Species: Opaleye (Girella nigricans) Location: Dana Point Marina, Dana Point, CA Date: August 9, 2017 After a long day on a boat in the taxing summer heat of Southern California, the last thing most people would do is go fishing again, but as we’ve established, my judgment is impaired when it comes to fishing. As my cousin, Will…
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…
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…
Species:Northern Kahawai (Arripis xylabion) Location: Kuaotunu River, Kuaotunu, Coromandel, New Zealand Date: February 25, 2014 Fishing in New Zealand is all about trout. At least, that’s what we’re told. In reality, throughout most of the North Island, saltwater fishing is king. Snapper, Kingfish, and Kahawai are the big three for anglers in the brine, and…
Species: Estuarine Triplefin (Forsterygion nigripenne) Location: Kuaotunu River, Kuaotunu, Coromandel, New Zealand Date: February 25, 2014 Mystery is a genre I love to read but fail to write much of. Even investigative journalism is a reach for me, and I’ve spent five years as a journalist. The investigative process of which coffee shop makes the…
Species: Buffalo Sculpin (Enophrys bison) Location: Chetco River South Jetty, Brookings-Harbor, OR Date: September 13, 2010 This is a story about misidentifying sculpins and feral cats and world records. Yes, you read that right. I’ll start with the record. Here’s the picture of my record-setting fish. My first saltwater All-Tackle World Record was for Buffalo Sculpin (2017), but…
Species: Sacramento Perch (Archoplites interruptus) Location: Topsy Reservoir, Keno, OR Date: June 14, 2010 There wasn’t anything crazy about this day. In fact, apart from the fact that spelling the word “Sacramento” has been a lifelong struggle, there isn’t much to tell. I always spell it “Sacremento” instead of “Sacramento,” but I live with my imperfections. But this…
Species: Tui Chub (Gila bicolor) Location: Lost River, OR Date: April 13, 2008 Before I learned where to chase big trout in the spring, I used to drive out to Crystal Springs County Park during Spring Break or any time I had free from sports. Lonely Luke would fish for anything that would nibble his lonely worm. That…
Species: Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) Location: Lost Creek Lake, OR Date: July 27, 2005 Every day, we woke up and went on a run. We’d come back, grab breakfast, do some sort of running game, take a break, and run again. Lunch would come around, we’d have a short reprieve for the afternoon, then we’d go on an evening…
Species: Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) Location: Lost Creek Lake, OR Date: July 26, 2005 Cross County Camp was great. I mean, apart from running 80 or 90 miles in a week, it was awesome. We always stopped and ran along the highway before we even arrived at our destination: Lost Creek Lake. In those days, I was a…
