Favorite Fish Of 2013

[Angus]

Well team...

This sort of happens every year so i thought I would kick it off...

I know there is a couple of weeks to go but it will give people a chance to have a think...

What were you favorite three to five captures of 2013?

Please feel free share 3 pictures and a brief description as sometimes the story behind the fish is what made it special.

It has actually been a big year on the report front so this should be interesting

Angus

[Angus]

Ill take first punt...

Not my PB bass but... This session in Maroon Dam finally gave me a reliable luring option. Usually Maroon had been very hit and miss for me except for the regular summer surface bite. Fishing with Duncan from Fish Head, on advice given to us from Brett from Fish Head a few mini blades were brought out and bam... It was a day! This tactic has worked twice since.

My first and PB Long Tail Tuna caught fishing with Hervey Bay Fly & Sports Fishing... Although I am hoping to upgrade this this weekend

PB Golden with afore mentioned charter...

First trout fishing trip. Porbably made more exciting, not by size obviously, but by numbers and the fact that the Scottish Highlands was my back drop...

First Mary River Cod (and by default a PB)....

Another Fishing related but not an actual fishing achievement was a really successful AFTA show for Nordic Stage. It has been an interesting ride and we thank all the supporters from AFO for backing us and the product we believe in Nordic Stage has now found foot holds (largely thanks to AFTA) is various regions of Australia but SE QLD is still the heartland...

Below is a picture of Steve Morgan inspecting the Areal Pro range (due early 2014). He was quite impressed. Infact he liked to the extent we received free editorial in Tackle Junkie which as a non advertiser these days is almost unheard of in all fishing media

Looking forward to more contributions to this thread

Angus

[Damien2Rad]

On the phone so no picks. I didn't get upto to too much this year, but I did recently hook my first bass and quickly upgraded to a mid 40's fish for my second fish.

Getting my house mate into fishing with some

Trips to fraser and his first mac tuna (on a borrowed rod and on a borrowed boat).

Catching two tailor on onelure on at least three occasions on Fraser Island.

Watching two of my mates catch some nice permit on light gear at Sandy Cape.

And an 'on the cheap' roadtrip to Rocky, via Hervey Bay with my house mate, seeing us land several nice mackerel from the Urangan Pier and me getting to fish some of my old spots around yeppoon and hanging out drinking tins and catching crabs with my old fishing mates from up that way.

[Runty66]

Well, the year that was!

2013 has been a awesome year for myself, cracking a few firsts and PB's

Firstly, was awesome to finally boat a good Jewy from the bay.. This one is my PB going 88cm

Getting a decent snapper was great, had got a few low 60's but this one going 66cm had big shoulders to him and went like a freight train on light gear ( Nordic Stage Sharpy /2004 steez )

Too land my first longie after many attempts of battle with the man in the grey suit was a unreal feeling (just over a meter )

And then to knock off the Moreton Bay Longtail was even better and smashing my old PB.. this one going 128cm .. would be the standout highlight of the year / fishing life so far for sure.

Quickly wrap it up,

first king fish was a good start, this one going 69 and caught on bream gear.

Runty

[samsteele115]

Most memorable captures of 2013 are as follows:

Pb bass at the start of the season

Pb tailor on 3lb over the winter going 50cm

Pb flathead whilst chasing jacks going 64m

And lastly over the weekend just gone my girlfriend took me on a surprise fishing trip for my birthday present. She got onto her first bass! Not my fish I know but certainly one of the most memorable fishing moments I had this year.

Sam.

[old mate]

PB murray cod

In July this year I had a month off and it produced my best fishing this year and probably ever

Started with a threadie at 98cm

Then during the Moreton bay classic I landed my first ever golden at 74cm

3 days after went back and upgraded it too a 82cm golden on a Nordic Jaeger

Nearly added my first Longtail to the list on the weekend, but it was not to be. will have another crack soon

Cheers Chris

[JarrydA]

Not a bad year for me.

First Largemouth bass on a trip to the states.

First Marlin not long after i got back

First Mahi Mahi on the same trip as the Marlin

First Longtail at easter

Then just recently i have been getting into the Tilapa which has been very fun

[benno573]

I know you said 5... I've never been much good at counting stuff...

New PB snap at 81cm

Insane spottie session - new PB at 97cm in there somewhere

Best dental work I've ever seen on a fish

Finally cracking the code in the sunny coast shallows

Juvenile Qld groper - Brisbane River

Ok... I'll stop it now. Been a good year on the fishing front for me!

[Manni79]

Good topic Angus!!!

Not a lot of fishing was done this year probably the majority of trip was in the first quarter of 2013 - then work got in the way travelling the countryside!!

