How Many Different Species of Fish & ? Have You Caught in Your Life?

This is intended for fun and just to check out where and what type of criters you have pulled out of the Oceans in your lifetime. I know I have had my fair share and probobly would need a semi-truck container to put all that fish in if I ever had the opportunity to collect all at one time. So have fun with this and maybe if you have some photos that would be cool.

My List
Growing Up- I used to get excited about going to the pier and catching Makerel and bonito. Man I did that for three or four years almost every week-end. I would leave my part time job at a radiator repair shop on Saturday afternoon. I would come over to my Japaneese friend Eddie and say, hey Eddie I got gas money let's go fishing (Eddie was retired and loved to sleep alot). It would take about an hour or two before I convinced him but once he was up, we got ready and left for the rest of the week-end. We fished all Saturday night and all day on Sunday. Our route was Redondo Beach Pier (before it burned) all night and New Port, Hunington, Seal Beacha piers and the Queen Mary rocks (Jeti). We always found other points in-between those locations to try. I tried all kinds of baits and gadgetts, I used to make my own feathers and jigs out of spoon and fork handles. I baited my hook with everything you can think of from fish to gummie bears. I tried tomatoes, onions, fish guts, gummy works (those worked on makerel), corn and so n and so on. I guess I was going through the experimental stages. I tried all sorts of rigs too, I was always looking to see what would work the best. In the end a simple slider weight and hook and a pea weight and hook worked the best anyhow. Jigs, it's funny how as the times pass people try the new stuff and forget the old stuff works to. I just laugh at the situation, not the people for I have introduced friends to fishing and they go all out and buy thousands of dollars in expensive reels and poles and I still outfish their but with the Sport-Mart, K-mart, Wall-mart stuff. It ain't about the equipment especially in salt water. I hate taking my stuff to the tackle shop and getting it greased and lubed drags redone, I could be fishing or doing something else. Just fork out another $20 or $30 smacks for a reel and go catch another few dozen fish. Well I will get into the boat fishing later but for now here is a list of the stuff I draged out of piers, jetties, beaches, rocks, and marinas....

Makerel
Sardine
Anchovie
Lady Fish
Sculpin
Cabezon
Halibut
Tarpon (flat fish) I don't the exact name
flounder
Misc Rock Fish
Sand Bass
Calico Bass
White Sea Bass
Johnny Bay Bass
Spotted Bass
Bonito
King Fish
Queen Fish
Spotted Fin Croaker
Corvina
Barred Perch
Butter mouth Perch
Opel eye Perch
Black Smith Perch
Catalina Blue Perch
Garabaldi
Lizard Fish
Jack Smelt
Harring
Needle Nose fish
Barracuda

Shovel Nose Shark
Sand Shark
Sting Ray
Leopard Shark
Lemon Shark
Thorne Back Shark
Angel Shark

Lobster
Dungenese Crab
Spider Crab
Sand Crab
Octopus

and several other misc stuff.

Hooked into seals & boats, not fun....

These are the fish and other creatures I can remember catching of the coast and not on a boat over a period of 4 or 5 years as a teen-ager...

What about You???

I fish off the beach here in San Diego, in La Jolla when I was a kid. Here's my list.
Halibut
Sheepshead
calico bass
opal eye
surf perch
white sea bass
sculpin
sting ray
garabaldi (oh, no throw it back before anyone calls the cops.

once my friend hooked a swimming lobster with my pole

once in San Felipe I caught a wierd ray type thing with a fat tail I forget what it is called but the nick name is mock lobster, great fish tacos.

the only time I went on a boat I caught some mackerel, a small baracuda, and hooked a large shark that they encouraged me to give up rather than fight all day, so that I could catch more, but no more luck that day. I wish I had brought in that shark. They said it was 8 or 10 feet.

