The "Best of 2016" thread

[JDTuna]

2016 was a pretty good fishing year for me. I was lucky to have the opportunity to fish often with great friends, which is what it's all about. Caught several new species (alligator gar, sturgeon, flathead cats, Tiger trout) and a few personal bests (hybrid, walleye, stream brown trout, brown trout in general, carp, landlocked salmon). In total, I caught about 53 different fresh and saltwater species on rod and reel in 2016. Here is my year in review:

Freshwater:

Started out the year jigging walleyes and carp as bycatch from the legendary tin can with Chrisper. I had never ice fished before, and once there was safe ice Chrisper taught me how to successfully ice fish. Though the season was short, I managed northern pike, pickerel, muskie and various panfish.

As the season progressed, Chrisper and I continued the assault on NJ'S freshwater critters, both from land and from the fish catching machine known as the tin can. Trips were interspersed with pike and trout fishing, and walleye and hybrids at night. I took a c couple of out of state trips for alligator gar and sturgeon, and crossed those off the bucket list. Summer was dedicated to spending a lot of time targeting flatheads, with pretty good success. Fall meant pike, muskie, hybrids and a bunch of nice brown trout along with snakeheads and peacock bass in Florida. Ended the season with a successful fly trip for steelhead and browns.

Saltwater:

Saltwater started out with big stripers,* followed by my first time targeting threshers, which was a success. I had a handful of Canyon trips, catching yellowfin, mahi, sharks and bigeye tuna. Took a trip down to South Florida and got sails, mahi, kings, cobia, barracuda, blackfin tuna and a bunch of skippies and false albacore. Ended the season with stripers and tog.

Here are some pics.

[Jigman13]

Justin, where's the big fish? Lol... Jk man. Helluva year for sure. Good stuff dude!

[Eskimo]

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My biggest fish aren't as big as the others in this thread, but what constitutes a 'trophy' is relative to what you normally catch.

Pic 1: I was fishing shallow for panfish on a cold spring afternoon when this twenty-two inch Hybrid Striped Bass decided to give my light panfish gear a workout. I popped the hook and released this brute. (That's mud on his side, not blood)

Pic 2: I caught this 19-inch Smallmouth Bass on a drizzly summer afternoon. If memory serves me correctly, this is my personal-best Smallmouth.
After a few quick pics, she was released back in the water as are ALL bass I catch to grow bigger, make lots of babies, and make other anglers happy.

.

[Chrisper4694]

man i love the pics, all of them! if you like looking at pics of big fish especially from NJ get your own pics up here! it's only fair!