Sam's Fishing Lifelist

I decided to start lifelisting since it's fun and I mostly catch and release -- my photos were becoming quite disorganized and I was curious to find out how many different kinds of fish I've caught. Unfortunately this led me to a few realizations:

1. I didn't take pictures of every species I've ever caught. I'm regretting it now, because I would feel bad if I included those fish. I'll have to get them again.
2. Some fish look different within the same species; e.g male vs female, barred vs unbarred, anadromous vs freshwater only.
3. I've hooked up with some fish but failed to land and get a picture of them.

At any rate I'll catch, photograph, and release the fish I missed / failed to get pictures of in due time.

Note: This list contains (usually) the first fish of each species that I managed to photograph, chronologically. The fish pictured is not usually the largest of the species that I caught, nor is it the first of that species that I ever caught -- it's just (usually) the first to get on film. This list is also not that reflective of how much I fish, because I mostly do catch the same kinds of fish at my local spots. I don't go super out of my way to add species to this list. I haven't been bitten by the microfishing game just yet, for example :)

Unique Species List (Photographed)

61 unique species caught and fully identified as of November 19, 2024. 4 additional species caught but not fully identified, and more caught but not recorded in pictures (thus omitted here).

#	Date	Fish Species	Latin Name	Method	Location	Tags	Notes
1	2016-05-01	California Halibut	Paralichthys californicus	Live-lined anchovy	SF bay	Inshore, Flatfish, Gamefish	On a live-lined anchovy. Caught in SF bay on a charter boat.
2	2016-06-17	Pacific Mackerel	Scomber japonicus	Sabiki rig	Pacifica Pier	Pelagic, Baitfish	On a sabiki rig. Caught at Pacifica Pier.
3	2016-07-24	Pacific Pompano	Peprilus simillimus	Sabiki rig	Pacifica Pier	Inshore, Special/Rare	On a sabiki rig. Caught at Pacifica Pier; almost mistook it for a surfperch! These things are rare in NorCal.
4	2017-05-13	Walleye Surfperch	Hyperprosopon argenteum	Sabiki rig	Santa Cruz Wharf	Inshore	On a sabiki rig. Caught at Santa Cruz Wharf.
5	2017-05-26	Yellow Perch	Perca flavescens	Inline spinner	Charles River, Cambridge MA	Freshwater	On an inline spinner. Caught in the Charles River, Cambridge MA.
6	2017-05-26	White Perch	Morone americana	Inline spinner	Charles River, Cambridge MA	Freshwater	On an inline spinner. Caught in the Charles River, Cambridge MA. Darker variety.
7	2017-05-28	Largemouth Bass	Micropterus salmoides	Inline spinner	Charles River, Cambridge MA	Freshwater, Gamefish	On an inline spinner. Caught in the Charles River, Cambridge MA.
8	2017-07-03	Bat Ray	Myliobatis californica	Cutbait (mackerel)	Near Channel Islands	Ray	On cutbait (mackerel). Caught near the channel islands in a sailboat. Fuzzy image was screencapped from video.
9	2017-08-16	Mahi Mahi (Dorado) (Dolphin)	Coryphaena hippurus	Wood plug (trolled)	Todos Santos, MX	Pelagic, Gamefish	On a wood plug, trolled. Caught off the coast of Todos Santos, MX on a panga boat.
10	2017-08-16	Pacific Yellowfin Tuna	Thunnus albacares	Wood plug (trolled)	Todos Santos, MX	Pelagic, Gamefish	On a wood plug, trolled. Caught off the coast of Todos Santos, MX on a panga boat.
11	2017-09-23	Green Sunfish	Lepomis cyanellus	Inline spinner	Guadalupe River, San Jose CA	Freshwater	On an inline spinner. Caught in the Guadalupe River, San Jose CA.
12	2018-05-04	Queenfish	Seriphus politus	Shrimp	San Diego, CA	Inshore	On shrimp. Caught off a pier in San Diego, CA.
13	2018-06-08	Northern Pike	Esox lucius	Inline spinner	Bay Lake, MN	Freshwater, Gamefish	On an inline spinner. Caught in Bay Lake, MN.
14	2018-06-08	Rock Bass	Ambloplites rupestris	Inline spinner	Bay Lake, MN	Freshwater	On an inline spinner. Caught in Bay Lake, MN.
15	2018-06-09	Bluegill	Lepomis macrochirus	Inline spinner	Bay Lake, MN	Freshwater	On an inline spinner. Caught in Bay Lake, MN.
16	2018-11-22	Spotted Bay Bass	Paralabrax maculatofasciatus	3/8oz underspin	San Diego Bay, CA	Inshore	On 3/8oz underspin. Caught in San Diego Bay, CA.