My first Black Marlin off stradbroke Island - caught I think maybe 2 days before new years but I wanted to throw it in as it's my favourite capture over the last 12 months

1.22 Metre Spanish Mackerel caught just off the four beacons on reasonably light gear 16/20lb gear

My first Job Fish

My first fish caught whilst popping offshore (YFT)

[bersim]

I've also had a great year of fishing with many new PBs and firsts!

Murray Cod caught in January measuring 65cm!

Not a PB bass but was my first ever tagged bass, and it was tagged by Dino!

Huge lungfish that I caught in June

My first and PB rainbow trout caught on spin gear in New Zealand!

And of course the standout for the year - my 60cm yella!

All freshwater fish this year but hopefully next year I will be adding a few saltwater fish to the list

James

[Surfingant]

Not a whole lot going on for me on the fish front this year but I do have a few captures that are pretty special to me.

First was my big bass towards the end of the season, I'd been trying for a long time to crack the 55cm mark and it was a very satisfying moment when it finally happened.

Next up is not a big fish or even a good photo but this bass came in the last hour of a comp to qualify me for the Grand Final, I was ecstatic.

I was pretty happy to get a decent sized jack after a fair while only having a baby that came trolling, the fact that the plan came together perfectly made it even better.

This smallish bass that I caught on a night session was one of the first caught on my own lures, that session proved to me that they do work!

Recently I managed a species that has been high up on the list for quite some time, and if you ask Jords he'll tell you juat how excited I was to land it

And finally a fish that is extremely special to me not just because of the species but also because I somehow managed to land it on my bass gear.

Cheers Ant

[camokazi]

98 cm Jewy caught off bribie bridge !!!

[Luvit]

Been a lot of firsts for me with many more to come.

First big bass at 54cm in the yak.

Not so big Mary River Cod, one of hat trick on the day, Bass Yellow Belly.

Catching both of my Twin boys first surface caught bass out of the yaks.

Love the colours in the Togas.

and finally getting some crabs.

Should seel the boat, :whistle: all but the crabs caught in the humble Kayak.

[Binder]

Some very nice fish there,

A long long time ago, BFO used to run a vote on best fish of the year by a member, usually not just the biggest, but one with a story attached, eg someones epic struggle to bag a certain type of fish then finally getting a bewdy.

No prizes except bragging rights, how about we do it again on these?

[Binder]

These are my favourite fishing moments of the year.

First one, daughter pulling a 75cm Flattie to win the club comp.

Daughter's trophy haul for the year from the club comps., (Actually one trophy missing from the photo).

Not a bad effort for a 12 year old - won 6 monthly comps, biggest fish and overall club champion for her age group. (2 years in a row)

[Keen-as-fisho]

The fishing this year has been epic for me with working abroad at the start of the year and returning mid way and the local seen going off as well.

Started in Cairns with my first JP and Sooties

Mid year caught my PB Longie 108cm off Fraser Island.

PB Bass from a local spot at 55cm

My smallest Kingy

and heaps more including a huge stand out imo caught yesterday :evil:

[aussie123]

I don't think I have a favorife fish for the year although I did catch a few new species at 1770 this year.

My most memorable this past year would definitely be going out with numerous members on here and helping them catch their first marlin.

Seeing both of Teds young boys both get a marlin each was by far the highlight of the year for me, a massive effort for 2 kids.

I still owe Ryan one though, he missed out last year, lol

Sorry mate, we will knock that one over very soon for you.

My target this year is to teach Ted how to catch Blue and Striped marlin as well as fish the deep reefs properly beyond the continental shelf.

[sehrguht]

My favourite fish thus far would have to be a 22kg longtail i caught at the beacons. after targetting them on plastics and slugs with a couple lost I had given up spending days chasing them.

First thing at a beacon i was jigging livies and then all of the sudden the jig got smashed by something solid. Lines up a second drift of the beacon and dropped a livie with a hook and no weight and continued jigging. baitrunner started screaming and i clicked it into strike and was on. About 20mins later i has a longtail in the boat, solo and no one around to take a picture for me. I drove a couple km to curtin and found someone and threw the camera to them. Pictures turned out very average but i still had the fish so i didnt care.

My second favourite happened not long after i got back from Canada. Shane had given word that the spanish were thick and said lets go hit them up. Leaving brisbane at a leisurely 8am was different but I wasn't complaining. Made it out to the spot with some livies and set the baits after an hour or so the sounder lights up and a couple minutes later the reel screams off. Up the drag a bit and lift the tip and fish on. After some solid runs in excess of 60m a nice 12kg spanish hits the gaff.

My third favourite was recent, after having a bad morning with the sounder not turning on and a late start i drove over to curtin and snapped a rod through stupidity. was about to give up on the day at 8am and found some tuna. blasted a cast and hooked up almost straight away. Solo again i almost got spooled with only 2m of line left on the reel i booted the boat into gear and chased the fish down.

