Top 10 Fishing Highlights from 2010 (extremely picture heavy)

[WatterBoy]

OK, it's a little late, but since we still have ice and a closed bass season here, what else do I have to do? Here are my top 10 highlights from the 2010 fishing season.

10. After my best year ever in 2009, I somehow bettered that in 2010. Before last year I had caught a total of NINE bass in my entire life that were 4.0 pounds or better. Last year alone I caught ELEVEN at 4.0 or more, including my first THREE ever at 20.0+ inches and my first TWO ever at 6.0+ pounds. Along with catching bigger bass, I caught more of them this year also:

Year   LM    SM  Total
2010   263   14   277   (60 outings in the boat, plus random dock/shore fishing)
2009   178    7   185   (54 outings in the boat, plus random dock/shore fishing)

9. I caught my biggest bag ever. . .14.0 pounds. . .twice.

These are the three biggest from Saturday morning, August 21 -- 3.12 SM, 2.10 LM, 2.15 LM; the final two not shown were LM at 2.6 and 2.5.


The 14 pound bag on Thursday, September 16 was anchored by this one that went 4.0 even. The others that morning were 2.15, 2.13, 2.3, 2.1, all LM.



8. Saturday, September 4 marked the first time I ever caught more than one 4 pounder in the same day, a 4.3 LM during the afternoon and a 4.0 SM that night. More details are in this thread.




7. I caught two 4.0+ pound Smallies in the same year for the first time ever. One is pictured above in highlight #8, the first one of the year came on Monday, July 12.



6. I capped off the best fishing weekend (actually all in one 24 hour period) of my life with this 5.2 LM in Iowa (3rd best on my all-time bass list). More details are in this thread.



5. I caught my first ever 20.0+ inch bass (5lb 1oz, 20" length, 14" girth) on "our" lake where I do almost all of my fishing. The ironic part is that I caught it Saturday night, June 19, and it was bigger than any bass caught earlier that day during the 50-boat fishing tourney held on this lake. More details are in this thread.



4. I caught my first ever 6+ pound bass - 6.0 pounds even at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 10 in Iowa (a new PB at the time, 20.5" length, 15.0" girth). More details are in this thread.



3. I caught a new PB for the second time in 20 hours (on a different lake than the 6.0 above) at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 11 in Iowa. This one was 6lb 9oz with a 21.0" length and 16.6" girth. More details are in this thread.



2. Twenty-two different relatives and friends caught at least one fish while they stayed with us at our cabin this year; 613 total fish were caught, including cabin-record fish for LM, Rock Bass, Perch and Silver Pike. We keep two "cabin record by species" white boards, one for the year and one for all-time since we've owned the place (Labor Day weekend 2008). Everyone, even the non-fisherpeople, who visits us becomes ultra-competitive about getting "on the board."

My nephews and me:


My 6-year old nephew:


Yet another nephew and my wife:


My sister:


Still another newphew -- with his first bass ever!



1. The number 1 highlight for the year, by far, was being able to fish several times with my dad, who will be 76 in a couple months. He spent 3 weeks in the hospital last April/May, and we weren't sure there would be any fishing outings for us together last year. Each time out together was truly a blessing that we are both thankful for, and we're both hoping and praying we might get to share some time on the water again this year. I taught dad how to use senkos last year, and he caught more and bigger bass than he ever has. Needless to say, he was thrilled (and so was I)!

Here are a couple of his bigger MN fish from our cabin lake.

July 9 - 5lb 4oz pike


September 17 - 4lb 5oz LM