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Thread: What's the most challenging catch you had?

  1. #1

    Default What's the most challenging catch you had?

    Not that I had one. I mean the hardest I had was easy for most, a California halibut. But I know there are people here who have experienced a rare catch. I wanna hear stories about it.

  2. #2

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    The more I thought about the question, the more I realized I never had one! Not because I'm some all around great fishermen. But when I had a challenge, I would figure a way to catch one. (mostly by cheating!) Lol No not by poaching, but by figuring out where these things live in their most abundant waterway and go there to fish for them. I'll throw out some catches that are unusual to most Southern CA anglers. If anyone wants to hear a story about any of them, chime in and I'll tell you the story. Lake Trout caught on ultra light tackle. (a lot of 8-15 fish) Dolly Varden trout and Graylings including a Trophy Dolly. Wahoo in abundance! Marlin, DD Steelhead out of the Chetco river. 20 pound King Salmon caught in abundance in CA. 200 pound Alaskan Halibut and all the big Lings you would want! Guided the womens record Rainbow trout! Catching almost 1,000 Catfish in 1 season out of the local parks! That should be enough Chum to see if anyone is interested in a fish story! Lol
    Last edited by etucker1959; 04-09-2021 at 02:49 PM.

  3. #3
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    Catching and getting her in my boat! 14 pound 13 once large mouth bass at Lake Isabella January 1998. Weighed her and released her immediately. Kept my rod berried under water so she could not jump and I was able to land her. What a thrill!

  4. #4

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    Back in 2010 I caught a 10.5 LMB at Perris while Bluegill fishing using 2# test on my ultra lite. I weighed, measured, took pics, and released her. I had a replica made and she's on my office wall.
    I contacted CDFW to see if there were any line class records and was told there aren't. They sent me a certificate, which is framed and on the wall as well, stating that I caught and released a trophy bass.

  5. #5

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    Thanks for your responses! Wow, I am so jealous! I feel like it's impossible for me to be like all of you. You have great stories.

    Quote Originally Posted by etucker1959 View Post
    The more I thought about the question, the more I realized I never had one! Not because I'm some all around great fishermen. But when I had a challenge, I would figure a way to catch one. (mostly by cheating!) Lol No not by poaching, but by figuring out where these things live in their most abundant waterway and go there to fish for them. I'll throw out some catches that are unusual to most Southern CA anglers. If anyone wants to hear a story about any of them, chime in and I'll tell you the story. Lake Trout caught on ultra light tackle. (a lot of 8-15 fish) Dolly Varden trout and Graylings including a Trophy Dolly. Wahoo in abundance! Marlin, DD Steelhead out of the Chetco river. 20 pound King Salmon caught in abundance in CA. 200 pound Alaskan Halibut and all the big Lings you would want! Guided the womens record Rainbow trout! Catching almost 1,000 Catfish in 1 season out of the local parks! That should be enough Chum to see if anyone is interested in a fish story! Lol
    You had an amazing time! I don't think I'd be able to accomplish even one. Gaud, I could only imagine the experiences you had. So much fun!


    Quote Originally Posted by Jig-Guy View Post
    Catching and getting her in my boat! 14 pound 13 once large mouth bass at Lake Isabella January 1998. Weighed her and released her immediately. Kept my rod berried under water so she could not jump and I was able to land her. What a thrill!
    What a thrill indeed! I would also love to feel that thrill. That few minutes in our lives is rare and I would trade all the techs we have now just to experience that real adventure.

    Quote Originally Posted by NFCD I View Post
    Back in 2010 I caught a 10.5 LMB at Perris while Bluegill fishing using 2# test on my ultra lite. I weighed, measured, took pics, and released her. I had a replica made and she's on my office wall.
    I contacted CDFW to see if there were any line class records and was told there aren't. They sent me a certificate, which is framed and on the wall as well, stating that I caught and released a trophy bass.
    Wow, that's awesome. Wish we could see the replica! Congratulations by the way.