Eventually managed to drag it up and got it in, When i found Runty he was happy to oblige and take some pictures.

15kg around 120cm

Recently got this kingfish sight cast on a soft plastic which is not my largest but was sweet seeing the hit and they go very hard for their size.

[Angus]

My first and PB rainbow trout caught on spin gear in New Zealand!

[attachment=69174]P1010356.JPG[/attachment]

James

Mate part of NZ where in?

[elops]

Don't have many pics to go with my favorite fish of the year.

Spent hundreds of hours catching Mary's for broodstock and other research with the relevant Fisheries permits and Authority to act.

Caught the largest Mary by far that I ever seen way to big to get back to the take out point so a quick release with the sheer size of this fish burned in my memory.

And the smallest ever in one of the SE catchments @ 200mm while collecting tissue samples which was great to see as no stocking in this stream for many years means it was natural recruitment. No pic of the little guy but here is a 32 cm from the same stream most likely natural recruitment.

Also got the smallest Lungfish I have ever seen @ 49cm a cutie from the mid Brisbane.

Saltwater spent mostly in the Brisbane Rive usual Jew and Thready's etc. nothing really exiting except the Grojewzer, no pic but glad to get the lure back though.

[Angus]

Cool little Lungy Elops that must have made you happy to see.

[bersim]

My first and PB rainbow trout caught on spin gear in New Zealand!

[attachment=69174]P1010356.JPG[/attachment]

James

Mate part of NZ where in?

It was caught in Lake Wanaka about an hours drive from Queenstown. It was such a nice place to fish!

James

[Angus]

Cheers mate. That's perfect I was also looking places around Lake Tekapo and these are pretty close to each other.

[WayneD]

First ever Giant Herring caught while chasing Barra in Ayr

PB Tailor caught yesterday while chasing sharks in the Logan

PB Murray cod. Not a big model at 67cm but it was an epics days fishing

[tomca]

This year was the first year my boy could wet a line and catch a fish all by himself. Ended up with a dozen that day.

Took Sweresy to catch his first green fish. So happy he went full retard

Finally a just legal cod I caught after Zimdude declined to cast at a snag because it had "no water"

[youngy]

My favourite 5 of the year, all on 6lb and all released, 75cm Bonefish, Tarpon 66cm, Golden Trevally 72cm, Big Eye Trevally 66cm and a GT 66cm, cheers wayne

[demarc]

No pics of me holding it, but the dolphin fish from my report from Boxing day. By far my favourite fish of the year, better then my first coral trout at 1770 too! I've been after one since BJ introduced me to offshore fishing at my first BFO social. Couldn't wipe the smile of my face!

[nabs]

Like most Ive had a great year in the fishing department. New PB Longtail, snapper, kingfish, jew and mackeral.

This was from an awesome session. Caught right at the end of the day after loosing a couple to sharks. This would be my favourite one for the year.

Going down to Sydney and getting into the kings in Sydney Harbour was good fun! Hope to get another crack at them soon.

I upgraded my PB jew a couple of times this year, also caught more Jew this year then I ever have :cheer:

My aim was to get a big moreton bay snapper this year. Hasn't happend yet. Instead Ive gotten heaps between 68-70cm. Im hoping the next one hits 80 :whistle:

2013 has been an awesome year for fishing around Moreton Bay and Brissy. Hopefully 2014 is just as good!

[Shane69]

I have learnt alot about offshore fishing this year. I have put in the hours to learn how to fish out there.

These are my favourites

First one would be this spanish . I remember that day. We bagged out infront of others spinning slugs while they trolled around us

My first wahoo caught on a hard body. I dont know how many hours of trolling and lures i los before getting one

My biggest AJ caught. I was pretty dissapointed seeing a sliver colour come up instead of red but on other hand stroked as it was my biggest AJ. I have caught heaps more after but this one was special

This bay long tail i caught while spinning slugs for mackerel. I think it emptied my spool 3-4 times before it finally tired out.

My pb bay snapper. We worked really hard for this fish. Fished basically half the night and all morning and finally got him on tide change.

My PB pearlie i got couple weeks ago. Super stroked with this fish. It went hard and i mistaken it for a AJ

My first Red emperor. Got him after 3 trips out to DI. So happy when i got it. I cant wait to start targetting the bigger one of fraser.

My pb yellowfin. This thing went hard lol. It encouraged me to go out and buy a tiagra 30 to go chase the bigger ones

Bring on 2014. Hopefully learn how to fish out of fraser properly and out of brisbane. Theres still a few fish i want to catch so hopefully this is the year for it