Species #90 — Shortnose Gar

Species: Shortnose Gar (Lepisosteus platostomus) Location: Alligator Preserve Pond, Madison, Alabama Date: July 30, 2017 I’ve caught more than 200 species at the time of writing. Of those, the only one I’ve counted without 100% certainty of identification was the Shortnose Gar. I fully expect to catch another, but since I counted it as Species #90…

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Species #89 — Spotted Gar

Species: Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) Location: Indian Creek, Madison, Alabama Date: July 30, 2017 So I’ve now written for the Herald and News for five years. At the time of writing, I’ve now written two pieces for Game and Fish Magazine, too, and I plan to continue that. As I write more and more, there becomes an increased likelihood that…

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Species #88 — Walleye

Species: Walleye (Sander vitreus) Location: American Fork Marina, Utah Lake, Provo, UT Date: June 22, 2017 When doing my research about Utah Lake, I’d read that it contained Walleye, but I’d always heard that the coolwater species like to stay deep and rarely fed during daylight — especially in the dog days of summer. So when my…

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Species #87 — Channel Catfish

Species: Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) Location: American Fork Marina, Utah Lake, Provo, UT Date: June 22, 2017 I don’t think my attitude towards a species has changed so quickly. When I threw my worm up against the far rocky shoreline of the American Fork Marina, it was hammered so hard, the rod almost went into the water….

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Species #86 — White Bass

Species: White Bass (Morone chrysops) Location: American Fork Marina, Utah Lake, Provo, UT Date: June 22, 2017 As I drove across the West on my way to Commissioned Officer Training (COT) in Montgomery, Alabama, I carefully planned my route to include stops at places I wanted to see. From Klamath Falls, my first long day of…

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Species #85 — Shiner Perch

Species: Shiner Perch (Cymatogaster aggregata) Location: Newport Public Docks, Newport, OR Date: June 10, 2017 Surfperch, seaperch, or perch. Whatever you call them, these marine delights are one of my favorite groups of fish to chase in and around the piers, jetties, and surf breaks of the Oregon Coast. Though some species are relatively common and well-known,…

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Species #84 — American Shad

Species: American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) Location: Willamette River, Oregon City, OR Date: June 11, 2017 Oregon is weird. We have a culture built around gamefish, but not all of our gamefish are native. Rainbow Trout are the most popular species in the state, but most fish caught annually by Oregon anglers aren’t native fish; they’re mostly hatchery…

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Species #83 — Lost River Sucker

Species: Lost River Sucker (Deltistes luxatus) Location: Undisclosed Location, OR Date: March 24, 2017 Every post up until now has included a location, but this one will remain secret to protect this incredible species, as it is endangered. I should also be clear that I do not advocate fishing for endangered species, nor do I actively…

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Species #82 — Monkeyface Prickleback

Species: Monkeyface Prickleback (Cebidichthys violaceus) Location: Newport Public Docks, Newport, OR Date: November 21, 2016 Time can be so fluid when fishing. Seconds, minutes, and hours can all meld together when you feel weight or a tick on the end of your line, melting into a soup of suspended timeflow that is so personal and subjective…

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Species #81 — Whitespotted Greenling

Species: Whitespotted Greenling (Hexagrammos stelleri) Location: Yaquina Bay, Newport, OR Date: November 21, 2016 I’ve had better days fishing the hundreds of docks in Newport, but this day wasn’t half bad. Since I normally go there to target Striped Seaperch for the table, anything else is just a bonus. Rarely do I fish this area…

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