Post your PB!
I'll start, I just got my PB Largemouth bass that was actually weighed. After catching some bigger bass I decided to buy a scale and start weighing the 3lb plus fish.
-Nick
Here is my PB Largemouth caught 9/5/12, 5.35#

Untitled by Nick Esquivel, on Flickr

Nice fish. I've caught a couple in the 18.5" - 19" range (3.5 - 4lbs), but mostly little $h!t. I still keep forgetting my tape measure for Red-sided garters- I would hate to have to drag around a scale . I've measured one (43.5") and I've seen a few bigger, but not sure if any longer.

Owen, carrying a scale is no prob. I keep my scale, hooks, lures, and pliers in my vest pockets. Maybe tattoo a tape measure on your leg, then you can always measure the RSG. lol
Nick

...and deep too!

ok guys got a new one from a pond in San Jose last week while bass fishing! Fishing solo with only my cell for pics. sorry for the quality!
Nick
11.4lbs

11.4# catfish by Nick Esquivel, on Flickr

11.4# by Nick Esquivel, on Flickr

Untitled by Nick Esquivel, on Flickr

Good one, Nick It's always cool hooking an unintended target. Like you, my largest cat was caught while targeting bass. Wasn't as big as yours, though.
Next time, bring something stinky... like me!

Gracias El Garia. I like your new avatar. Find your pics of your PB scan them and post them! I wish more people would put their big fish pics. I surf the net just looking at monsters I wish I could get one the end of my line.
Just picked up some soft plastic crawdads and jig heads that stand up to try to entice some lunkers.
-Nick

MY FIRST AND ONLY HAMMERHEAD

I don't have a scanner. The best that I could do was to take a photo of a photo. It's the only non-slide "personal best" pic that I could find. (film was expensive on a paper boy's salary)

On this particular day, my cousin took some friends and me to Kaneohe Bay to fish aboard his Whaler. We decided to target young Jack Trevally (Papio). We hooked and landed quite a few on surface plugs(along with a Milkfish and some barracuda). But, I like catching a smorgasbord of species, so I decided to bait up a bottom fishing rig.

My pole soon doubled over, and the line went flying out of the reel. I had convinced myself and my companions that I had hooked a 30lb+ Ulua (adult Jack Trevally). I kept yelling " Da buggah beeg!" My enthusiasm attracted the attention of nearby boats, who had pulled up alongside, to see the 'leviathan' I had hooked. When I finally got it into view, it was clear that I had hooked a Hammerhead in the 8 lb. range. Pretty embarrassing, to say the least. I felt like hiding in the cooler. So, next time you take a kid fishing, and 'said kid' claims to have hooked a big one... IGNORE DA BUGGAH!

It was, and is, the strongest fish, pound for pound, that I have ever fought. Maybe, that's why I look so stoked!

Kaneohe Bay. Oahu, '84

P1010408 by Mo'o, on Flickr

This is my best Red Snapper. I caught it a couple miles off Port Mansfield from my friend Andrew's sail boat the Abishag.

I also caught the Mahi Mahi about 35 miles out of South Padre.


Both of these fish were caught this past September.

Dang guys nice fish indeed! I have never caught any of those guys. guess i need to get out on the big pond lol
Nick

IF that hammerhead is eight pounds you must be one big dude! ...but why all the embarrassment? ...don't follow?

Nice catches.

My PB to date is a 6.5lb Alpers trout I caught when I was 10 on a lip ripperz plastic worm in Mammoth Lakes. Can't seem to find any pics at the moment sadly.

not huge, but nice. unfortunately, spawned out. 40 inch pike. this lake had a die off last year because of the heat. lot's of pike lost. many in the upper 40's/lower 50's





king salmon. personal best on light line during the fall run. i've gotten slightly bigger on lake michigan in a boat, but it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more fun from shore in the fall.



-ben

My personal best. Flathead Catfish.



