What are some of the fish you caught in 2023?
- Thread starter clarkman
- Start date
Pink Nighty
Life of the Party
A few of the highlights of this year, need to work on my camera skillz...
DimeBrite
Saltwater fly fisherman
It's really hard to believe that 2023 is almost over. Saltwater fly fishing has been good, both locally and during travel. I caught a few new to me species and prime specimens of old favorites. I'm really grateful for great fishing partners & friends, and for having the time to fish frequently and travel.
Giant trevally are always fun, and the encounters are unpredictable. Seeing them surge onto your stripped fly and react to your strip set is impressive. The difference in fight once they grow over 100cm is pretty shocking.
Golden trevally that was swimming with mudding stingrays.
A bigger sized Bluefin trevally I've been hoping to catch.
Juvenile Napoleon wrasse. One day it will grown into a massive blue/green monster.
Bohar snapper have incredible ambush speed over short distances. They also mess up fly lines on coral.
African marbled grouper pull like hell. I was seriously tired after landing a couple of these beasts.
Camouflage grouper have endless teeth. I can't get these fish unhooked fast enough.
Spangled emperors are scrappy and fun.
I love sight fishing for juvenile tarpon, snook, and Crevalle jack. Sadly a tarpon pooped all over my leg as punishment for the photo.
Saltwater salmon fly fishing Puget Sound is still so fun to me after all the years I've done it. Some mornings had really hot fishing for 3-5 pound hatchery silvers and pinks. Finally having the good fortune to land a wild silver over 8 pounds didn't happen until the end of September.
This Titan triggerfish from French Polynesia ate the fly 4 times before the hook-set held long enough for me to land him.
I hooked a few really nice bonefish at the same location, but nearly all of them cut me off during amazingly long runs straight into coral heads.
The Barred trevally is the least impressive of the trevally family
. I'm still happy whenever I land one though.
Peacock grouper at the blue water edge of the coral reef. This was the first year I caught these fish, despite them being very common.
Happy New Year 2024 and Tight Lines for everyone!
New fishing goals and the learning process are never ending.
Giant trevally are always fun, and the encounters are unpredictable. Seeing them surge onto your stripped fly and react to your strip set is impressive. The difference in fight once they grow over 100cm is pretty shocking.
Golden trevally that was swimming with mudding stingrays.
A bigger sized Bluefin trevally I've been hoping to catch.
Juvenile Napoleon wrasse. One day it will grown into a massive blue/green monster.
Bohar snapper have incredible ambush speed over short distances. They also mess up fly lines on coral.
African marbled grouper pull like hell. I was seriously tired after landing a couple of these beasts.
Camouflage grouper have endless teeth. I can't get these fish unhooked fast enough.
Spangled emperors are scrappy and fun.
I love sight fishing for juvenile tarpon, snook, and Crevalle jack. Sadly a tarpon pooped all over my leg as punishment for the photo.
Saltwater salmon fly fishing Puget Sound is still so fun to me after all the years I've done it. Some mornings had really hot fishing for 3-5 pound hatchery silvers and pinks. Finally having the good fortune to land a wild silver over 8 pounds didn't happen until the end of September.
This Titan triggerfish from French Polynesia ate the fly 4 times before the hook-set held long enough for me to land him.
I hooked a few really nice bonefish at the same location, but nearly all of them cut me off during amazingly long runs straight into coral heads.
The Barred trevally is the least impressive of the trevally family
. I'm still happy whenever I land one though.Peacock grouper at the blue water edge of the coral reef. This was the first year I caught these fish, despite them being very common.
Happy New Year 2024 and Tight Lines for everyone!
New fishing goals and the learning process are never ending.
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I would like some career advice from you, thanks in advance for whatever tips you can provide about how you line up the time and dollars for a year like that.It's really hard to believe that 2023 is almost over. Saltwater fly fishing has been good, both locally and during travel. I caught a few new to me species and prime specimens of old favorites. I'm really grateful for great fishing partners & friends, and for having the time to fish frequently and travel.
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Giant trevally are always fun, and the encounters are unpredictable. Seeing them surge onto your stripped fly and react to your strip set is impressive. The difference in fight once they grow over 100cm is pretty shocking.
View attachment 97157
Golden trevally that was swimming with mudding stingrays.
View attachment 97162
A bigger sized Bluefin trevally I've been hoping to catch.
View attachment 97163
Juvenile Napoleon wrasse. One day it will grown into a massive blue/green monster.
