Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Yes, even though fishermen had a reputation for truthfulness, I will provide the photographic proof of most of my personal best fish caught over my lifetime. In attempting to capture and copy these pictures, If I have been unable to transfer photos of the striped marlin, snook, and black bass even though I have them in my phone.

I forgot to include a personal best for Jack Crevalle, but I never liked them anyway, so never bothered to consider their size or take a picture.

These pictures are not especially good, or clear, but do provide some evidence of a fish of the description I’ve given where such a fish and I were in the same vicinity at the same time. Just Sayin…RJS

Iowa Farmer Loc: Iowa City Iowa

Nice fish! None of them in Iowa, though 😕

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Sorry, that may be why I’ve never been to Iowa! Do you have any predater fish as long as your leg, mean as a snake and break ordinary folks tackle? Just Sayin...RJS

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

Well, they have big muskies in IA and if you count the IA portion of the Mississippi River they have alligator gar in spots. I believe those may qualify although they may not be as ornery as a ‘cuda

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

Musky or cuda. Don’t know. I’ve only caught cuda to 3 ft. Wasn’t overly impressed but it was pretty heavy tackle.
Good topic

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

Probably not what you had in mind, Bob, but two years ago I saw my daughter catch a 26-lb salmon on our boat that was as long as she was tall at the time, and no upper limit on size, There were nearly 200 boats on the Columbia, near the Cowlitz that day, and most every boat scored. Mine was only 16-1/2 pounds.

My friend TC (and family) fishes the Columbia Reach near Kettle Falls in WA, and in August had to release a sturgeon of 66 inches, three inches over the State DFW limit, and longer than his leg, too. But he did keep a spot-on 63-incher (big pic above), proof that in the PNW, the game fisheries are growing still bigger. (For those who debate sturgeon as a game fish the 63-incher was caught on a live whitefish, native to the Columbia Basin, and next year's top limit may be bigger). There's a YouTube video or two about sturgeon-catching on the Columbia and the Copper (OK, technically in Canada), wherein one of the guys hauled in a couple of 5-to-eight footers. You judge if they were photoshopped.

The next weekend, TC's family's boat took two limits of rainbows including 23+" specimens (4, I think). Limit is 5, but then you can move on to northerns, walleyes or other pike, several catfish types, and a mix of freshwater-saltwater types over on the other side of the Cascade Range in Puget Sound, the lower Columbia Basin (Cowlitz River, et.al), or the Olympic Peninsula. Lots of Pacific Ocean out there west of the beaches my Dad told me, but we Inlanders don't go there much in the winter.

Jus Sayin, RJS, from JRS

63" sturgeon


66" sturgeon

Gripnriprod Loc: Concepcion Costa Rica

Way to go Mr. Samples. I’ll bet you had some good memories as you shared the photos.

CRKfish Loc: Southern New Jersey

Amazing fish Robert!! This is what dreams are made of .Where in the world were these taken from? It’s great to see different species that are available in different parts of the country. IMO three no such thing as a bad fish ( arguably) but there’s nothin like a huge fish.

Iowa Farmer Loc: Iowa City Iowa

We have muskie, flathead cats and gar, but not in big numbers. Sea fishing has always been on my bucket list, but probably never happen.

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

Thanks for sharing Robert. Some nice fish there. Glad you have pictured of you past memorys.

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

Nice ones RJ.

Lee626 Loc: Brick NJ [ near the Jersey shore ]

Some great fish RJ, thanks a bunch for sharing

charlykilo Loc: Garden Valley Ca

Now those are the pictures I was talking about. Real fish porn.

Able Man Loc: North Coast (Cleveland, Ohio)

Well, that was some pretty good catching, Mr. Samples... I can't seem identify, exactly what you have, breaking the water near the boat, in that TOP picture... ¿Do you recall what it was?

Able Man Loc: North Coast (Cleveland, Ohio)

J.R. Sloan; I bet that the memory of catching that fish, as big as she was, will "stick with" your daughter, for QUITE some time!
How do you like to cook your Sturgeon? (I've never had the opportunity to catch one.) ¿Don't they use sturgeon-roe, for caviar?