Specimen Fishes any species..

[Mountain Bug]

I didn't know that you had Lake Trout , that's what we call them , in Colorado . They can get very large , the biggest I've caught was just under 16 pounds . The Alberta rod and line record is just over 50 , but there was a commercially netted fish out of Lake Athabasca that was over 100 pounds . You'd need a big ice auger for that lol .

We have them in a few areas. Local to me, Chambers Lake is it. Picture below is out of Blue Mesa reservoir down southwest near Gunnison. Would have been a new state record at 73 lbs but it was released after weighing. Good on him!

We call them lake trout also but I decided to fancy it up for the forum haha.

Scott

 

[gelert]

I thought a thread for the anglers amongst us, showing a photo or two of any specimen fishes we may have been lucky enough to have captured, might take off..
Fishes from exotic warm climates are most welcome!

Here's one to start.. Essox.
View attachment 446572

That's a fish of a lifetime

 

[Bo Diddley]

That's a fish of a lifetime

Yes, I had caught a 33lb fish from the bank on my 1st trip, then I used the boat on a few trips, I had the 44lb fish while using the boat, I remember seeing it come up from the deeper water and turn along the front of the boat, it took my breath away as I had convinced myself that the 33lb fish was the biggest in the pit... how wrong can you be.

 

[sh1kar]

I know the area , that's why I asked. I've only been through there in the summer though . Beautiful country . I didn't know that you had Lake Trout , that's what we call them , in Colorado . They can get very large , the biggest I've caught was just under 16 pounds . The Alberta rod and line record is just over 50 , but there was a commercially netted fish out of Lake Athabasca that was over 100 pounds . You'd need a big ice auger for that lol .

AB

@Klenchblaize

 

[hw101]

We have them in a few areas. Local to me, Chambers Lake is it. Picture below is out of Blue Mesa reservoir down southwest near Gunnison. Would have been a new state record at 73 lbs but it was released after weighing. Good on him!View attachment 447418

We call them lake trout also but I decided to fancy it up for the forum haha.

Scott

Oh my god. That fish needs Mounjaro…

 

[hw101]

Another Clyde trout - 5lb 2oz from memory. I do remember exactly where it was rising to medium olives and I got it on a no 16 olive paradun.

 

[alberta boy]

We have them in a few areas. Local to me, Chambers Lake is it. Picture below is out of Blue Mesa reservoir down southwest near Gunnison. Would have been a new state record at 73 lbs but it was released after weighing. Good on him!View attachment 447418

We call them lake trout also but I decided to fancy it up for the forum haha.

Scott

That is a big Laker , it's a football with fins .
AB

 

[Mountain Bug]

That is a big Laker , it's a football with fins .
AB

Football? You fellas in Canada must play a different game than us yanks lol!

Scott

 

[Cootmeurer]

I knew this thread was going to cost me money . I'm looking at some guided trips for Mekong Cats and other large things , apparently it's too early . The wet season is just ending and I'll have to wait a bit . Hopefully , I can post some pics later . I suppose I should carry my phone and go after some snakeheads . Freaky fish , they get big , eat everything , live in mud puddles and can cross land if hard pushed ......... not a fish you'd want loose in the UK , or anywhere else for that matter . They're everywhere here and a lot of fun to catch . They really go after surface baits . It reminds me of Large Mouth Bass fishing in the states .

AB

The most absolute fun I’ve ever had on top water/surface baits is peacock bass. While stationed in Panama we used to fish the canal - guides were ridiculously cheap. It was something hard to describe. At sunrise the massive flocks of wild parrots would be flying overhead, the various monkeys were screeching, and we would catch fish until it got too hot or we ran out of beer (often about the same time).

 

[alberta boy]

The most absolute fun I’ve ever had on top water/surface baits is peacock bass. While stationed in Panama we used to fish the canal - guides were ridiculously cheap. It was something hard to describe. At sunrise the massive flocks of wild parrots would be flying overhead, the various monkeys were screeching, and we would catch fish until it got too hot or we ran out of beer (often about the same time).

