Best/favorite catches of 2020!

[thmyorke1]

@Eddie, lol, I remember you calling me up on that day to report in the raritan river blitz while I was in bed thinking I had covid symptoms

@JDTuna, you're Lahontan cutthroat trip was sick Was that the only big-trip you got in this year? I hope any of the planned trips you had this year get to happen soon/next year. I miss the monthly global exotic-fishing reports

@Mikey, cant thank you enough, and also Jon, for being my guides on the salmon river. My netting skills really got put to the test eh!

[AndyS]

I forgot I was up there in March before $hiT hit the fan with Covid, one of my better trips of the year was with Uncle Ken on the Raritan

[NJSquatch]

Great catches as always by the NJ Fishing members.

2020 was a great year fishing wise for me. Started off with a monster bucket mouth during the 4 day ice season. During the lockdown I had my hours cut and I was out every day on the big pond in the yak trying to forget the world was ending. Once I could get the boat on the lake we hit the night ops pretty hard catching eyeballs and hybrids. NY opened up just in time for my annual 2 week vacation chasing brownies in Lake George. Spent the summer and early fall targeting pike, lakers and harassing bass. November had to be my best month of fishing ever catching a monster smallmouth, PB hybrid, PB laker, and PB Crappie all within 10 days of each other.

All in all I caught 7 NJ Skillful Angler fish (6 different species), qualifying for the Master Angler Award and the Bass Slam.





The most memorable fish hands down is the Lake Trout I caught aboard the Essential in early November. We got to the lake at sunup to troll, after 4 hours of nothing switched over to blading, after 2 hours of nothing we switched to jigging. They were being picky as all hell and I started to doze off staring at the fish finder. After almost dropping my rod in the water I told Chris to wake me up when they start biting and curled up in a little ball sucking my thumb in front of the boat. After an 8 minute power nap I get woken up by Chris saying he was on. I jumped up to net his fish, then proceeded to shoot a 5 hour energy, drop my jig to the bottom, and hook up with something huge! The fish made multiple runs to the bottom and put the drag to the test. When it was finally in the net Chris mumbles in a defeated low voice "It's #$%^& huge dude". The fish taped out at 33" and is the biggest lake trout that Chris or I have ever seen in person. If your only going to catch one fish all day I guess this is the fish you want!



Guess the saying of "Don't Wake A Sleeping Giant" holds true.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year fellas!

[FASTEDDIE29]

^^^ This over sized guy had a great year!^^^ Congrats on dominating a bunch of NJ fish Squatch! PB’s and more PB’s!!! YEA BUDDY!!!

[catfishonthelake]

Few sharks from the beach....two 30# carp including a PB 34#, we consistently put 40 pound blue cats in my boat this year and our first couple of 50's in a bit too long. Phenomenal big fish year. #gobigorgohome #catchyourownfish

[Esox Luciano]

You guys make Jersey look good! Some cool posts in this thread, nice catches too! I've definitely had a lot of memorable moments this year on all different waters. Starting with and following through the whole year was any & all the action I got on my popper I made from a piece of driftwood from the river. Was able to get 5 different species on it so far so that was pretty cool.
And besides all the work I put into the river, the clean-ups and reaping the benefits of it, the better moments with catches pinned to them weren't from my lines.
First, would be from berry season on the river with Tunanut and company. We got to see a few carp with a few handfuls of all natural bait and watched as his son wrangled up a couple bottom feeders. Was pretty awesome seeing how excited it was for him. By request, he stays incognito as he hunts down your spots!

Another great moment has to have been when a friend & I found a spot from google maps to look for some bass or whatever was biting. While tossing some lures he hooks into a beautiful musky outta nowhere! It was more exciting for the fact that this was not at all the target species and was his 1st esox other than some pickeral! Despite the year and what came with it, it was a pretty great year for me! Tight lines and Happy New Year fellaz!!

[fishunt]

Nice tiger muskie from the spring time!

[Cape Cod]

1st Keeper of 2020 season in mid March
Son and I filling a basket of clams
25” kayak fluke
OBX redfish and trout for family dinner
Early September season Pope & Young

[FASTEDDIE29]

Some great stuff here. Thank you for adding everyone! You all had great years and some cool firsts! Making memories is what it’s all about. Keep up the great catching in 2021!

Hey there Mr. Catfishonthelake! I need some of those 40-50 lb. Blues in my life! How much is a charter? Let me know!

[catfishonthelake]

Originally Posted by FASTEDDIE29

Some great stuff here. Thank you for adding everyone! You all had great years and some cool firsts! Making memories is what it’s all about. Keep up the great catching in 2021!

Hey there Mr. Catfishonthelake! I need some of those 40-50 lb. Blues in my life! How much is a charter? Let me know!

Ha ha...you know all it takes to go fishing is for your kid to lose a couple baseball games and free up a weekend. No charters for me. You're on the short list buddy.