Fishing

Field & Stream's 50 Best Reader Fish of 2009

January 5, 2010

I caught this blue cat bank fishing on the missouri river it took me 20 minutes to land him. With 30lb. test line. I walked a mile of bank and woods to get to the spot and had to shoulder it out the same way.

Our 16 lb dog trying to drag a 100 lb sturgeon to the bank.

Three Marines on weekend liberty with Helgren's shark charters out of Oceanside, California. The fish was actually caught by pfc Matt Sewell after a short battle using mackeral. He took the steaks back to base and fed his entire batallion.

My friend and I and our two boys were ice fishing on the Susquehanna River by Nichols NY in February. We were using tip ups and it was brutal cold. One of our flags went up and this monster came up. It was caught on 10lb ice line, pulled in by hand. Took over 20 minutes and a lot of chiseling of the ice. 29.5" girth, 48" long, 42LBS. What a monster! We all took turns working the hand line.

Caught june 6th 2009 at 1:30 am. Weighed 25 pounds 9.45 ounces. 33 1/3 inches with a 28 inch girth. Caught from shore wading using 12 pound test line on a 5 inch Rapala husky jerk. Only wish we could have got to certified scale sooner, weighed 5 hours after catch.

Drifting just off the shore of Crow Butte on the Columbia River in 70' of water. Pulling hand-tied custom worm harness set up behind 3 oz. bottom walker. Weighed in at 18lb 10oz, just missing the state record by ounces!

Moon rise, sunset, perfect timing for a 50 pounder.

Dr Jerry Han holding an 18# 3oz rainbow caught on 1.03.09... on a special fly that Dr Han ties exclusivly. The fish was caught in sub zero weather on the 3rd of January, 2009 in the Columbia River. We caught numerous trout over five pounds, more than 10. It was unbelievable.

Fly fishing the Gallatin River in the middle of a blizard on the forth of march 2009. I hooked into this monster 31 inch brown trout on my 5 wt throwing my personal streamer pattern the "kitchen Sink". It is truley a fish of a life time. I had pictures and measurments taken and then released the trout to fight another day.

Two of the barn doors we landed during a crazy day of halibut fishing in Glacier Bay, Alaska. We were using squid and salmon heads. These two weighed in at 390 and 375 pounds. It was amazing!

I caught this behemoth (somewhere in the 32" & 13-15lb range) brown from a seldom fished dredge pond left over from the gold mining days in the late 1800's. The only reason I was able to land him on my 8ft 4 weight fly rod was because after taking my wooly bugger he alligator rolled himself right up to my fly line which was wrapped around him like a lasso.

I Caught this 22 inch Golden Trout on my 6 weight fly rod in the Rocky Mountains. It took my buddy Justin, his dad and I 4 days to hike into the lake. It was, by far, the toughest hike I've ever been on but way more than worth the coffee cup size blister that formed on my heel. I'd heard rumors that goldens are the fightingest trout around and and this guy did not disappoint.

My granddaughter, Riley Bowers, age 7, shown here with 1 of 47 bream she caught on a Sunday afternoon in Nov. 08. She only caught 6 the first hour, then they started biting! 41 more in the next hour! She was fishing with crickets.

This prespawn largemouth bass was caught April 11th, 2009 in a St. Louis county, Missouri farm pond using a lipless crankbait. It was 27in long and had a girth 20.5in, weighing 12 lbs. -Greg Gibson

Fishing w/ Baja-Anglers Grant Hartman and Capt. Arthuro close to a dead whale, using 25 # test light outfit with spinning reel. 40 miles off Cabo San Lucas

We were fishin at our normal spot in Cooper's Creek which is in Suches, Ga. My drag took off and after about a 30 min fight, I saw this huge fish roll up. I ordered my boyfriend to get in there and get it out. He threw it on the bank and the hook popped out. It measure 26 inches and weighed about 8 pounds.

Fishing in the Florida Keys accidentally landed me a hammerhead around noon.

Andrew Beesley, 11 yrs. old, from Natchez, MS, caught and released this bass after several pictures were taken. It was estimated to be between 12-13 lbs. It was caught on June 20th , 2009.

I took my dad night fly fishing on the North Fork of the White River with a big stogie and big browns.

Last July, I went fishing with my Grandpa and Dad to the Kenai. This is a picture of my first morning 51 lb King. The next morning I landed a crome 40 lb female. I'm 12 years old this was the best trip of my life.

Wyatt caught this fish on his birthday on the 1st day of the spring turkey hunt in 2007. A bad day of hunting turned into a good day of fishing. He has his dad beat by 1/2 lb. This was the fish of a lifetime for a 7 year old.

I caught this brown trout in Olcott, Ny. It was caught on a 7wt fly rod with 6 pound tippet using sucker spawn.

june of 2008 went with guide capt. jim on flaming gorge and caught this lake trout. a monster of 50# plus. made my day twice

Taken at the "Hill", on an 8" 40 plug. Black over silver, three hours into the ebb.

10 minute fight on a med heavy rod jrk baits!

