Favorite fish

Mine would be Steelies I don't know exactly what it is, maybe its the stress and reward or its the total package tough to hook tough to fight, I don't care how heavy your tackle is it seems like if it wants to take you to town he will. It can be so rewarding and so frustrating. The beatuy of the river and the fish, solitude you don't need anybody or anything else to have a great day. It's weird one year I caught 50 fish the next year i caught 2 and both were great years. If I catch 1 per year I'm happy. Its funny to love standing waist deep in freezing water with the rain pouring down with super nice gear, fishing for a fish you will rarely hook and if you are lucky enough you still have to wage a stressful fight. 

My vote goes to the ling.It's my favorite fish to eat.It was the first big fish I caught from a kayak.They live with rockies so you never know what you will pull up when fishing for them.They pull hard and fight all the way to the surface.They bite on a range of lures,irons and live bait...but halibut would be a close second...and salmon...and stripers....Why do we have to choose just one again?  

Hey Mickfish - I totally understand being in love with steelies - I caught my first one on the San Lorenzo in Santa Cruz in 1973. They are the best! But, I'm pushing 60 now and standing in ice cold, moving water with frozen guides on the rod at sun-up dosen't have the charm it once did. Stripers on the other hand, are readily available, can be caught from shore, run 2 to 20 lbs plus, take flies, jigs, swimbaits, plugs, bait and are there almost all year! I'm sorry, but if I've only got one fish to go after I want to be able to go after em all year long and not just Nov. thru March. This is, by the way, what I do. Hands down, it's the burly linesides! My two cents. Tom

I had to choose salmon because I have never caught one from my yak. I live less than an hour from the Mendocino coast, so I should be able to land one this year.

I love living where I live in Northern California! The coast is close for abs, rock fish, salmon, perch, crabs, and clams. Lake Mendo is in my back yard for striper, bass, crappie, and catfish. The Sacramento Valley is only two hours away for more salmon, shad, and pheasants. The S.F Bay is close for sturgeon, halibut and whatever else, along with Tomales Bay. How fortunate I am!





CHEERS!

I'm with Mahi, KING SALMON 

Short Story:

I remember when I almost killed my best friend Lee  (this was waaay before my kayak days) The story goes like this....Lee and I rented a skiff from the Santa Cruz Pier. I personally did not like the idea because I get sea sick really easily and I hate taking drugs for it (cause it simply kills the "Huli Ka" experience). Anyway, we heard that the salmon were close by and so we motored out about 3 miles away to join the rest of the fleet. (Note: I this was my first time salmon fishing - I had no clue as to what type of gear to use) I used 12# mono with a bass rod and my very first baitcasting reel (Shimano Curado). So, Lee's portable FF was marking bait at 60... I was pulling line out at 30 feet when I noticed that my line was floating  I quickly turned to Lee and asked what depth we were on...he said 150....I then realized a fish had picked up my anchovy  So I began to reel in and sure enough, my line tightened up and my drag began to scream....FISH ON The fish came in quick - and I could see it clearly as it revealed it's FAT silvery girth....surprisingly, the fish seemed "defeated" and I was able to pull it really close to the boat. I turn around and see that Lee is "still fishing"  As I was hoping he'd be ready with the net by now. As I yell "GET THE NET!!!" The fish slowly drifted towards the bow and hit it....and the fish just came alive and shot back to the depths......snapping my line instantly  I was furious  angry    and upset  at Lee for not getting the net ready....the fillet knife, sitting right next to me...seemed to be the most logical answer to my "sudden"depression  BUT ...I love my buddy Lee and I figured that going to jail for murder was not a good thing....so I sat there....and realized that this was my only window of opportunity - and I missed it  A few minutes later, I began to  as the swells were getting big  We stuck it out for a while...until there was nothing for me to puke out anymore  We headed in fishless and with only a memory of "a big fish that got away"....

BUT, several years later - April 2004....Uncle Joel was given another chance...with the help of a kayak and a couple of veteran salmon slayers (Stuart and Fred), I was finally rewarded with my first King Salmon...and my kayak fishing days turned into madness 

Why I love salmon more than any other fish.....because it's the most beautiful of them all. I believe it tastes better then any other fish  And the fight it gives is truly amazing And I really admire the life cycle of these fish....truly an inspiration....from the birth, the journey and the death 

Nice story and nice photo Mooch.

This may sound a little crazy, but wouldn't it be real cool to have someone (this is the crazy part) search all the forums for short or lond stories like this and compile them all in one forum. We could make it a forum where only the moderators could add stories.

Just a thought!

CHEERS!

I grew up fishing the southern california channel islands.  I have to say yellowtail.  Nothing beats the fight pound for pound.  Also great to eat, sushi, sashimi or grilled or smoked.  Also, i'm a little partial to the ocean. A very close second would be any of the tunas, albacore, bluefin or yellowfin.

Joel,
I thought your all time favorite was sturgeon!!

Stuart

Tuna...........from 40 to 60 lbs are fun.  The ones over 100 lbs will make you pull for over an hour using 60 lb. test.  They never give up.  Even when they are circling in the "slow Death march" up to the boat.

Only time they give up is when they are shark bit.

Ken kickfish

Thought long and hard and I can't come up with just one. I like whatever is giving me the most action.
I have many memorable fish and each has a unique distinction of it's own.
From sailfish in Acapulco, barracuda in Cancun, steelies on the Trinity, salmon and shad on the American, trout in the mountain streams, stripers in the Delta, and all the wonderful fish on the north coast I cannot pick just one.
I will say that some of my favorite fishing has been in the worst weather conditions. Like Mickfish said about having nice gear; as long as I am warm and dry bring the elements on! I love the solitude of a driving rain or snow storm while I am surrounded by water. It tunes everything else out. A sort of sensory deprivation to my surroundings that forces me to be more focused on the task at hand.

Since there was no surf perch I had to go with lings 

I like the tap tap then screaming plus the fact that they eat my crazy plastics!

White Seabass. They can be caught year round in great locations/climates. They get Big. They taste great. They are a great test on a Kayak and fisherman. 

Joel,
I thought your all time favorite was sturgeon!!

Stuart

Stu...I'm still seeking therapy for those 4 long wicked years of sturgeon fishing 

"NEVER AGAIN MY FRIEND" = that's my message to Erik Kunz 

Never thought Mooch would give up on ANY kind of fishing. Just when you think you've seen it all.........

Never thought Mooch would give up on ANY kind of fishing. Just when you think you've seen it all.........

Brother Mike....if I ever find out that it's possible to troll for sturgeon....using a little risto rapala ,  I'd be back in the game in no time 

Until then...it's NEVER AGAIN MY FRIEND