2023 Ten Most Wanted List

[FishnDave]

I'll play.  My 10 Most Wanted for 2023 (on fly, of course)...all species I have not yet caught:

Snakehead

Flier

Redbreast Sunfish

Spotted Sunfish

Tarpon

Blue Catfish

Spotted Gar

Florida Gar

Alligator Gar

Midas Cichlid

[Gumboot]

Shovelnose Sturgeon

Fresh out of school I worked at a grain elevator on the MS River.  One summer the river dropped out and left about 150 yards long by 20-30 yard wide pool between a sandbar.  The crazy elevator manager recruited a group of us and we ran a sein across it and seined it using a 4 wheeler on each side and two of us in the middle to clear the sein in case it caught on a snag, I know...what could go wrong.

When we pulled the sein to the end, besides a bunch of crappie, catfish, drum, and carp were a bunch of small sturgeon.  I never knew what kind they were.  We culled out what we wanted and turned the rest back.

I'm dubious as to legality of our operation, but I think the statute of limitations is up on that transgression.   

Don't ask me about the time we took a tugboat rabbit hunting... 

[Ham]

On 12/29/2022 at 8:24 AM, FishnDave said:

I'll play.  My 10 Most Wanted for 2023 (on fly, of course)...all species I have not yet caught:

Snakehead

Flier

Redbreast Sunfish

Spotted Sunfish

Tarpon

Blue Catfish

Spotted Gar

Florida Gar

Alligator Gar

Midas Cichlid

I’m pretty sure I can get you decent shots at 7 of the 10 and 50/50 shots at the other 3. You have to crack the lid on an Orange Soda for any fish on your Top 10 ok? Or at least one a day on any day you get a Top 10 fish because I think you will get multiple ones on some days. 

[Ham]

so,I got my common snook. I got to make a trip with some locals. It wasn't really a guided trip, but I think they are trying to develop that business. The people of Cozumel are ALWAYS working and networking trying to make a little more money. So, a friend of a friend here in the US sold off everything he was connected to here and moved to Cozumel. He has opened a restaurant/bar on the shore. Cosmica. great views. decent drinks, friendly staff. Mike has a dive shop/service next door and Mike loves to fish. I was his excuse to ditch the dive shop and fish.

So, I get there and Enrique introduces himself and says Mike will be here in "5 Mexican minutes". Basically, in the next 5-30 minutes. Mike had misplaced the fuel line assembly. I don't think you can leave any of that stuff in your boat. Cozumel is safe, but anything of value left out is not. Petty theft seems to be a way of life or at least a fact of life. Mike removes his prop assembly after every trip and locks/chains his lower unit on.

Mike arrives and we go to the boat just north of town. When we get to the boat, there is a third guy in the boat already. Ellio maybe.  So, we launch and everyone piles in and we head north to Laguna Ciega. You can find Isla de la Pasion on Google earth and that's the lagoon.

The guys really liked using my spinning gear/ lures while I struggled with the fly rod in 15 MPH tailwind. We caught a ton of barracuda (which they keep every one they catch). We went to the lee edge of the Mangroves and there were some jumbo triggerfish very shallow. I had several chances at those, but they never ate my lure. I made a long cast parallel to the mangroves and a snook hammered my swimbait. It was cool cos I had to throw way out over the mangroves and left the wind drop the jig where I wanted it. There was this one big shady area and that's where the snook was laying. Big Hit. instant rodeo. Fish was Pulling drag trying to get to the Mangroves. I barely managed to get him turned and then a long bulldog to the boat. 

I think the "guides" were surprised that I could make that cast and land that fish. Basically, l they were surprised I knew how to fish and could pick out lures that would be effective. Enrique has worked in the fishing charter business and I am sure had a lot of anglers that required more assistance.  

I covered all the expenses and tipped the guys for their time. It was a Good experience and I would have gone out with them again the next day if I could have. I'll add pictures and contact information

the boat wasn’t a Brand new BassCat, but it was very sturdy and durable. It handled some Big Rollers pretty well. 

Ellio ran the motor most of the time. Mike is standing outside the boat. I thought I had an Enrique pic, but I do not. 
Ellio caught one of the larger triggers on cut bait. Mike cleaned my snook and the triggerfish for me and we had a wonderful meal of those back at Casa Cielo where we stayed. Casa Cielo is available on VRBO and we would rent it again. Nice place. Groundskeeper on site. Light cleaning daily. Locked gate at night. Easy free beach access next to a beach bar. Walked from our house to the beach for outstanding snorkeling. The only downside to the snorkeling is I was not allowed to fish for all the wonderful fish I saw. 
DM for contact info for Mike and Enrique. Dive trips, snorkel trips, passage to Isla de la Pasion, fishing trips, or almost any custom trip you want. Pricing is lower than listed elsewhere and negotiable depending on what you want. 

[Terrierman]

Now that's ^^ a fishing trip! 

I want to catch a goggle eye so big nobody will believe me until I get it DNA tested.  And then nine more for supper.

[oneshot 1]

Going after 

Redfish 

Black Drum

Sea Trout 

Catfish 

Carp

Suckers

Drum

Rainbows 

Crappie 

oneshot 

[oneshot 1]

On 12/29/2022 at 8:40 AM, Gumboot said:

Shovelnose Sturgeon

Fresh out of school I worked at a grain elevator on the MS River.  One summer the river dropped out and left about 150 yards long by 20-30 yard wide pool between a sandbar.  The crazy elevator manager recruited a group of us and we ran a sein across it and seined it using a 4 wheeler on each side and two of us in the middle to clear the sein in case it caught on a snag, I know...what could go wrong.

When we pulled the sein to the end, besides a bunch of crappie, catfish, drum, and carp were a bunch of small sturgeon.  I never knew what kind they were.  We culled out what we wanted and turned the rest back.

I'm dubious as to legality of our operation, but I think the statute of limitations is up on that transgression.   

Don't ask me about the time we took a tugboat rabbit hunting... 

Use to be on the Missouri River could use Nets and such if you had a Commercial License. 

Some would get their License just to fill their Freezer. 

Years ago I knew a guy set a trap on Lamine River catch was tub full of Catfish.

Not legal but he said he had to figure a way to feed people staying with him. 

oneshot 

[Johnsfolly]

On 1/22/2023 at 10:13 AM, Terrierman said:

I want to catch a goggle eye so big nobody will believe me until I get it DNA tested. 

Didn't do that with goggleye, but with fliers over the last couple of years 😉

[Terrierman]

5 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

Didn't do that with goggleye, but with fliers over the last couple of years 😉

Wow!  Nice ones.

[FishnDave]

3 hours ago, Johnsfolly said:

Didn't do that with goggleye, but with fliers over the last couple of years 😉