View attachment 97167
Bohar snapper have incredible ambush speed over short distances. They also mess up fly lines on coral.
View attachment 97168
African marbled grouper pull like hell. I was seriously tired after landing a couple of these beasts.
View attachment 97169
Camouflage grouper have endless teeth. I can't get these fish unhooked fast enough.
View attachment 97170
Spangled emperors are scrappy and fun.
View attachment 97171
View attachment 97172
I love sight fishing for juvenile tarpon, snook, and Crevalle jack. Sadly a tarpon pooped all over my leg as punishment for the photo.
View attachment 97173
View attachment 97174
Saltwater salmon fly fishing Puget Sound is still so fun to me after all the years I've done it. Some mornings had really hot fishing for 3-5 pound hatchery silvers and pinks. Finally having the good fortune to land a wild silver over 8 pounds didn't happen until the end of September.
View attachment 97175
This Titan triggerfish from French Polynesia ate the fly 4 times before the hook-set held long enough for me to land him.
View attachment 97204
I hooked a few really nice bonefish at the same location, but nearly all of them cut me off during amazingly long runs straight into coral heads.
View attachment 97180
The Barred trevally is the least impressive of the trevally family
View attachment 97181
Peacock grouper at the blue water edge of the coral reef. This was the first year I caught these fish, despite them being very common.
Happy New Year 2024 and Tight Lines for everyone!
New fishing goals and the learning process are never ending.
DimeBrite
Saltwater fly fisherman
My wife and I met in graduate school and learned to live on very little money while enjoying mostly free outdoor hobbies
. During career years I kept the money belt very tight and enjoyed mostly free outdoor hobbies. Long before age could become limiting, I said goodbye to the man and regained control of my time and activities. Less toys = more freedom! 
One of my heroes
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Saying good bye to the man …. Is gotta to be free feeling……hoping same for me in next couple of years..My wife and I met in graduate school and learned to live on very little money while enjoying mostly free outdoor hobbies
Whoa! That top one is gorgeous!
Love seeing everyone's pics. I didn't take as many this year, but tried to make sure I got some of the more memorable fish. Also got some new species this year.
I always keep track of days fished and species caught. I got out 35 days this year. A new job without much time off was the biggest culprit. I didn't get out at all in December. I think that's a first in quite a few years. The good news is I saw my kids more this month than since they were high schoolers. I'll take that.
Total species was 14-
Tarpon, Snook, Rainbow, SRC, Pink Salmon, Bull Trout, Shad, Carp, Smallmouth, Largemouth, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Flounder, Pikeminnow
1st trip of the year was to Cancun and I got on the board with some baby tarpon and some snook. Lost my hat, but caught fish!
And March Opener is always fun. Nice sunny weather is always welcome!
Caught more carp this year than I have the last 20, including my PB. Not including the old snagging days, of course -
Had a couple great days catching pinks. Won't deny it was stupid fun even if I ended up with a sore arm and the scenery was....subjective.
No musky in 2023, but it wasn't for lack of effort. Targeted musky 9 of my 35 days. Hooked 2...briefly. Pretty rough, but that's why they call it fishing. Can't wait for 2024! Happy New Year!
I always keep track of days fished and species caught. I got out 35 days this year. A new job without much time off was the biggest culprit. I didn't get out at all in December. I think that's a first in quite a few years. The good news is I saw my kids more this month than since they were high schoolers. I'll take that.
Total species was 14-
Tarpon, Snook, Rainbow, SRC, Pink Salmon, Bull Trout, Shad, Carp, Smallmouth, Largemouth, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Flounder, Pikeminnow
1st trip of the year was to Cancun and I got on the board with some baby tarpon and some snook. Lost my hat, but caught fish!
And March Opener is always fun. Nice sunny weather is always welcome!
Caught more carp this year than I have the last 20, including my PB. Not including the old snagging days, of course
-Had a couple great days catching pinks. Won't deny it was stupid fun even if I ended up with a sore arm and the scenery was....subjective.
No musky in 2023, but it wasn't for lack of effort. Targeted musky 9 of my 35 days. Hooked 2...briefly. Pretty rough, but that's why they call it fishing. Can't wait for 2024! Happy New Year!
24” Wild Rainbow on a 4wt (PB)
23” Westslope on a 7wt (PB)
Carp on a 6wt
43” Pike on a 9wt
Fat Bream on a popper
27” Chinook, on a size 14 nymph and a 3wt… had to chase him 150yds downstream to land him