I used to go to Mission Bay and suction up ghost shrimp for bait. they were the best. Otherwise I use salted anchovies, squid, peas, and if I'm desparate I have my kids dig up sandcrabs. I've also been known to pick up a seafood medley at Trader Joe's for lack of a local bait shop.

My last catch was a small sting ray on my last cast, It was the day after Steve Erwin Died. (croc. hunter)

Has anyone heard of PFA, Positive Fish Attitude, it works for me.

Thanks for promoting me to Junior Nomad, it sounds so much better than 'newbie'

I LOVE to fish

April, it's PSA

Positive Shark Attitude.

Here's the skinny.....I confess, I have caught and eaten many types of sharks in my day. Some were absolutely delicious....better than swordfish(which I also do not eat)

If you study and learn about sharks it quickly becomes apparent that they are not like typical fin-fish. Most know they are a "cartilaginous" animal as opposed to "boney fish" and that makes em totally different than fish.

Sharks' lifestyles(not mine) differ in many respects . One important factor for determining the fate of sharks is there inability to reproduce early. There are many sharks that take as many as 5-6 yrs to produce off-spring.
Other ways to mitigate the sharks' future should be addressed globally. Sportfishing sharks is probably not a concern but long-lining and fin-fishing have always been practices that damage fisheries.

As a promoter of the Shark world I deplore you to fish for other, not so precarious, animals. I could tell you but you already know, how tasty some are.

Past favorite shark to eat:

Shovelnose(taste like chicken)
Thresher(taste like swodfish)

Worst....

Blues( tastes, looks like blubber)

---
Fish:
Opaleye(stinky) We called em "button-backs"

___

Hey SoCal, how da heck does you catch anchovies wid a hook??

Tarpon(East Pacific??) do tell...


Nice list there. Many fine meals as well!

How many species have I caught?

I don't know.

I have not caught: Wahoo, Black Marlin, Swordfish, Opah, Big Eye tuna, rainbow runner, but I want to.

I also have not caught one of these:

Quote:

Originally posted by Don Alley How many species have I caught? I don't know. I have not caught: Wahoo, Black Marlin, Swordfish, Opah, Big Eye tuna, rainbow runner, but I want to. I also have not caught one of these:

I've caught most fresh and salt water species , Pacific and Atlantic. Still fishing, gonna get to the rest of 'em sooner or later.

whistler. Yep! That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

WHAT KIND OF FISH HAVE I CAUGHT...this will take some thinking!!

If you can translate my Nomad name, it roughly means "I love to fish." So as you might imagine, I DO love to fish. My first remembrances of fishing were off the rocks and docks near PIERPOINT LANDING in Long Beach Harbor. How many of you remember PIERPOINT LANDING??? My dad would drag the whole family down there and we'd catch tons of little Perch about 6" long. Then, if we were lucky, we'd get to eat Fish and Chips or hot dogs and ride a kiddie carnival ride.

When I got a to be about 6, my Dad started taking my youger Brother and I on 1/2 day & 3/4 day boats out of different landings in Long Beach, Seal Beach Pier, San Clemente Pier and Oceanside Pier. I'll have to hunt for the pictures of us on our driveway with rows of Barracuda and such spread out before us. Getting on the boats as they bobbed, bucked and rolled next to the pier was sure a challenge.

At age 10, we moved to Huntington Beach, so my Brother and I started fishing off the HB Pier. If we were not at the beach, you could probably find us on the pier. A stranges tale I remember from that was a fish I didn't get up. I was bored after a long morning of slow fishing when I took a chunk of LOOK (remember those?) candy bar and baited my hook with it. Well, my pole went BENDO big time and I was really having to crank hard to get it up. But, it never made it up high enough to see what it was. I still wonder to this day what it was! We used to catch quite a variety off the Pier, but probably the most exciting were Barracuda and Bonitos. We would catch them by tossing out a chromed Diamond Jig or using a wooden splasher block with live bait. Whenever we could scrape together enough money from our allowance or collecting Soda Pop bottles on the beach, we'd go on the 1/2 day boat from the HB Pier or ride the shuttle boat out to the HB Barge which was anchored about a mile offshore and a couple of miles north of the Pier. You could fish all day there for one price and take the boat out or back in when you wanted.

