What's your Most Memorable Fish?

Whether it is on a kayak or not, share your most coveted catch with everyone and of course we won't believe you without a picture.


Mine:
Kayak - 25" Citation Flounder caught at Roosevelt Inlet

http://coastal-fisherman.com/issue-p...3422D5238397F3
Bottom Right!!

Non-Kayak is my barracuda I caught this Christmas in the Florida Keys

[J.A. Veil]

Matt -

I want to describe two different fish, but I followed similar pathways before catching them. In the late 1990s I decided that I wanted to catch a tarpon. I booked several guided trips on the Gulf coast of FL and in the Keys over a 3-year period. For whatever reason, neither I nor anyone else on the charters hooked up with a tarpon. In May 2002, my fishing buddy from Oklahoma (Mike) and I booked half-day charters on back-to-back days in Boca Grande, FL. Mike caught his first tarpon an hour into the trip. Not long after that, I caught my first tarpon of about 100 lbs. I felt like a great weight had been lifted from my back.

Over the rest of that day and the next morning, we caught six tarpon (70 lb, 80 lb, 100 lb, 100 lb, 160 lb, and 170 lb). These fish have scales as big as drink coasters. I caught the 170-lb fish after a 45 minute fight. Thirty minutes into the fight, the tired tarpon went crazy all of a sudden. The guide told us that 12' sharks hung out in the area waiting for tired and weak tarpon.

The second memorable fish was the culmination of a similar multi-year quest. This time the species was redfish. I booked charters in Louisana, Texas, and several in Florida looking for my first redfish. But I just could not hook one. In July 2008, I learned for the first time that Cory Routh was a kayak fishing guide in Virginia Beach. I saw a report on a Monday that an angler had caught several redfish with Cory. I phoned Cory and scheduled a half-day trip for the following Saturday. I left Annapolis early, drove to Virginia Beach all morning, and fished with Cory from 1:00 to 5:00, then returned home that night. For the first 90 minutes, the skunk was still there. All of a sudden, there was a strong fish pulling against my line as I retrieved a Redfish Magic spinner bait. A few minutes later, my first redfish was subdued and in my hands for a photo. How ironic that I spent a lot of money and time with guides in redfish havens in TX, LA, and FL, yet was able to catch my first one just 4 hours from home -- and in a kayak besides.

Those fish will always rank high in my memory.

[kevinfry]

FISH:I caught a 19lb chinook salmon from a concrete breakwater in Depoe Bay OR....while being cheered on by dozens of tourists on the bridge above me!

MY favorite DAY of fishing was fly fishing a mayfly hatch on the white river in central Oregon. 3 straight hours of 16-22 inch redside rainbows in a stretch of river between 2 majestic waterfalls. AWESOME.

[mmanolis2001]

Matt -

I want to describe two different fish, but I followed similar pathways before catching them. In the late 1990s I decided that I wanted to catch a tarpon. I booked several guided trips on the Gulf coast of FL and in the Keys over a 3-year period. For whatever reason, neither I nor anyone else on the charters hooked up with a tarpon. In May 2002, my fishing buddy from Oklahoma (Mike) and I booked half-day charters on back-to-back days in Boca Grande, FL. Mike caught his first tarpon an hour into the trip. Not long after that, I caught my first tarpon of about 100 lbs. I felt like a great weight had been lifted from my back.

Over the rest of that day and the next morning, we caught six tarpon (70 lb, 80 lb, 100 lb, 100 lb, 160 lb, and 170 lb). These fish have scales as big as drink coasters. I caught the 170-lb fish after a 45 minute fight. Thirty minutes into the fight, the tired tarpon went crazy all of a sudden. The guide told us that 12' sharks hung out in the area waiting for tired and weak tarpon.

