My AOTY 2026 Goal

Just like the 2025 Season, I plan to target only saltwater fish.
These are my target species in the order that I would likely catch.

1.   Rockfish
2.   Lingcod
3.   Flatfish
4.   Cabezon
5.   Greenling
6.   California Halibut
7.   Salmon
8.   Surf Perch
9.   Striped Bass
10.   White Seabass
11.   Pacific Halibut

Paul

You’re pro pro at rock fishing and in the best spot for it

Your'e missing out on the Kokanee thing. It's different but addicting once you've caught a few.
For stripers I like Benicia and Napa River in the Fall. I don't have the Delta figured out yet.
And 15 lb Clearlake catfish on 8 lb line can be fun. But I wouldn't eat them.

Makes sense that Kokanee isn’t on the list. The closest lakes to Fort Bragg with a Kokanee population I know of are 3 hours away (Berry), and 5 hours away (Whiskeytown).

I’d target salt species too with the pacific right in my backyard.

That said, Joe is right about how fun, tasty, and addicting Kokanee fishing can be. I think an 18” Kokanee would be worth nearly 200 points on AOTY right?

The one year I participated, my goal was an 18” Kokanee, a 24” brown, and some others I’ve forgotten. I think each fish I wanted to try and catch would yield me 200 points if I got the size I thought was possible in the lakes I planned to fish. I ended up doing quite poorly and discovered how much commitment AOTY actually takes. Hard on the WAF account!

Good luck Paul, sounds like a good goal/plan

You’re pro pro at rock fishing and in the best spot for it

Not even close to being a pro.  I am a retired guy who enjoys ocean kayak fishing.

Your'e missing out on the Kokanee thing. It's different but addicting once you've caught a few.
For stripers I like Benicia and Napa River in the Fall. I don't have the Delta figured out yet.
And 15 lb Clearlake catfish on 8 lb line can be fun. But I wouldn't eat them.

For the next couple of years, I still plan to do ocean fishing only.  I used to enjoy trout fishing from my float tube using fly rods.  However, once I got into ocean kayak fishing, I drifted away.

Makes sense that Kokanee isn’t on the list. The closest lakes to Fort Bragg with a Kokanee population I know of are 3 hours away (Berry), and 5 hours away (Whiskeytown).

I’d target salt species too with the pacific right in my backyard.

That said, Joe is right about how fun, tasty, and addicting Kokanee fishing can be. I think an 18” Kokanee would be worth nearly 200 points on AOTY right?

The one year I participated, my goal was an 18” Kokanee, a 24” brown, and some others I’ve forgotten. I think each fish I wanted to try and catch would yield me 200 points if I got the size I thought was possible in the lakes I planned to fish. I ended up doing quite poorly and discovered how much commitment AOTY actually takes. Hard on the WAF account!

Good luck Paul, sounds like a good goal/plan

Thank you.  Once I explore all the ocean kayak fishing areas around Fort Bragg, I will eventually get into freshwater fishing.

I've never caught a decent Cabezon and I don't catch nearly as many lings as you guys seem to. That's my goal for this year....and a few halibut limits!

Good luck Paul - that is a good list for salt water only! 

I ended up doing quite poorly and discovered how much commitment AOTY actually takes. Hard on the WAF account!

This contest is definitely for the committed... The only year I sorta tried I caught 8 different species worth submitting, and was pretty happy with that. 

Your'e missing out on the Kokanee thing.

Joe is right about how fun, tasty, and addicting Kokanee fishing can be.

Yep, I think Kokanee is the tastiest freshwater fish, and when the fishing is good, it is really good. 

Assuming that there is still a sail division, my AOTY goal is to enter a fish. But, first I need to get a measuring device—a couple of years ago, a sea lion belly flopped on mine and broke it…

Good strategy. Good luck!

I've never caught a decent Cabezon and I don't catch nearly as many lings as you guys seem to. That's my goal for this year....and a few halibut limits!

Also never caught a decent cabbie, and also very recently (only last year or so) got turned on to Kokanee, I thought it seemed intimdating/weird (corn? really??) but man I love it now. Delicious fish.

Shout out to MooMoo and other people's videos who helped me figure out how it's done lol