When I became old enough to drive, I would drive myself to Pierpoint and take an overnight, 1/2 or 3/4 day boats. Later after getting married, I'd leave the wife at home and go with Buddies to almost every landing on the coast, or if I had to, go by myself.

When my Son was 8, I took him on his first trip, a Twilight charter I had organized for our church Men's Group. Well, he caught the Biggest fish and won the Jackpot Prize (rod and reel) his first time out. I wish could say "Like Father, Like Son," but he's a better fisherman than me and has won more jackpots. He and I continued fishing together on many overnight, 1/2 and 3/4 day trips over the years.

In 1991, I was finally able to realize a dream of taking a Father/Son fishing trip to Palmas de Cortez at Los Barriles on the East Cape. That first week long trip there was the best we ever had there. 1/2 hour into our first day out, we had hooked up to a 212 lb. Blue Marlin which I let my then 12 year old son fish and land. During the trip we managed to catch many Dorados, Sailfish, Wahoos and lots of nice Yellowfin Tunas including my best, an 88 pounder. We were lucky enough to have made about 7 trips down there and caught many varieties of fish.

Well, probably way to much of my fishing biography...LOL!!! BUT, I could go on with the stories forever!

But, one more side note. I definitely imparted a LOVE of fishing to my Son. He still LOVES to fish to this day! But, in addition to Saltwater Sportfishing , he's really gotten into Freshwater BASS fishing. He now owns a Bass fishing boat and is now starting to enter Professional Bass fishing tournaments. His goal is to be a Professional Bass Fisherman.

And regarding FISHING TACKLE....I own about 15 Fishing Rods, 20 or so Reels, as well as Tackle Bags and Boxes FULL of artificial lures of EVERY type, size and color, 100's of hooks of EVERY type and size, and MUCH, MUCH, MORE...

SALTWATER FISH I HAVE CAUGHT...

Striped Marlin
Sailfish
Wahoo
Yellowfin Tuna
Big Eye Tuna
Skipjack Tuna
Roosterfish
Dorado (aka: Mahi Mahi)
Triggerfish
Pargo
Needlefish
Barracuda
Bonito
Yellowtail
Halibut
Mackeral
Calico Bass
Sand Bass
Spotted Bay Bass
Sheepshead
Whitefish
Bluefish
Sculpin
Rock Fish/Cods (not sure of all the varieties)
Ling Cod
Herring
Sardine
Smelt
Shark (several varieties)
Stingray
Perch
Garibaldi
Octopus
Giant Squid
Crabs

FRESHWATER fish...

Rainbow Trout
Largemoth Bass
Crappy

FISH I'VE NEVER been able to catch...but would like to catch!

Albacore Tuna
Bluefin Tuna
White Sea Bass
Salmon
BIG...Alaskan Halibut
Broadbill Swordfish
Black Marlin
Blue Marlin

Well, I'M SURE there are more which I CAUGHT and can't remember the names of.

Plus...I would be lying if I didn't say that MANY had gotten away...LOL!!!

THANKS to SoCalAL for starting the thread and trip down Memory Lane.

If I can find pictures, I'll try to scan and post some soon.


AMO PESCAR (aka: Michael)

[Edited on 9-22-2006 by AmoPescar]

whistler, Caught some regular Jacks 30lbs.+, No Giants.

Quote:

Originally posted by David K Quote: Originally posted by Don Alley How many species have I caught? I don't know. I have not caught: Wahoo, Black Marlin, Swordfish, Opah, Big Eye tuna, rainbow runner, but I want to. I also have not caught one of these: Well, unless you fish Mars, what is that? Have you posted it or tried to ID it on Gene Kira's web site?

