Top 3 Catches of 2015

What were your top three catches for 2015?

I'd like to start this post to get some more fish porn since the slow season is upon us. The catches don't have to be from a kayak either, they could be from a boat, diving, etc. And pics or it didn't happen!!

First pic, my son's personal best brown, non-yak.
My personal best verm, Fort Ross, @24 inches.
Then there was Shelter Cove, where he caught his best black @20 inches, and winning honorable mention for junior division, second year in a row. (Need more juniors at Shelter Cove, cannot let this kid three-pete!)

 

Tough call but here are my three

24lb king out of Trinidad,  24 inch cab spearfishing and first Verm spearfishing out of Albion.

For me I think these would be my top three, even though the Ling and Halibut weren't PBs...

1. 38 inch Ling that I shot during the fundraising Top2Bottom2 tourney which helped me win an amazing Piscean Plaque.

2. 37.5 inch, 23.5 pound halibut that I shot while my parents were here visiting and they were on the beach when I paddled in.

3. 29.75 inch PB Sheephead that I finally shot yesterday in BigSur after first seeing him on my birthday in March.

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Client caught a big thresher!  Shelter Cove.

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=67247.msg756827#msg756827

Father-Son clients scored a halibut!  Shelter Cove.

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=65340.msg737255#msg737255

Several clients over several trips bring home several salmon, lingcod, rockfish and a ten inch abalone.  Trinidad.

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=67397.60

My own top 3 were salmon, because that's basically all I fished for...  How about 3 categories for someone who fishes as much as me?   

 - 16 ocean kings in a tough season with lots of miles paddled.
 - several wild steelhead from the yak from three different rivers including lots of miles paddled upstream.
 - a few ten inch abs and lots of miles wheeled along the Lost Coast.

Good Times!   

Great catches guys!

It was a solid year for me.  None of my fish were quite as outstanding as last year’s 9+ foot thresher shark, but it was still a year with a lot of really nice fish along with a few PBs.  In no particular order of importance:

July 28, 2015: Catching my first ocean salmon from the kayak, fishing with my bro MattSwayze in Shelter Cove.  Overall it was a tough week for fishing, but Matt and I made the best of it by finding a hot salmon bite all to ourselves for a few hours that morning.  Not only did I get my first salty salmon, but I went on to fill a limit and CnR a third one.  The big fish taped out to 38 inches.  Big props to Matt for setting me up for success!



October 16, 2015: I had to talk myself into going on this one.  I’d already done a Cape trip two weeks prior, and I wasn’t looking forward to another 6 hour drive.  But I’m sure glad I pulled the trigger!  It was another epic day fishing the Cape with MattSwayze, Matanaska, Matt B., and a few others.  The big lings showed up to play, and I scored a 40 incher along with several in the mid-30 inch class.



November 27, 2015: New lake, relatively new species, and going at it solo…the stars aligned in my favor and I had an epic day catching striped bass on Lake Mendocino.  Landed 22 stripers along with several nice catfish and black bass, all on lures.  Never saw another boat or kayak all day long, so I was alone to revel in an amazing bite.  As the saying goes: you’ll never know unless you try.  Best fish of the day saved himself for last: a 34.75 inch striper.

A nice striper from earlier this year

A steelie

The last chromer I landed. It was a tough salmon season for but then again I didn't fish them much

nothing big for me this year but new species to add to my catch list 

Cab/Ling/Hali Trifecta

41" 27lb ling

100+lb haul of herring taken Dec 27th at Coyote Point

didn't get to much water time this year, life got in the way,  but did catch some good ones when i did get out

largest striper over 36 in and 25#
finally slayed the devil fish, tomales halibut
and my first toro, well toritto  while waiting out hurricane Patricia in los barrilas

Well, for my first year in NCKA and first year in the salt, I HAD A BLAST!!!  The lings were plentiful and so were all the different bass in my little home pond of Lake Mendocino.  2016 AOTY here I come!!

My biggest bass for the year.

Cot RCG's that wouldn't qualify as top on any list including my own.  However, this Mahi makes the top three fish of my entire life.  Maybe it means I have to get out more 

 Tomales halibut, BlackPoint Striper and TC Lingcod

Nice catches everyone!! Here are my top 3 of 2015:

12# 9oz Mt. Lassen Trout from Shadow Cliffs in March:


46# Yellowtail caught on Alan Tani's 5-Day long range trip in June:


22# Striper caught from the surf in August: