Where there’s a will, there’s probably a Goodwill.

One angler needed a landing net and found a $4 Wilson titanium tennis racket instead. This was apparently close enough. He sanded it, painted it, clear coated it, replaced the grip with waterproof heat shrink, and added a 15-inch Fishpond replacement net.

Total investment: $32 and whatever portion of an afternoon he was willing to sacrifice in the name of saving money.

He calls it the “Fishpond x Wilson” collaboration. Neither company appears to have been consulted.

And yes, it floats. ...

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The plan was to catch a king mackerel off Jennette’s Pier…

The tarpon, being a fish and therefore unwilling to respect plans, crushed the live jack on the pin rig instead. What followed was 30 to 40 minutes of screaming runs, violent breaches, and one growing problem: the beach was nearly three football fields away.

Once the tarpon tired, the plan changed. Get it to the beach. Get the hook out. Get it swimming again.

With the fish still on, the angler started the long walk down the pier. His buddy went, in his words, “full Baywatch mode,” hit the surf, and kept the tarpon clear of the pilings while they worked the hook free.

Then they revived their dinosaur in the wash and watched it swim off, leaving the fever dream behind in the surf. (Story via u/grackrite) ...

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Right place. Right time. For generations, Field & Stream’s First Shot has showcased unforgettable moments from the wild.

In the Fall 2024 Journal, Volume 129, Issue 2, longtime F&S contributor Donald M. Jones captured this battle between two bull elk, each defending his harem. Jones has been a full-time wildlife photographer since 1993, with more than 900 magazine covers and 13 books to his name.

The Montana-based photographer has built his career around one rule: his wildlife subjects are truly wild.

At the end of this particular battle, Jones knew he had something special. “I wore a smile all day,” he said.

Photograph by Donald M. Jones ...

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buddy caught a Yamaha 🎣

Matt, aka @nomadickayakfishing, hooked into a yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) aboard his Fisha 500 and quickly found himself along for a RIDE as the fish started towing his kayak across the water.

The species is a member of the jack family and goes by a few names depending on where you fish. In New Zealand, it’s commonly called a yellowtail kingfish, kingfish, or “KINGY.” Elsewhere, the same species is also known as yellowtail or yellowtail amberjack. Whatever you call it, this one had enough power to turn a kayak into a sleigh.

After bringing the fish alongside, Matt sent it back with a simple explanation: “Let the breeders go.” ...

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The legend of John Plute’s whopper bull.

Plute, a coal miner, took the bull near Crested Butte in 1899. He packed out the meat and initially left the antlers behind, returning for them after friends wanted proof of just how big the bull had been. What happened next is the kind of lore Old School Sunday was made for…

According to local legend, Plute eventually traded the antlers to a Crested Butte saloon owner to settle his tab. The rack stayed around town for decades before a Boone & Crockett measurer finally put a tape to it in 1961.

It scored 442 3/8 inches and was later recognized as the world-record typical elk, a title it held for more than three decades. Today, 127 years after Plute took the bull, the rack still ranks No. 2 all-time just 2/8 of an inch behind the current world record. ...

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The Manhattan Cup started with striped bass and conservation. After 9/11, it took on another purpose.

Capt. Frank Crescitelli co-founded the catch-and-release tournament in 1998 on the waters surrounding New York City. Three years later, he was running a fishing charter on September 11 when he eventually reached the lower Hudson and was directed to hold position outside Liberty Landing Marina as a massive evacuation unfolded on the water.

In the years that followed, the Manhattan Cup began welcoming first responders onto those same waters for a day of striped bass fishing. The tradition later expanded to veterans and service members.

More than 1,000 honored guests have since participated. This year marked the Manhattan Cup’s 25th running.
Twenty-five years after September 11, the tradition continues.

(Photos via @themanhattancup) ...

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When a last-minute super-tag opportunity turns into a potential world record.

Idaho hunter Shelly Sayer was on a sheep hunt in British Columbia when she learned she’d won an Idaho Super Hunt tag. She left a day early, made it back for the moose opener. The Boone and Crockett world record has stood since 1952 at 205 4/8 inches. After the mandatory 60-day drying period, Sayer’s bull could finally knock it off the top.

Full story by @travishallmedia featuring Deadline Outfitters @hobygartner ...

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Our predictions are in but what’s yours? Drop it + your state.

Find out which days you need to be in the deers woods in our 22nd annual Best Days of the rut by F&S contributor Adam Lewis powered by @moultrieproducts ...

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One of the biggest whitetails in American history sat in a basement.

Sam Aiuppa killed the massive typical buck during a 1991 pheasant hunt in LaSalle County, Illinois, then kept the rack downstairs for more than three decades. It took an electrician spotting the antlers and telling Aiuppa what he had to finally set the record process in motion.

Today, the Boone and Crockett Club officially confirmed the buck at 207 7/8 inches, making it the biggest typical whitetail ever taken in the United States. It tops the legendary Jordan buck by 1 6/8 inches and now ranks second in the world behind Milo Hanson’s 213 5/8-inch Saskatchewan giant.

Full Story by @travishallmedia ...

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We’re sending one winner and a guest to Charlotte for the ultimate 23XI race experience ‼️

Race tickets, hotel stay, a behind-the-scenes tour of Airspeed, a meet-and-greet with Corey Heim, $1,000 in travel cash, and honorary No. 67 team-member status.

Drop a “HEIM TIME” comment & we’ll DM you the link to enter. Start thinking about who you’d bring with you 🤔 ...

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Ironically, the same era that gave us shoulder pads, big hair, and neon clothes also gave us straight grips, plain pads, and satin finishes.

This is an excerpt from a Field & Stream exclusive feature story by story Phil Bourjaily with photography by Dan Saelinger.

Additional images are from recent classified listings on GI.com. Drop a “RAD” if you want more. ...

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Identical twins once took over the rainbow trout record book.

Adam Konrad broke a 37-year-old all-tackle record in 2007 with a 43-pound, 9.6-ounce rainbow caught on 6-pound test. His twin Sean eventually went bigger, two years later, landing Lake Diefenbaker’s infamous 48-pound “Frankentrout” and taking the record for himself.

The triploid rainbow descended from fish-farm escapees, prompting debate over its place in the record book. The IGFA certified it, and 17 years later, nobody has caught a heavier rainbow. That record still belongs to Sean on this Old School Sunday. ...

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