17	2018-12-24	Rainbow Trout	Oncorhynchus mykiss	Nightcrawler	Rogue River, OR	Freshwater, Gamefish	On a nightcrawler. Caught in the Rogue River, OR.
18	2019-03-30	Jacksmelt	Atherinopsis californiensis	Sabiki rig	Santa Barbara, CA	Inshore, Baitfish	On sabiki rig. Caught in Santa Barbara, CA.
19	2019-07-05	Yellow Bullhead Catfish	Ameiurus natalis	Hot dog on bottom	Gompers Lagoon, Chicago IL	Freshwater	On hot dog on the bottom. Caught at Gompers Lagoon, Chicago IL.
20	2019-07-06	Black Crappie	Pomoxis nigromaculatus	Hot dog under bobber	Gompers Lagoon, Chicago IL	Freshwater, Gamefish	On hot dog under a bobber. Caught at Gompers Lagoon, Chicago IL.
21	2019-08-18	Barred Surfperch	Amphistichus argenteus		Half Moon Bay, CA	Inshore, Gamefish	Caught at Half Moon Bay, CA.
22	2019-08-30	Northern Pikeminnow	Ptychocheilus oregonensis		Rogue River, OR	Freshwater	Caught in the Rogue River, OR.
23	2019-09-29	Leopard Shark	Triakis semifasciata	Squid/salmon combo bait	SF Bay	Shark	On squid/salmon combo bait. Caught in the SF Bay, on a friend's boat.
24	2019-09-29	Sevengill Shark	Notorynchus cepedianus	Squid/salmon combo bait	SF Bay	Shark	On squid/salmon combo bait. Caught in the SF Bay, on a friend's boat.
25	2019-10-20	Common Carp	Cyprinus carpio	Whole kernel corn	Stevens Creek Reservoir, Cupertino CA	Freshwater	On whole kernel corn. Caught at Stevens Creek Reservoir, Cupertino CA.
26	2019-11-23	Bluefin Trevally	Caranx melampygus	Whipping rig, curly tailed grub	Anini Beach, Kauai	Inshore	On a whipping rig, curly tailed grub. Caught at Anini Beach, Kauai.
27	2019-11-24	Pacific Jack Crevalle	Caranx caninus	Whipping rig, curly tailed grub	Anini Beach, Kauai	Inshore	On a whipping rig, curly tailed grub. Caught at Anini Beach, Kauai.
28	2019-11-25	Bluespotted Cornetfish	Fistularia commersonii	Whipping rig, curly tailed grub	Anini Beach, Kauai	Inshore, Special/Rare	On a whipping rig, curly tailed grub. Caught at Anini Beach, Kauai.
29	2020-02-29	Gray/Bermuda Sea Chub	Kyphosus sectatrix/bigibbus	Bait	Riviera Maya, MX		On bait. Caught at Riviera Maya, MX.
30	2020-03-01	Atlantic Blue Tang	Acanthurus coeruleus	Bait	Riviera Maya, MX		On bait. Caught at Riviera Maya, MX.
31	2020-03-01	White Grunt	Haemulon plumierii	Bait	Riviera Maya MX		On bait. Caught at Riviera Maya MX.
32	2020-03-01	Mangrove Snapper	Lutjanus griseus	Bait	Riviera Maya, MX		On bait. Caught at Riviera Maya, MX.
33	2020-03-02	Sergeant Major	Abudefduf saxatilis	Bait	Riviera Maya, MX		On bait. Caught at Riviera Maya, MX.
34	2020-08-22	White Croaker	Genyonemus lineatus	Sand crab	Aptos, CA	Inshore	On a sand crab. Caught in Aptos, CA.
35	2020-09-09	Brook Trout	Salvelinus fontinalis	Fly	East Gallatin River, Bozeman, Montana	Freshwater, Gamefish	On the fly. Caught in Bozeman, Montana.
36	2020-09-09	Mountain Whitefish	Prosopium williamsoni	Fly	East Gallatin River, Bozeman, Montana	Freshwater	On the fly. Caught in Bozeman, Montana. The adipose fin is the giveaway that it isn't a sucker -- it's actually a salmonid!
37	2020-09-10	Shellcracker	Lepomis microlophus		Lake Josephine, Montana	Freshwater	Caught on a little worm in Montana's Lake Josephine.
38	2020-09-19	Smallmouth Bass	Micropterus dolomieu	1/8oz jig w/ paddletail swimbait	Allegheny River, Pittsburgh, PA	Freshwater, Gamefish	On a 1/8oz jig w/ paddletail swimbait. Caught in the Allegheny River from the banks of Pittsburgh, PA.
39	2020-10-03	Atlantic Menhaden	Brevoortia tyrannus	Deadly dick spoon	Sandy Hook, NJ	Inshore, Baitfish	Snagged on my deadly dick spoon when going for stripers; normally don't count snags but you can't really catch Menhaden any other way + it was unintentional. Caught on the surf in Sandy Hook, NJ.
40	2020-10-10	Striped Bass	Morone saxatilis	Bucktail	Quonochontaug, CT	Gamefish	Note to those silly striper guys: I mainly use a fish grip for their benefit. Much easier to get the hook off and avoid touching them with dry hands. On a bucktail in Quonochontaug, CT.
41	2020-11-08	Tautog	Tautoga onitis	Sand crab on high-low rig	Manasquan Inlet, NJ		On a sand crab on a high-low rig. Released quickly, sad I didn't have wet hands but was high up from the water. Caught in the Manasquan Inlet, NJ.