The second memorable fish was the culmination of a similar multi-year quest. This time the species was redfish. I booked charters in Louisana, Texas, and several in Florida looking for my first redfish. But I just could not hook one. In July 2008, I learned for the first time that Cory Routh was a kayak fishing guide in Virginia Beach. I saw a report on a Monday that an angler had caught several redfish with Cory. I phoned Cory and scheduled a half-day trip for the following Saturday. I left Annapolis early, drove to Virginia Beach all morning, and fished with Cory from 1:00 to 5:00, then returned home that night. For the first 90 minutes, the skunk was still there. All of a sudden, there was a strong fish pulling against my line as I retrieved a Redfish Magic spinner bait. A few minutes later, my first redfish was subdued and in my hands for a photo. How ironic that I spent a lot of money and time with guides in redfish havens in TX, LA, and FL, yet was able to catch my first one just 4 hours from home -- and in a kayak besides.

Those fish will always rank high in my memory.

Great job on the Tarpon. I too have spent thousands of dollars over a span of 3 years trying to land one of those beasts in the keys. We made three trips down to Marathon Key to fish the seven mile bridge for them. I lost track of how many fish we could not get a hook in and would jump off. Watching them explode on a 12 inch mullet just below the surface was a sight to see. We made the mistake and tried to learn everything the hard way through trial and error by ourselves. In hind sight we should have got a guide the first day we got there. It would have cut the learning curve in half.

By the third year we had the routine down pretty well.

1. Anchor under the bridge during a outgoing tide with a quick release buoy attached the the anchor line.
2. Buy the largest and liveliest mullets from the mullet man.
3. Razor sharp large gap circle hooks.
4. Quality 80lb leader and perfect knots.
5. Pin fish on lighter rods to clear out the barracudas and save or mullets.

Finally after all the jump offs, Knot failures, Lost fish in the pylons I had one with a hook deep in its jaw. We threw over the buoy, backed the boat around a couple pylons and low and behold the fish went straight out instead of weaving thru the bridge. Luck was finally on our side.

I fought the fish for 30 mins with several screaming runs and aerial shows. It was amazing. When we got the fish to the side of the boat it was complete spent. My buddy took the boat out of gear and went for the lip gaff. All of a sudden i swear the fishes eyes grew twice their normal size and we saw a 12ft shadow come from under our boat and proceed to eat a 100 lb+ fish in 2 bites.

I cant believe how fast this hammer head disposed of the tarpon. My buddy had a camera in his hand and we didn't even try to take a pic. We were in complete shock. Hell if i grabbed the leader at least we could have considered it a catch.

So to sum this story up my most memorable fish, one that cost me three years and thousands of dollars was neither landed or released. It was devoured by a large shark and it was awesome.

[ronaultmtd]

Probably my 430 pound Virginia State Record Great Hammerhead Shark or....

[mmanolis2001]

Probably my 430 pound Virginia State Record Great Hammerhead Shark or....

Did it have a bumper sticker from florida and a tarpon sticking out of its mouth?

That's an awesome catch. Congratulations.

[OBX_RAT]

Gulf fishing in Florida for aj's, gag and red grouper, pinks, and snapper. The real treat was the mahi mahi we caught in about 80' of water on light tackle.
As for yak fishing was catching my first spanish mac and a handfull of trout.

[kevinfry]

Tarpon....I can't match the success of you guys, but I had a very unique and fun day of tarpon fishing:
Location: Deep in the Guatemalan rainforest on the Rio Oscuro (dark river) which feeds giant Lake Izabal. howler monkeys within reach of my fishing rod, exotic birds everywhere including everglades kites, saw a small crocodile slip into the river. did not see another human being for 8 hours.
Catching:zero
Hooking: probably 20 fish, We did not have the right gear so they inevitable jumped high in the air and spit out or crystal minnows and spoons. schools of them would pass through the channel, we'd all hook up, we'd fight for awhile then one by one, all long distance releases. an amazing day.

