Same here! I focused a lot on the salt this year but had some good sweetwater trips as well.
Finally got on some decent stripers this year, which was awesome. Definitely got the surf fishing bug now, nothing else like it! Night fishing trips will increse next year too.
Caught my PB Bluefish at around 5 pounds, hope to break that in the spring time. Also caught new salt species like bonito, mackerel, and nothern sea robins. Missed a false albacore so going to have to cross that one off next year!
Got on some trout in NJ as well as took a trip to NY to fish the esopus which was awesome. Mostly ignored the largemouth bass this year, but did pretty well on smallmouth in splitrock and a few other places. Also caught my PB Yellow perch!
Also did a lot of new water exploring in NJ this year, but a lot of those trips proved unsuccessful. Wouldn't trade them though, great experiences looking for wild trout in NJ, and i found them, next year i'll just have to catch them!
Almost caught my first freshwater hybrid too, but lost him right at the surface on NJSquatch's boat. Gotta say thanks again to him for taking me out on the cong for my first time!
Next year I really want to get on some fluke action as I only tried once this year and struck out. Gotta get redemption on the albie too! Also hope to finally land a pike as I tried about 7 times this year and just couldn't connect even when people around me were. Want to get on a tautog or two as well so i can finally wear the 300 shirts i won at the christmas party
more ice fishing too.
Overall, a pretty great year of fishing but i think my 2018 season was a bit better, quality and number wise. Next year is going to be an interesting one, might be moving into Brooklyn so my freshwater trips could become limited and i might be fishing Long Island beaches a lot more than anything else. Its all up in the air still though, so we'll see! Tight lines and happy new year to all!!!