Blue catfish

course... got no pics from back in the 70's... but I pulled in a 53 lb bullhead cat, at fisherman's retreat (San Timetao Can. Riverside Ca)... it was about 4 ft long and barely fought at all... thought i had hooked a log... jim

Jim, check your taxonomy. In California the only two catfish that woud grow to such immense size are flathead and Blue catfish. Flatheads are in most of the Colorado River drainage/canals, and Blues in a relative few California reservoirs. Bullhead catfish are relatively small, usually from one to 3 lbs., rarely over 5 lbs. and they occupy most valley and lowland reservoirs, lakes and streams and rivers. Black bullheads, one of 3 species of bullheads in California often occupy high elevation lakes where they tend to be stunted and small, often only a half pound.

Common names often confuse...but you are a picky guy about reptiles and I just had to call you on this claim of a 50 lb.+ bullhead...no way. Do you have a photo? Is the caudal fin forked? Or nearly squared with little eyes on and a mottled greenish brown dorsum? If the latter a flathead, if the former, probably a blue. Check out Nigel Smith's photos of two dandy examples, one of each. Flatheads are really cool, in my experience they seek live bait, I caught them on bluegills larger than my hand and they really eat large prey items. (bluegills are OK for bait in Imperial County near the Colorado River zone, but check your regulations as they are not lawful bait everywhere)

I caught flatheads in the Imperial County canals to 41 lbs. , but there are bigger ones out there, especially in the lower Colorado river. It looks like Nigel is the man to beat!

tight lines, Vic Herrick

Well... it must have been a Flathead, I guess. I recall that it seemed like 1/2 of it was head... I was in high school... it was going on 40 yrs ago, and I used a big live bullfrog as bait (which was of course, against the lake rules... ) We threw the line out as far as we could, around noon... and came back to check the line at like 10:00 pm. Thought we had hooked a log, till it got to about 4 ft from shore, and started thrashing... We got a rope through mouth/gills and tied it to a tree, and the next morning took it into the bait shop to be weighed. They said it was the biggest ever caught there, and I think they took some pics. Doubt they still exist... place has changed hands several times since then... but you never know. Next time I'm near there, I'll stop in and see...
Funny thing is... a Nafha survey I had organized several years ago, took a lunch break at that lake... never occurred to me to check, then... jim

Been meaning to post in this forum for some time now. Considering I fish about as much if not more than I herp I have plenty of fish pics. Here are a few of my personal bests. All fish were released.

First off is what I believe to be the largest fish I've caught, but had no scale that day. I did mark the length using my rod and she measured out at 48 inches. My best guess to weight is between 50 and 60 pounds which beat my previous best of 43 pounds 43 inches. Caught in the Ohio River on the WV side.


Next is my best Saugeye from a small impoundment in eastern Ohio. 28 inches never got a weight.


My best White Crappie from a strip mine pond in Eastern Ohio. 15 inches 2.5 pounds


My largest public waters Largemouth Bass. I've caught bigger from private ponds but public waters are a whole different animal. Small impoundment in Northern WV 5 pounds 3 ounces.


This is the biggest smallie I have a picture of. Caught at a dam tailwater on the Ohio river on the Ohio side. 3.5 pounds.


And at last is the best out of them all. My sons first largemouth. PRICELESS!


Tight lines ya'll, Coop

i liked the flatty. gotta love flatheads.

-ben

Figured I'd contribute something to keep this thread running.

Though it's not an all time best, this 30" redfish is a new personal best while kayak fishing.



It put up a surprisingly good fight, dragging me about 100 yards before I was able to bring it to the net.

Chris

My favorite flounder.

Nice doormat! How much did it weigh?

A shad under 8.5lbs. We pulled 2 others out of the "honey hole" just a little smaller than her just a few days earlier.

Got lucky with an upper slot red first time I ever fished for them. I've caught a few after that one. Kayak fishing is where it's at!

All of the reds I catch in a certain lake/creek I fish in have multiple spots.

Some in the indian river lagoon have multiple spots as well.

48.9lb smallmouth buffalo


35.15lb common carp


36.3lb mirror carp


only pb's i actually keep track of...