Bucket list. I've fished through Mexico and down through Belise and Nicaragua , but that's it . A buddy of mine is going to Columbia in mid January to stay with a mutual friend and do some fishing. Apparently, it's really good .
AB

 

[Freeforester]

Bo Diddley Q - Anyone caught a Ferox _ UQ

Thanks Bo. You had me stumped with that term and had to google it. I think by mentioning this you just solved a decades old oddity. In a deep part of stream joining two lakes together I caught a rather large Brown Trout. It was dark coloured and had an aggressive looking real big head. The jaws were massive, big hook on the lower jaw and it could easily have swallowed a decent sized trout or redfin. It gently nibbled on a worm bait and I thought it was just another small rat Redfin which I had been catching on worms. Now I wonder if it was attracted to the spot because of the school of small Reddies milling around my bait. That it just took the worm as a bonus delicacy. In retrospect I'll call it a Ferox. It weighed 12 and 1/4 Lb.

Side note: I have seen a government fish research photo of a wild trout they caught for an examination autopsy in a research program. Inside it was a 2 and 1/2 LB trout.

Loch Awe and one or two other lochs in Scotland have a reputation for them. Specialised sport.
The nearest I came was catching a 6” trout on a 3” minnow spinner on the Deveron as a lad !

 

[Mungo]

Loch Awe and one or two other lochs in Scotland have a reputation for them. Specialised sport.
The nearest I came was catching a 6” trout on a 3” minnow spinner on the Deveron as a lad !

Trout showing many of the ferox traits are pretty common. I’ve caught them reasonably often in hill lochs in various places.

Quite when you draw the line between big ugly dark hook jawed brownie and actual ferox seems to be entirely arbitrary.

From a simple ecological perspective, I’m happy to say that anything that’s switched over to be completely piscivorous is a ferox.

 

[Cootmeurer]

Cobia, barely legal length, but a testament to perseverance.
I started the morning with a migraine but wasn’t passing up an offshore invite with a bunch of retired military buddies. Migraines and choppy water equals “breakfast chumming”. I actually caught that fish in my own chumline.

 

[Cootmeurer]

A good sized chain pickerel

 

[glasshalffull]

Pictured with a Hardy #5 reel for scale.
Oops the fish was so big it wouldn't let me upload the photos

 

[Bo Diddley]

Anyone caught any exotics like GT, on a fly rod?

 

[alberta boy]

Anyone caught any exotics like GT, on a fly rod?

I've caught Bonefish in Florida and the Yucatan with a fly rod . Some of the best fishing I've ever had .

AB

 

[Nick703]

I’ve had Mekong cats ,red tailed cats,alligator gar,Siamese carp,pacu and arapima in Thailand,my mrs first ever fish was a 4ft mekong,100 quid gets you a full day,two rods for you and wife ,sun chairs,umbrella breakfast and dinner beer or tea-coffee whatever you want and taxis to and from,I’ve had days where I’ve had to stop catching large Mekong’s because my back an shoulder's hurt that much

 

[alberta boy]

I’ve had Mekong cats ,red tailed cats,alligator gar,Siamese carp,pacu and arapima in Thailand,my mrs first ever fish was a 4ft mekong,100 quid gets you a full day,two rods for you and wife ,sun chairs,umbrella breakfast and dinner beer or tea-coffee whatever you want and taxis to and from,I’ve had days where I’ve had to stop catching large Mekong’s because my back an shoulder's hurt that much

I've seen quite a few of these places advertised in Thailand , I would be tempted to have a go at an Arapiama . I'll be back around Tonle Sap , Cambodia , for a month or two . I'm going to try my luck for some Giant Snakeheads there . There are some very large Catfish in the area as well . There's a few places with very large Mekong Cats around here as well . The locals around Tonle Sap catch the occasional Mekong in the lake , but not that often anymore .

AB

 

[Bo Diddley]

I’ve had Mekong cats ,red tailed cats,alligator gar,Siamese carp,pacu and arapima in Thailand,my mrs first ever fish was a 4ft mekong,100 quid gets you a full day,two rods for you and wife ,sun chairs,umbrella breakfast and dinner beer or tea-coffee whatever you want and taxis to and from,I’ve had days where I’ve had to stop catching large Mekong’s because my back an shoulder's hurt that much

Was that at Gillams Fishery?