On second thought! There're a lot of fish I haven't caught.

Wow - Did not expect many to answer but hey that's what its all about.

Shark Baja - I will pay for a sword fish dinner when you and I finally meet, but it has to be sword fish (mercury and all). Chovies and the misc stuff I caught, with nets, hands, trebble hook snagging and etc.
Got to admit I do not eat most sharks I catch unless it they are good size.

My fondest memories as a youngster was the Redondo barge. You could fish all day with all the bait you ever wanted for $2.50. I remember boarding at 6AM and there would be people in sleeping bags on deck who had fished the night before. Lots of bonito on those trips. And sablefish. Remember those things. They fought like a wet rag but mom sure liked it when I brought them home.

How many fish do you think you would get if you came across this scene? It's OK at the start but after awhile you start to look elsewhere.

How many?

After reading this thread I got to thinking how many kinds of fish have I caught in 65 or more years of fishing?
My god I have no idea,having lived in the northwest for many years than socal for 30 I have had the opportunity to catch a bunch

Some of my first memorys as a very young boy was following my father stream fishing for eastrenbrook trout in northeastren wash. and northern ida.,my father was probaly the most skilled poacher in the state. I,m sure the salmon,trout and spiney rays were only to happy to see me leave.

My salt water career started in 59 after moving to socal.
and a whole new world opened to me,surf,jetty and off shore in the 60,s when fishing was very good,big white sea bass off belmont pier was not uncommon!

I have laid waste to the croaker family
I,ve caught all the tuna,s with the exception of the big-eye,the bluefin being my favorite.
The marlin,s are fun to watch but imagine a 500# or 600# bluefin,not wasting his energy jumping just sheer horse power.
Did alot of shark fishing when I got enough money together to get a boat,caught them all thresher,mako,the mako,s were called bonito sharks back then,even two hammerheads which was uncommon.

Baja opened up another whole world
The inshore fish of baja norte learned to fear my very presence before I could afford a tin boat,then it started all over again.

Hooked my first dorado on the stern of a ocean going tugboat ATF in the navy between Hawaii and Enewetok
atoll I say hooked because the only thing I could find was a old spinning rig and a rusty old bass plug to work with,it didn,t last long say 10 sec.,A buddy and I finally learned to hand-line enough to feed the whole crew,one big fish.fry.

I.m currently chasing stripers and big catfish on the Colorado,no big fish yet but I,m working on it.

This was just the ramblings of a old fisherman who,s whole life has been just that FISHIN.

BAITCAST
I hope when my time comes the old man will let me bring my rod and the water will be warm and clear.

Thanks baitcast. You have a gift for words. Enjoyed your post.

A reply to the Whistler

Bonners Ferry!

Baitcast, Lake Pend Oreille(looked the spelling up) is still beautiful. The fish populations are in trouble. The rainbow and lake trout are eating all the kokanee. Last I heard the state was gonna put a bounty of $10 for every rainbow or laker over a certain size. 18"s? That property on the lake is worth a fortune now.

Different species??

Well not many, but This is a great thread that gives you a warm feeling that last for a while.
Last April, in Los Barrilies I got to fish at a Rock that produced 18 different species. All were fun and exciting.
Some were ugly as hell, some were weird, some were Stunningly beautiful. If you want to catch to learn, this is the spot. Can't wait for that sauce Corky.

Oso, Don't know about the compendium? Your uncle must have been one heck of a fisherman.

I know "nouthing", but someone better tell the fish that.
Is this a rule or are you jerking my leg?

You guys, I getting more confused by the minute.

Parrotfish menu

Quote:

Originally posted by lencho Quote: Originally posted by Al G You guys, I getting more confused by the minute. Al, did you catch a parrotfish with a hook and line? "Common wisdom" has it that you can't because they don't feed on other swimming fishies, preferring to nibble on the coral reef. I have no personal experience. --Larry

We use to catch parrotfish on Guam using sticky rice.