42	2020-11-09	Hickory Shad	Alosa mediocris	Sand eel fly as bucktail teaser	Sandy Hook, NJ	Inshore, Baitfish	On a sand eel fly used as a bucktail teaser. Caught on the surf in Sandy Hook, NJ.
43	2020-11-26	Guadalupe Bass	Micropterus treculii	Drop shot worm	Colorado River, Austin, TX	Freshwater, Gamefish	On a drop shot worm. Caught in the Colorado River from Austin, TX.
44	2020-11-26	Longear Sunfish	Lepomis megalotis	Tiny drop shot	Colorado River, Austin, TX	Freshwater	On a tiny drop shot. Caught in the Colorado River from Austin, TX.
45	2021-08-09	Stocky Hawkfish	Cirrhitus pinnulatus	Whipping rig with grub	Anini Beach, Kauai HI	Scorpionfishes	Caught on a whipping rig with a grub. Anini Beach, Kauai HI.
46	2021-08-10	Bluestripe Snapper	Lutjanus kasmira	Hawaiian Angler Strip	Kalihiwai beach, Kauai HI		Caught on a Hawaiian Angler Strip, blue, with tiny hook. Kalihiwai beach, Kauai HI.
47	2021-08-10	Christmas Wrasse	Thalassoma trilobatum	Shrimp	Tunnels beach, Kauai HI	Wrasse	Caught on shrimp. Tunnels beach, Kauai HI. Note: as of August 2021 there were not yet regulations for fishing on this beach, but in the future it will probably require a permit.
48	2021-08-11	Blackspot Damselfish	Abudefduf sordidus	Shrimp	Tunnels beach, Kauai HI		Caught on shrimp. Tunnels beach, Kauai HI.
49	2021-08-11	Saddle Wrasse	Thalassoma duperrey	Shrimp	Tunnels beach, Kauai	Wrasse	Caught on shrimp. Tunnels beach, Kauai.
50	2021-08-12	Bigeye Scad	Selar crumenophthalmus	Hawaiian Angler Strip	Moloaa beach, Kauai HI	Baitfish	Caught on a hawaiian angler strip in aqua blue, with 4lbs test leader about 8ft long, at Moloaa beach, Kauai HI. Very tricky fish to catch.
51	2022-10-30	Spotted Bass	Micropterus punctulatus	Keitech paddletail	Lexington Reservoir, CA	Freshwater, Gamefish	Caught on a keitech paddletail in Lexington Reservoir, CA, near the dam but not on it.
52	2023-04-11	Californian Anchovy	Engraulis mordax	Tiny sabiki rig	Pacifica, CA	Inshore, Baitfish	Caught on a tiny sabiki rig off the pier. Pacifica, CA.
53	2023-09-07	Ladyfish	Elops Saurus	3/8oz orange/white goofy jig	Pensacola, FL	Inshore	Caught on a 3/8oz orange/white goofy jig tipped with orange/white sand flea "fish bites." Jigged with pop-pop-pause pattern.
54	2023-09-08	Gulf Flounder	Paralichthys albigutta	Olive/white sand eel teaser	Pensacola, FL	Flatfish, Inshore	Caught on an olive/white sand eel teaser tied above my goofy jig. Identify this using the dark spots near the tail - they form a triangle.
55	2023-09-08	Florida Pompano	Trachinotus carolinus	Goofy jig	Pensacola, FL	Inshore	Caught on goofy jig tipped with sand flea fishbites. Orange/white.
56	2023-09-09	Crevalle Jack	Caranx hippos	Goofy jig	Pensacola, FL	Inshore, Gamefish	Caught on goofy jig tipped with sand flea fishbites. Orange/white.
57	2023-09-09	Leatherjacket	Oligoplites saurus	Goofy jig	Pensacola, FL	Inshore	In the Jack family; caught on goofy jig tipped with sand flea fishbites. Orange/white.
58	2023-09-10	Hardhead Catfish	Arius felis	Size 16 sabiki	Pensacola, FL	Inshore	Caught a lot of these on size 16 sabiki tipped with finger mullet, at night.
59	2023-09-12	Northern Kingfish	Menticirrhus saxatilis	Sand flea fishbites	Pensacola, FL	Inshore	Caught mostly on sand flea fishbites on size four hook.
60	2023-09-12	Gulf Kingfish	Menticirrhus littoralis	Various methods	Pensacola, FL	Inshore	There were a lot of these and I caught them on goofy jigs, size 0.75L silver holo deadly dick, and sand flea fishbites on a size four hook.
61	2024-09-05	Summer Flounder	Paralichthys dentatus	Drop-shot bunker chunk	Sandy Hook, NJ	Flatfish, Inshore, Gamefish	Caught on a drop-shot bunker chunk (lol) near a rocky bottomed stretch of Sandy Hook, NJ. This was a keeper.
62	2026-04-14	Giant Trevally (Juvenille)	Caranx ignobilis	Handline, white-purple 2" grub on #10 Limerick hook	Hanalei River mouth, Kauai HI	Inshore	Caught while kayaking at the Hanalei bay river mouth. I was trolling a handline because Winnie and I were in a 2-seater kayak. I felt the line go taut and it was game on. Ultimately pretty small, but really fun!