  6. #6

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    Fishing the harbor and hooking a bat ray on 6 pound test is always fun.

    Hooking a 30# 'stripper' on 6 pound test is always fun too.

    Dating a pyscho ex was a pretty challenging catch too. Good thing that human sculpin was released.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by DarkShadow View Post
    Fishing the harbor and hooking a bat ray on 6 pound test is always fun.

    Hooking a 30# 'stripper' on 6 pound test is always fun too.

    Dating a pyscho ex was a pretty challenging catch too. Good thing that human sculpin was released.
    I was in awe for the first two and when I read the last one, LOL. You're hilarious! Must have been really challenging.

    I am envious of all of your stories. I always want that sense of adventure but I think I have this fear of unfamiliar things or new things. Is there such? I mean, I can do things but the normal ones. Beyond my comfort zone, never done anything really. I know this is not that big of a deal but I was thinking of seeing a therapist to see if this is something that can be addressed. Has any of you had any experience in that?

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Althea Hamby View Post
    I always want that sense of adventure but I think I have this fear of unfamiliar things or new things. Is there such? I mean, I can do things but the normal ones. Beyond my comfort zone, never done anything really. I know this is not that big of a deal but I was thinking of seeing a therapist to see if this is something that can be addressed. Has any of you had any experience in that?
    Eh, anxiety is a regular part of human existence, and it exists in our DNA for survival.

    The greatest part is that nowadays, we don't have to worry about saber tooth tigers or other predators taking us out. (We just have to worry about cops thinking we're reaching for a gun.)

    I have a trip to a new time zone this weekend, where I'm flying out for the first time in a while, and my anxiety got the best of me. But when you visualize success, you too can overcome the anxiety you get when encountering unfamiliar territories.

    And, wear a mask if you're around people these next few. You have a lot of these anti-vaxers who have an IQ smaller than their shoe size that can still be carriers.

  9. #9

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    I have had a lot of "weird" catches, but not "challenging" ones. That's probably because I like lots of action but I am not a "lunker chaser." I don't spend a lot of time trying to catch one big fish, although I may do things a bit differently from other fisher people.

    Some of my "interesting" catches include catching a 2 1/2 pound personal best Crappie at Bass Lake on a small, bead headed Zug Bug, catching a 17 inch bass in the Owens Valley on a small Black Ant imitation, and nearly catching another about that same size last year at Perris on an Adams, but it got into the brush and broke off, plus catching a bunch of pretty orange Salamanders in northern California at what was supposed to be a trout lake. (I did eventually catch a couple of trout there.) Also there was the bird at Perris that I fed five small Bluegill to last year, and a weasel a couple of years ago in Wyoming that made friends with me and followed me around, begging for a trout to eat. I never gave it any fish, but I figure that somebody must have been doing that before I came along. LOL Those other critters weren't "catches," but they were interesting.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Natural Lefty View Post
    I have had a lot of "weird" catches, but not "challenging" ones. That's probably because I like lots of action but I am not a "lunker chaser." I don't spend a lot of time trying to catch one big fish, although I may do things a bit differently from other fisher people.

    Some of my "interesting" catches include catching a 2 1/2 pound personal best Crappie at Bass Lake on a small, bead headed Zug Bug, catching a 17 inch bass in the Owens Valley on a small Black Ant imitation, and nearly catching another about that same size last year at Perris on an Adams, but it got into the brush and broke off, plus catching a bunch of pretty orange Salamanders in northern California at what was supposed to be a trout lake. (I did eventually catch a couple of trout there.) Also there was the bird at Perris that I fed five small Bluegill to last year, and a weasel a couple of years ago in Wyoming that made friends with me and followed me around, begging for a trout to eat. I never gave it any fish, but I figure that somebody must have been doing that before I came along. LOL Those other critters weren't "catches," but they were interesting.
    Where is the photo of your catch? So that everyone around you would be a little jealous. I have never come across a large fish. All that I caught was small or closer to medium. It would be cool to catch a salmon weighing 7-8 kilograms.

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