Quote:

Originally posted by Frank We use to catch parrotfish on Guam using sticky rice.

Thanks Frank, I thought my memory was getting worse, I was sure there was a hook on the end of my line.
Maybe I knocked the sardine off and hooked a juicy piece of corral? I don't know, sure glad I got lucky. It was um um good. Definitely the hardest fish I ever filleted. Yes the other poster is right "they Stink"

You can nail those parrot fish with a sling. Ever been surrounded by a bunch of 'em munching-out? Can hear their teeth crunching, sounds weird.

Wow, great stuff... I have caught so many fish in the ocean and that is what is do cool about it. You never really know what you are going to catch out there, especially if you fish light line around rocks, reefs and kelp. Lake wise I totally suck. Catfish, bluegill, trout and mosquito bites. But in the ocean there is nothing like fish 8lb to 12lb and catching fish upto 50lbs, now that's cool. the most memorable a 50+ lb Thrasher caught on 10lb with a fresh water rod, 32lb Yellowfin on 12lb, 35lb, 29lb, 25lb and several in the teens Halibut on 8ln and 10lb test. 65lb Angel Shark on 10lb test and a few decent size calicos, sandies and bonito. That is exciting to me more so than 80lb test on a 200lb bruiser...

Great stuff and nice to see how every one has gone through so many similar experiences.

Have a great one:
SoCalAl
Alex Licea

Some of you guys have caught a bunch of fish! If those bluegill weighed 50lbs. they'ed rate a 4/0 Penn with 50+ test line.

Another old one for fun

kinda like asking how many women......

Not a "game" fish per se...but the Christmas wrasse (the name could be wrong) is quite pretty. Upper Cortez. And yes, released.

Quote: Originally posted by monoloco

Brown trout Rainbow trout Cutthroat trout Dolly Varden trout King salmon Coho salmon Sockeye salmon Pink salmon Halibut Short raker rockfish Yellow eye Black rockfish Grayling Lingcod Greenling Ratfish Quill back Black cod Hake Pollock Crappie largemouth bass Smallmouth bass Bluegill Channel cat Flathead catfish Bagra Sculpin Barracuda Giant trevally Blue trevally Wahoo Sierra Corbina Corvina Trigger Rooster fish Rainbow runner Yellowtail Dorado Black marlin Striped marlin Needlefish Cabrilla Robalo Yellowfin tuna Albacore Hogfish Sheepshead Flag cabrilla Grouper Mero Skipjack Horse mackerel Bonito Toro

My late amigo, Baja Mur, had a copy of Tom Miller's Angler's Guide to Baja and he checked each fish shown when he caught that variety. His goal was to catch every fish shown in Tom's book. Sadly, Mur died far too young so I am not sure how close he came to accomplishing his goal...

Most of my Baja fishing history was before my dad died... it just wasn't the same passion for me when he was no longer with us. It is a great sport and I love seafood... but the off-roading, exploring, documenting Baja with maps and logs was a bigger hobby for me.

From my memory, here are some of the varieties I have caught:
Dorado
Corbina
Yellowfin croaker
Spotfin croaker
Calico bass
Halibut
Triggerfish
Yellowtail
Corvina
Surfperch
Rock cod (many types)
Cabrilla
Pargo

Here were some of our favorite fishing places:
Castro's Camp, Ej. Eréndira (Panga bottom fishing for rock cod)
San Antonio del Mar (Surf fishing)
Laguna Manuela's Variety Beach (Surf fishing)
Cabo San Lucas (Panga fishing)
Juncalito, Loreto (Panga fishing)
L.A. Bay (Panga fishing)
Gonzaga Bay (Panga fishing)
Bahia Santa Maria, San Felipe (Surf fishing)

Tom Miller's book...




This book is popular with a lot of folks on Nomad...




This book by Ray Cannon is probably the most responsible for introducing fishermen to Baja in the mid 60s and the shift in calling the Gulf of California, The Sea of Cortez...