Variations

These are not unique species but are different versions of species on the unique list.

• Rainbow Trout - Steelhead - Caught at Stevens Creek Reservoir, Cupertino CA. Rare native (not stocked).
• Barred Surfperch - unbarred Version - Caught on the northern california coastline near Daly City.
• Black Crappie - light colored version - Caught at Stevens Creek Reservoir, Cupertino CA. Despite being light in color, this is indeed a black crappie (7-8 dorsal spines vs 5-6 on a white crappie; not barred pattern).
• Gray/Bermuda Chub - different color - It's actually impossible to tell the difference between a Bermuda (Kyphosus sectatrix) or Gray chub (Kyphosus Biggibus) without counting gill rakers, so I will never know which one I caught -- I'm counting them as a single species since they're a complex now. The one on my lifelist is more mature.

Not on the list because no picture but fish I've definitely caught

• Vermillion Rockfish
• Blue Rockfish
• Black Rockfish
• Pumpkinseed Sunfish
• Redbreast Sunfish
• Atlantic Stingray (when I was young)
• Topsmelt silverside
• Channel Catfish (high school, Holmdel Park Pond)

Fish I hooked up with but did not land

• Barracuda - 6ft ate the 4-5lbs fish at the end of my line, pulled out drag until my 20lbs line frayed from its teeth.
• Cutthroat trout - Jumped out of the water when it hit my hopper near mammoth lakes.

Species Specific Size Records

• Largemouth Bass - 10lbs

Fish Caught on Special Techniques / Lures

• First Topwater Bass - Zara Spook
• First Rainbow Trout on the Fly - Zebra Midge
• First Largemouth Bass on the Fly - Black wooly bugger
• First Bluegill on the Fly - Brown clouser/bugger hybrid

Yet to be identified

• Lizardfish, Hawaii (Synodontidae ???) - On a ceramic popper bigger than itself! Caught at Anini Beach, Kauai. Not sure if I can get a better identification :(
• Lizardfish, California (Synodontidae ???) - On a sabiki rig from Pacifica Pier.
• Some kind of needlefish in Kauai, HI
• Another needlefish, probably same as above
• Looks like an alewife or smelt type thing, Riviera Maya MX
• Split tail, forgot to get a closeup. Riviera Maya MX

How I identify fish

I haven't caught that many rare fish, so mostly they are easy to recognize. But a few times now I've had to defer to experts or scour through indices. Here are some of the tools I use:

• Fishbase
• INaturalist
• CA DFW
  • Surfperch Identification