Field & Stream's 50 Best Reader Fish of 2009

Jack Russell vs. Sturgeon

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

Three Marines and a Thresher

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.

Carp as big as my kid!!

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.

Pending new state record Nevada Wiper

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.

Full Moon Rising

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

Biggest rainbow I have ever seen personally

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.

Biggest Trout in My Life Time

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.

The Twins

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!

Montana monster brown

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.

Gold Rush!

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.

Patience and persistance pay off!

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.

dorado of the whale carcas

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

My Greatest Accomplishment

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.

Florida Keys Hammerhead

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

Andrew’s Big Bass

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.

Brown Trout of the North Fork, Missouri

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

Best Trip of my life

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.

flaming gorge hog

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

Rhode Island Bass

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

Grand Daddy BROWN

10 minute fight on a med heavy rod jrk baits!

Ashley’s Minnesota Walleye

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

Personal Best Rockfish

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.

Love at first cast

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.

La Zona Uruguay River dorados

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.

Kaw river muddy

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

Ginger’s Cutthroat

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.

Giant Mexican Needlefish

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.

Stephanie’s Biggest Gar

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.

World Record Bull Red?

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

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.

Lunker Lackey

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.

Girlfriend’s first fish!

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.

Who’s Bigger?

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

My First Big One 27 1/2″ Rainbow Trout!

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.

Giant smallmouth bass

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!

Pike from Canada

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

Louise’s King Another Pic

Another picture of my wifes 60Lb Kenai River Salmon

My big lake trout

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.

No daycare for this little outdoorsmen!

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

Kiss this

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

Big King on the Kipchuk River

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.

Field & Stream’s 50 Best Reader Fish of 2009