Dear Frogfish,
welcome aboard. Those are some impressive fish, please share some details on the how and where. I am told we have buffalo in a few canals and reservoirs in LA county, and of course carp in more places than not in CA. Will buffalo voluntarily take a bait or are they snagged? What bait do you and your buddies use for carp? Are either carp or buffalo desirable to eat?
Thanks for posting, Vic

All were caught in NC. Catawba and Haw river systems. Buffalo will voluntarily take baits. I fish using european ledgering tactics for carp and buffs. Hair rigs, fixed leads, and method/packbait. No they are not great to eat, just a blast to catch. My favorite freshwater species to target

Frogfish, thanks for that, you sound dedicated and serious about catching those huge fish. I was amazed and amused to learn how serious Europeans are about carp fishing, with specialized techniques and equipment developing, and tournaments.
Most anglers in USA have caught a few incidental to other fisheries but only a relative few like your self target them and catch them in numbers . They are indeed fun and challenging to catch and worthy of greater respect by anglers.
Be sure to see Tim Borski's post about Wisconsin, he takes them on flies. I take them with a spear in areas where they are an unwelcome introduction to trout/salmon fisheries.
I think carp are fine in areas of lowered water quality.
BTW, do you ever fish for gar? I always wanted to try for those...

Tight lines, Vic

Vic

I haven't caught a PB in a long time, but watching my son catch his best 4.5 lbs was by far a better experience than any fish I have, and probably will ever catch.



A few weeks later he landed this 6 pounder. Now he seems a little disappointed when we go out and he doesn't catch a "hog"...

Yup, I love fishing for carp and buffalo (my absolute favorite freshwater fish). I first started fishing for them on the fly, stalking them on the crystal clear flats around Bear Island in Michigan.

BTW, you know carp have never been proved to be detrimental to populations of native fish species? On the other hand, stocked trout and flatheads have caused serious declines in populations of native sculpins, dace, and madtoms.

Caught plenty of gar up to 86" long. Longnose and Florida.

Gotta a new PB! From a couple weeks ago, aboard the Journeyman from Puerto Vallarta. Yellowfin tuna, estimated 180-190#.

Was that tuna caught chunking or trolling. Either way it is a trophy.

Thanks! Baited a live squid, circle hook and 90# flouro leader.

Haven't done all that much fishing since getting into herping, but I recently got a kayak to get back into it (and for photography). Didn't take long to get a personal best largemouth. I don't have a scale but it measured 24".

My son had a half day of school today so we went bass fishing this aft. It resulted in a personal best for me.




Tim

You just had to show me up, haha. Nice fish.

-Kevin

A few more...

~200lb Bluefin caught on a stickbait and spinning gear


est. 35-40lb permit from the beach

Hi all, those are some great catches! I haven't been on much due to work and fishing, but now I have an excuse to post. One will be soon as soon as I figure it out again lol
Tight lines -Nick

Ok all,
This all happened Thursday. Before work I stopped off at a local reservoir for 1 hour and got this huge carp, a PB. My scale battery was dead but I think it weighed in around 12#

Untitled by Nick Esquivel, on Flickr

Untitled by Nick Esquivel, on Flickr
After work I hit up another reservoir and got 3 nice bass each one making a new PB!
The first a 5.8#

IMG_20140510_212613 by Nick Esquivel, on Flickr
The second a 6.37#

IMG_20140510_212351 by Nick Esquivel, on Flickr

IMG_20140510_205725 by Nick Esquivel, on Flickr
The third a 6.8#

IMG_20140510_210058 by Nick Esquivel, on Flickr

IMG_20140510_211124 by Nick Esquivel, on Flickr
Needless to say, one hell of a day!
Nick

23-inch Redfish (or red drum) I caught in Gulf Shores about a year ago. I've caught bigger and better fish, but it has been a long time (over 10 years). Don't really fish much these days

Redfish was the catch of the day by Coluber Constrictor, on Flickr