Ashley hooked into this nice Minnesota Walleye on Basswood Lake. Needless to say he found his way to the dinner plate soon thereafter.

Caught the last day of the '09 Catch and Release season in the northern tip of the Chesapeake Bay. My friend Dan and I headed out in the fog and rain to squeeze in one last trip. She hit mid-morning after a scattered bite of 5-10 lb. fish. It took 20 mins. to bring her boatside with 14lb. Fireline. We estimate 48-50" and around 50 lbs. After a quick photo she was safely released.

Venice La, me and my father in law went this past May 08'. We decided that the spin vs. fly was the way to have a good time. With this picture I declare myself "the user of the fly" and winner of this event. I will give him credit, he caught more fish than I did, but I think this photo speaks for itself.

Have fished a section of the Uruguay River known as "La Zona" for giant dorado the past 3 years. My largest to date is 45 lbs with 8 so far over 40 lbs. Fantastic fishery.

my tuna catch. caught in 2005. off the coast of Nova Scotia.

A fishing trip in Bath, Maine.

Caught this pre-spawn muddy on a curltail jig w/ 8 lb line in high water.

While fishing on Utah's Strawberry Reservoir, we caught several beautiful cutthroats. Ginger hooked this beautiful 19" on a Jake's Spin-A-Lure, which is one of the best lures for this area.

I caught this beauty in the sea of Cortez while fishing near La Paz Mexico. I later learned that this fish was within a few pound of a world record.

This is a big rainbow trout caught from Rufus Lake, WA. Second largest rainbow taken on my boat. Sorry Cody, it's not a steelhead.

Stepanie Cornejo Does It Again Bowfishing This 7 Foot 3 inch Alligator Gar Weighing 215 Lbs At Falcon Lake In Texas. She Almost Broke The Record Currently Owned By Her Husband.

I caught my 1st Permit on June 5th in Big Pine Key. My personal captain put me on this beautiful fish while site fishing in 3 feet of water. I am ready to go back anytime!

Fishing the jettis in Galveston me and my bud laid into the bulls. After forty five minutes on a bay rod this monster pulled up alonside the boat...

Clearwater River Steelhead, Idaho. We have the Big Ones!!!! 18+ Pounder, and they can go all the way up to 30, with 15 being about average.

Caught on Lake Cumberland Kentucky while striper fishing. I don't have much of a fighting story. I thought he was a log at first. Once we got him to the boat I realized he was the largest SM bass I've ever saw. He was released.

My girlfriend was not brought up fishing, so i took her to the local pond where she used a senko to catch her first fish! I was so proud.

My brother mike with his tuna from the 09' season.

My boyfriend and I went out to a nearby creek. He was reeling them in left and right and all I could catch were leaves and twigs. Finally I got a bite and after a few minutes the trout jumped out of the water. Everyone came over to watch me reel him in. After about a 20 minute fight, a young man dove into the water and scooped him out for me. He measured at 27 1/2 inches.

Smallmouth bass are pound for pound one of the strongest fresh water fish anywhere. Just ask 8 year old Carter of Indiana. He was fishing with Erie Quest Charters on Lake Erie for smallmouth and hooked into this trophy bass. Nice job Carter!

Luke Marmon, age 7, caught this nice pike but would not touch it.

Another picture of my wifes 60Lb Kenai River Salmon

FISHING AT BLUE MESA RESOVIOR IN A LITTLE BOAT I HEARD THE BEST SOUND IN THE WORLD MY LINE TOOK OFF AND I COULD HEAR THE DRAG, I WAS SO PUMPED I DONT THINK I REALIZED HOW BIG THE FISH WAS TILL IT SURFACED CLOSE TO THE BOAT THE FIRST TIME IT WAS A MEMORY I WONT SOON FORGET THE FIRST THING I SAID WHEN I SAW IT WAS "HOLY COW" I FELT LIKE A LITTLE KID AT CHRISTMAS, IT WAS ABSOLUTLY AWESOME.

After a long winter, it was finally time to hit the river with my best buddy!

Once again an amazing day fishing with my dad and uncle. We slammed 'em.

You can see the whole story by searching for Unguided Alaska: Whitewater, Salmon, and a Near-Death Experience. This was an outtake of the biggest fish taken on that trip. Edwin, I'm sure yours was a close second.

You sent us more than 8,000 photos in 2009. These are our editors' picks for the 50 best catches of the bunch. Do you have a great hunting, fishing, or outdoor photo? Enter it into our Trophy Room today!

Latest

Bonus Blades: 10 Essential Tools for Hunting, Fishing, Camping, and Survival

4 Wickedly Big Knives for Survival, Butchering, and Bushwhacking

The 10 Best Deer Camp Rifles

Three Reasons You Need a Wood Stove Fan

Three Things To Consider When Shopping For A Base Layer

Affordable Deer Rifles: 10 Options For Less Than a Grand

Three Things To Consider When Buying Thick Socks

15 Deer Hunting Mistakes Guaranteed to Ruin the Rut

Shotgun Review: Why Does the Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 Shoot High?