[DOGFISH]

It is a toss-up between my first Sailfish or first Tarpon. However, I will probably have to go with the Tarpon. We were drifting shrimp just outside the surf line near Haulover Inlet. The rod went down hard. As I grabed the line, at about 25 yards from the boat this gigantic silver fish of about 150lbs came straight up out of the water like a missle. I was so amazed at the fish, I just stood there looking at it. You could hear the power of the fish and the gill plates slapping as the fish shook. Needless to say, that one threw the hook. I was fishing out of Miami with Capt. Bouncer Smith. It was a combination Sailfish and Tarpon trip. Sails in the morning and Tarpon in the afternoon. We raised 4 Sails, with 3 caught and hooked 5 Tarpon, with 3Tarpon caught that day, among others, Tuna, Shark and Kings. I took the charter by myself, just in case there was only one or two fish caught that day. By the time we got back to the dock, my arms felt like rubber. It was a good day fishing. I had caught Sailfish before, but the Tarpon was spectacular. However, I must say that I also enjoy Sailfish. They can really go crazy. I do want to catch a Tarpon and a Sailfish from a kayak. It is kind of a bucket list kind of thing.

Of course the day the photo was taken of the Permit, in my posts photo, was also a good day fishing, for Permit and Bones.

According to this thread, sounds like alot of memorable fish have been caught in Florida.

[OBX_RAT]

Sounds like a kayak fishing group trip to Florida than

[mmanolis2001]

All these great stories forced me to flip thru the old pics.

Many years and pounds ago. Sorry for the quality. Phone pics of the original old faded pics

7 mile Bridge - Marathon Key




Couple of the pesky Barracudas eating our expensive tarpon baits




Tarpon hookups that never panned out.

[Shady]

I don't have any epic stories like you guys, I guess mainly because I've only fished out of state in Virginia, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. Florida and Alaska are on my list.
That being said, my most memorable fish are my biggest trout, Pickerel, Smallmouth, Catfish, and my first pair of keeper Striper on the kayak.

4lb Rainbow trout caught in the Gunpowder river in 2007. I tried every spinner and lure that I had and even nightcrawlers. I thought, No way this giant trout will hit powerbait, but it did!


20" Brown trout caught on mepps spinner in the Gunpowder river in 2007


4lb 28" Chain Pickerel caught in Loch Raven on a Rapala DT10 in 2006


3lb Smallmouth - 2006. This fish is memorable because it was caught in really skinny water of little gunpowder falls. I threw a ton of different lures at this fish and it finally went ballistic on a live creek chub.


26lb Flathead Catfish caught on the Susquehanna on a live creek chub in 2010. This is my largest fish to date...

[Shady]

My most memorable kayak fish were the first pair of keeper Striper that I caught on my kayak last November. They are not big by any means, I've caught several this size and bigger since, but I was really excited to have finally conquered the Striper on my kayak. Caught at the HRBT lightline in my sit inside kayak.


This last one is memorable because its the biggest fish that my wife has caught. An 11lb channell cat caught in a farm pond in 2006


BTW, great thread idea Matt!

[Redfish12]

Good thread! My most memorable fish to date was a wild rainbow trout I caught in little willow creek at stone mountain state park. It was the most colorful trout I had ever caught and it came on one of my homemade emerger patterns. It was pretty epic as I had climbed down a waterfall after hiking a few miles in. The waterfall had a nice pool and I made the perfect cast to drift my fly past a large rock and the trout was where it was supposed to be. In my excitement and desire to show my father who was miles away I kept the trout, which I have always regretted. I no longer keep wild trout. I have a picture somewhere of the large trout and two stocked trout from the same day. It was also the first time I beat my father fly fishing, which was and still is a feat!

I do not fly fish very often any longer but I am making it a point to go more this year.

[Yak Fish]

Like Shady said, I don't have anything really exotic because I've only fished MD and PA. My most memorable ones are the ones that I worked hard to catch through my own experimentation and trial and error. My first striper, walleye and carp were memorable for sure because it took several tries until I could figure them out. It seems like your guys' struggle to get that first tarpon...it's both exciting and relieving to finally get it.