Species?

[ronaultmtd]

I know every species of fish gets a following and when each shows up for the first time it is forum news, but not all species are created equal- killifish don't get much love but in the grand scheme of things they are as important as any other especially as forage food for the larger fish we all target- I don't fish for them- but I throw a minnow trap in the spring to get bait-

Salt water/Bay fishing species I have caught
White perch don't get me excited-
Yellow perch don't get me excited-
Croaker don't get me too excited- I do fish for them for the table but....
Speckled Trout gets me excited- love to catch these fish-the rest of this list are species I will get up early and drive long distances to catch-
Tautog- nibblers that require finesse fishing- solid meat, ugly but tasty fish- they get up to 20 pounds and are strong fighters that live in structure-
Doormat Flounder gets me excited- one of the finest eating salt water fish-
Red Drum gets me excited- their strength and pullage are legendary-
Stripers gets me excited- this is my number one target in the bay
Cobia are as good a tasting fish as I have ever tasted and they get big and fight like mad-Tidewater is the place to catch these fish- Bluefish Rocks-
King Mackerel are an open ocean fish but you can catch them around Kiptopeake and the CBBT on live bait- 100 yard smoker runs are heart stoppers- and they are tasty on the grill-

Fresh water is a whole other topic- but UL tackle is what I mostly use in fresh water unless I am targeting catfish-

[Pinch]

agreed, Perch/croaker/spot/ panfish in general dont get me excited. Everything else you mentioned does but you left out sheepshead/spades and triggers.

[MDFishin]

The little guys, perch, crappie and the likes get me through hard times like jan/feb. That being said I dont wanna see a other for awhile its time for Linesiders, Tog, and Flounder. I really wanna add cobia and drum to the list and hopefully will this summer.

[Memory Maker]

Hey Ron ...... did you forget the Spanish Mac's ........ best tasting fresh fish

[Southerly]

i started catching the white perch when i was a little kid and each one reminds me of that. and all said and done, i probly do more of that than anything else but that's another story. in any case, i find it relaxing and always enjoy getting into them once in awhile.

i really like the VA master angler concept. i think you learn a lot by going after citation fish and by the time someone gets the master angler mark, i think it's not just luck for sure and respect that. i know you can spend a lot of time learning about any one species, but only learning about one species seems like a shame when there is actually a spectrum of challenges in front of you.

[ictalurus]

I don't mind catching the small stuff. Catching a citation yellow perch, white perch, croaker, or spot would be just as cool to me as catching a citation striper. I've caught croakers and pickerel that were just shy of citation size, and I would really like to hit that target. Other than that, my interests kind of vary each year depending on conditions.

American and hickory shad are two of my favorite species to catch. April and September are my favorite months, and the shad run always indicated the beginning of the fishing season for me before I starting fishing during the winter. Plus, my father's birthday is in April, so we usually have some sort of shad-related adventure when I visit.

I used to fish for largemouth as a kid with my father. I never caught many fish over 15 or 16", and I kind of got bored with it and didn't target them much after college. Having caught some nice ones recently, I'm kind of interested in them again.

Similarly, I got bored with croakers while I lived in Williamsburg, VA, but catching several that were close to citation size two years ago renewed my interest.

I think more about improving various skills or techniques. I really like being consistently successful at finding/catching fish using specific methods. Topwater fishing for stripers is one of my favorites, and I got better at it. I would really like to get more proficient at jigging.

[ronaultmtd]

Hey Ron ...... did you forget the Spanish Mac's ........ best tasting fresh fish

they are really good cooked on the charcoal grill- that's for sure, but I don't do that much fishing for them or spadefish or sheepshead....or big Black Drum- they pull like you have hooked a fifty five gallon trash can, but are full of worms- a by-catch is always fun when you aren't specifically targeting the fish you catch- Black Sea bass is one of the finest eating fish, but a PIA to ride out to the offshore wrecks to deep water fish for them- what I was saying is that for me to get up, load the yak and drive somewhere to fish, I have to get excited about the prospect of catching the species I am after- I wouldn't (and didn't) drive across the yard for yellow perch- they just didn't do anything for me- same with white perch- they are fun to catch on 4# test UL tackle... but so are bluegill and crappie- that is just me and I think it is terrific if others differ with me about this- that is what makes the world go around-

[moc]

I agree with an earlier poster, the pan fish gets me through the lean months or when there is nothing more biting. A small fish on an ultra light can be real fun. What does get my blood rushing are speckle trout, flounder, black seabass, grouper, snapper, and tog. I have not caught a trigger fish or cobia yet, so I cannot comment. Drums are cool, but they do not make my blood rush for some reason. Big blue cats are fun too.

Oh yeah, it is not a fish, but a big blue crab can get me going too!

[kayak456]

All fish get me exited

[kevinfry]

Croaker aren't getting much love here, but I really enjoy them. Better fish on light or medium tackle, sure, but they definitely are a fighter pound for pound.
Just too easy to catch, I guess, to get respect and often caught on heavier rockfish gear. Too bad,....... I sincerely doubt any other 16 inch fish fights as well....except maybe a tautog.

Love surface Rocks and breaking Bluefish. Still seeking specks, tog and big flounders.

[Memory Maker]

they are really good cooked on the charcoal grill- that's for sure, but I don't do that much fishing for them or spadefish or sheepshead....or big Black Drum- they pull like you have hooked a fifty five gallon trash can, but are full of worms- a by-catch is always fun when you aren't specifically targeting the fish you catch- Black Sea bass is one of the finest eating fish, but a PIA to ride out to the offshore wrecks to deep water fish for them- what I was saying is that for me to get up, load the yak and drive somewhere to fish, I have to get excited about the prospect of catching the species I am after- I wouldn't (and didn't) drive across the yard for yellow perch- they just didn't do anything for me- same with white perch- they are fun to catch on 4# test UL tackle... but so are bluegill and crappie- that is just me and I think it is terrific if others differ with me about this- that is what makes the world go around-

Yeah ....... I know what you mean .......... fresh water is fun but there is just something about spending a lot of time fishing for something that is smaller than the bait you use for other fish ......... go big or go home ......

[J.A. Veil]

I enjoy some variety and love catching a new species. Having said that, the older I get, the more enjoyment I find from fishing near home with a minimum of driving and logistics. For me that means leaving the power boat in the garage, and launching my kayak in the Severn for a 2-3 hour trip. I target pickerel in the winter, and perch in the spring, summer, and fall. Occasionally, a surprise species pops up too.

By downsizing my tackle to use ultralight rods and small reels, I still get a rewarding fight from these smaller fish. I keep very few fish, so bringing home dinner is not a big consideration for me.

Now that I have more spare time during the week, I have begun taking a few trips that are a bit farther away. For example, I have fished the Susquehanna and the CBBT several times this winter and enjoyed catching different species there. I hope to get to the Potomac soon to catch some catfish and a snakehead.

During the summer and fall, I enjoy catching rockfish and bluefish in the open waters of the bay from my power boat. I don't have the stamina or attention span to spend 8-hour days in the kayak covering 10 or more miles like some of the MKF guys do. I hope to improve my skills at light tackle jigging this year, and continue to cast light lures to breaking fish.

My business travels take me all over the country. It is quite enjoyable to arrange a charter in another state to try for a totally different type of fishing.