[Edited on 1-28-2019 by David K]

A near record Topsmelt like 12-14 inches.
I did the live release for a girl who caught it.
So I am claiming a partial catch

[Edited on 1-31-2019 by fishbuck]

Grand slam day in AK

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Nice list! No croakers?

Quote: Originally posted by chippy

Quote: Originally posted by David K   Nice list! No croakers? Thanks David will add.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by chippy   Quote: Originally posted by David K   Nice list! No croakers? Thanks David will add. I think I have mostly landed yellowfin croakers (in the same places as the corbina was caught) but caught a few spotfin croakers as well... I think near Laguna Manuela? The world's biggest spotfin croaker has got to be those caught by Woody in the Seven Sisters somewhere. Have you seen the photos of them? I think Western Outdoor News published them, really giant spotties! [Edited on 2-1-2019 by David K]

Yes I have seen photos of Woodys fish. That thing was a TOAD! I´ve never caught anything close to that size.

Waiting for the King of all sportfish to show up on someone's list

Quote: Originally posted by dorado50

Waiting for the King of all sportfish to show up on someone's list

Here's a Bull I did on the East Cape approx 15 yrs ago.

Quote: Originally posted by chavycha

No idea how many I've caught over the years, but I got fourteen different ones today. The first eleven were in the same 100-yard-wide patch of water. Yellowtail Bonito Calico bass Sand bass Vieja (sheepshead) Barracuda White sea bass x4 (juveniles, 6-8lbs) Sargo Two kinds of triggerfish Some sort of wrasse thing At another location a little earlier in the morning: Star-studded grouper Popeye catalufa Pacific tilefish Had I known it was going to be that kind of odd day, I'd have hit the bottomfishing spots a little harder and added another five or so to the list! [Edited on 2-9-2019 by chavycha]

Quote: Originally posted by chavycha

No idea how many I've caught over the years, but I got fourteen different ones today. The first eleven were in the same 100-yard-wide patch of water. Yellowtail Bonito Calico bass Sand bass Vieja (sheepshead) Barracuda White sea bass x4 (juveniles, 6-8lbs) Sargo Two kinds of triggerfish Some sort of wrasse thing At another location a little earlier in the morning: Star-studded grouper Popeye catalufa Pacific tilefish Had I known it was going to be that kind of odd day, I'd have hit the bottomfishing spots a little harder and added another five or so to the list! [Edited on 2-9-2019 by chavycha]

Quote: Originally posted by chavycha

No idea how many I've caught over the years, but I got fourteen different ones today. The first eleven were in the same 100-yard-wide patch of water. Yellowtail Bonito Calico bass Sand bass Vieja (sheepshead) Barracuda White sea bass x4 (juveniles, 6-8lbs) Sargo Two kinds of triggerfish Some sort of wrasse thing At another location a little earlier in the morning: Star-studded grouper Popeye catalufa Pacific tilefish Had I known it was going to be that kind of odd day, I'd have hit the bottomfishing spots a little harder and added another five or so to the list! [Edited on 2-9-2019 by chavycha]

That´s impressive! I¨ve never caught more than 4 species in a days fishing

Quote: Originally posted by chippy

Quote: Originally posted by chavycha   No idea how many I've caught over the years, but I got fourteen different ones today. The first eleven were in the same 100-yard-wide patch of water. Yellowtail Bonito Calico bass Sand bass Vieja (sheepshead) Barracuda White sea bass x4 (juveniles, 6-8lbs) Sargo Two kinds of triggerfish Some sort of wrasse thing At another location a little earlier in the morning: Star-studded grouper Popeye catalufa Pacific tilefish Had I known it was going to be that kind of odd day, I'd have hit the bottomfishing spots a little harder and added another five or so to the list! [Edited on 2-9-2019 by chavycha] That´s impressive! I¨ve never caught more than 4 species in a days fishing