slobber Bob]

Hound fish? Lizard fish? Cutlass fish? I have caught all three this year and needlefish...

More importantly - which tasted the best?

Sauteed needlefish are pretty good. I've gone out before with the castnet just to get needlefish to eat.

[ronaultmtd]

I could not tell you how they taste...95% of all fish I catch get released...have not harvested a single Striped Bass this year as I took the pledge to release all Stripers until they are no longer in trouble...and I only keep a few as there are just myself, Daughter and Wife to feed, so I may keep five or six White Perch or a couple of Speckled Trout..one or two Spanish is plenty depending on how large the fish are...the exception to this is blue catfish...when I go catfishing, I am meat fishing for the freezer. Vacuum sealed bags of catfish filets last a long time in the freezer and frozen catfish cooks up fine...

[thedutchtouch]

I could not tell you how they taste...95% of all fish I catch get released...have not harvested a single Striped Bass this year as I took the pledge to release all Stripers until they are no longer in trouble...and I only keep a few as there are just myself, Daughter and Wife to feed, so I may keep five or six White Perch or a couple of Speckled Trout..one or two Spanish is plenty depending on how large the fish are...the exception to this is blue catfish...when I go catfishing, I am meat fishing for the freezer. Vacuum sealed bags of catfish filets last a long time in the freezer and frozen catfish cooks up fine...

Do you have a size cutoff for the blue cats or do you eat them all?

[ronaultmtd]

Nothing over 30 inches...the bigger fish have heavy metal accumulation in their flesh...I prefer 18-24 inch catfish but will keep fish slightly larger...delicious, mild, firm filets good any and every way you like fish prepared. My family loves them...much better eating fish than Striped Bass...so are Snakeheads, by the way...

[ski357]

For me the most unusual catches of 2019 have been a PB 20" speckled trout and a lizard fish.20190915_175348.jpg