oldsalt Loc: Holland Pa

Cow nose ray in the surf at LBI NJ. Took 45 minutes to get it to the surface in order to see it. Had to be over hundred pounds - wore me out. Couldn’t land it - cut the line

art hahn

72 lb Halibut @ cape flattery Wa 2008 was the yr on large herring

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

I don't weigh my catches so I don't know that information. The largest fish I've ever landed was a tiger shark I caught at Enewetok Atoll when I was assigned there for duty in 1977 (u.s.navy). I borrowed a chunk of raw beef roast from the galley, put it on a about size 08 hook rigged to a piece of small chain and tossed it in the lagoon where the galley dumped the left over chow every evening. It was longer than I am tall (I'm about 5' 10) and I'm guessing weighed probably 80 - 100 pounds, I still have its jaws mounted to a plaque somewhere in my garage. My largest fresh water fish was either 20 or so pound channel catfish I caught night-fishing on the Feather River or a very nice 20 or so pound Northern Pike I caught in the Minnesota Boundary Waters way back in 1964. I was 16 and man was that something!!

Big dog Loc: Bayshore, Long Island, New York

Hold on, back up.....you BORROWED a chunk of beef roast ? Com’on, that either cost you some favors OR you were a cook. Let’s hear the rest of the story sailor 🧐 !

Iafierman

While in Alaska I fished the cook inlet and caught a 52 lb.. halibut. Jest for the hell of it.

Aaron124 Loc: Arlington Ohio

Thanks Gordon. I though it would be a fun idea just to hear some fishing stories. Plus I live hearing about how big of fish people catch and what they caught it on. I am posting another fun one tonight that I am interested in learning.

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

Thats a monster oldssalt. I caught a big one in my cast net shrimping one day. Had to buy a new net.

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

OK. If you were in the Navy or any branch I presume, you know what the word cumshaw means. So yes I cumshawed a very nice beef rib roast. How was I able to do this? The galley over there was not operated by the Navy - it was run by a company called Holmes and Naiver out of Las Angeles, and they fed us amazingly well. One of the perks I guess of being in that place. Anyway, I was a first class (E-6) at the time and was entitled to a few other perks. I shared a room with one other first class (most guys were four to a room). We had a window air conditioner ( the barracks itself was not air conditioned and most of the rooms weren't either). We also had the luxury of a refrigerator in our room. Now it so happened that my roommate became pretty good friends with one of the cooks (H&N employee, who all were berthed in tents!). In exchange for allowing him to come up to our room and partake of air conditioning and cold beer, he would provide us with steaks, king crab, canned hams, many other edible goodies and once when I wanted to catch a shark, a very nice beef rib roast. So, now you know .........

Rutinbuck Loc: Haysville, Kansas

Flathead catfish 40+ pounds (not weighted) on my dads pole with a baitcaster, 8 pound line that should have been replaced 3-4 years prior to catching that fish. He was always lucky at everything especially fishing. All the big fish have been caught on his poles!

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

Good story Spiritof27. Nice to have friends

Johnvilla Loc: Spartanburg SC THE Upstate

The biggest fish I ever caught was a 23# shinook salmon in Ludington, Michigan on rod and reel. 12# test mono on a silver and blue, 3/4z little Cleo. I casting off the north inner pier early morning. It took about 45 minutes to land it. Fun!

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

I have never landed one from the shore or a pier, only from a boat. I don't usally use very heavy tackle, I like to give em a chance, and they've taken advantage of that every time I hook into a big one like that. Break it off and wave bye bye.

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

Absolutely. Good to hear from ya! I've been fishing 60+ years and still going and I've fished all over the world for all sorts of fish and I've got lots of stories. Like the time I went fishing in Ethiopia for Nile Perch and a crocodile nearly ate my dog. Oh yes!

J.R. Sloan Loc: Inland Northwest (WA, OR, ID)

Just this past Friday, I caught my personal best wild Chinook on the Columbia off Rainier, OR. !6 pounds on a flasher and red-and-copper 2/0 spinner lure (no bait). I mention this "average" fish 'cause I was out-fished by my daughter-in-law who caught her first-ever chinook at 20 pounds, plus a small "jack" salmon (an early-return spawn-er). To that point, hers was the best of the day among some 137 boats. Great day, superb weather, huge school of spawning fish heading up the Cowlitz River from the Columbia.