The Ultimate Fish Bucket List.. Or Something Like That

[NoBassPro]

I'd like to hear what other people have on their "really want to catch but haven't yet" list.

For me its a tarpon that weighs more than I do. I've never caught one at all, but have been interested in them for as long as I can remember. Something about the mouth, giant scales, and fighting ability that just gets me excited. One of these years I'm going to make a trip to catch one, too.

So who else has a fish they've always wanted to get, but just never have? I've got a few others, that is just number one.

[Bluebasser86]

Man that's a long list for me. Brown trout was at the top of the list until this previous year when I finally caught some on a trip to the White River in Arkansas. Now I'd say either a big striper or tiger muskie are 1 and 2 on my list, I've never caught either. I'd like to catch a shark or goliath grouper bigger than I am. Peacock bass, payara, and giant catfish in the Amazon would be amazing. I'd love to catch a big Wels catfish. Goliath tigerfish, a lake trout, artic graying, brook trout. I could go on and on because I'd like to catch all of them if I had a choice, pretty much every kind of fish has some kind of appeal to me.

[SirSnookalot]

I've caught many of the larger fish, now at 66 I really do not want to fight one for hours, takes too much out of me. Weighing in at a mere 135# I've had that tarpon bigger than me, they grow much bigger than that.

I would choose fishing the backcountry in Florida, or many other exotic locations poling for juvie tarpon, bonefish, permit.......never turn down the opportunity for redfish, on spinning or fly rod.

[0119]

Wolf Fish in Suriname, Dorado in Uruaguay, Capitan in Gabon, New Guinea Bass, Murray Cod in Australia

[NoBassPro]

Peacock bass, payara, and giant catfish in the Amazon would be amazing. I'

That is one trip I have been able to make, except we were on the Orinoco. There's nothing like drifting through the jungle at night in a dugout setting juglines baited with whole piranha and shining for caimen with a local. At least at the time I was there (early 90's) once you got far enough upstream it was an entirely different world.

[GoTakeANap]

i would love to catch a northern pike. love the color on them.

[clayton86]

mines stripper, redfish, marlin of any kind, shark of any kind, muskie, a big grouper i did catch one last week but it wasn't very big like 12", basically any of the inshore saltwater fish also with a fly rod

[RyneB]

i want to hook into a monster alligator gar.

[loodkop]

I would love a Nile perch. It looks and act like a bass but goes over a 100 pounds.

[LgMouthGambler]

Peacocks in the Amazon.

[Bankbeater]

A giant grouper or a great white shark.

[slonezp]

I'd say, for me, any large saltwater fish or shark. It would have to be casting or jigging though. Trolling takes the fun out of it for me. There is nothing like a 25lb+ king salmon hitting a crankbait on bass gear. The initial hit is like hooking the bumper of a Mack truck speeding down the highway. I can only imagine a 100lb+ tarpon, shark, or billfish doing the same.

[SirSnookalot]

I'd say, for me, any large saltwater fish or shark. It would have to be casting or jigging though. Trolling takes the fun out of it for me. There is nothing like a 25lb+ king salmon hitting a crankbait on bass gear. The initial hit is like hooking the bumper of a Mack truck speeding down the highway. I can only imagine a 100lb+ tarpon, shark, or billfish doing the same.

I don't have to imagine, in comparison it would be like comparing a Mack truck to an F-16 fighter. A technique gaining popularity is to lure a sailfish in by trolling then toss a fly on a fly rod, this is out of my league.

Fish don't have to big to give you a thrill, there are countless varieties of fish that pound for pound are just amazing fighters.

I agree with Slonezp about trolling, not that hooking a large fish isn't fun, but the Capt is doing the majority of fishing while you're having a Bud, he is selecting the water, the depth, the lure or live bait. Jigging with a butterfly jig or similar type lure for Amberjack is about as awesome as it gets, pound for pound they rank high on about every outdoor writer's list. Forum selections for hard fighting fish are usually based on their local favorites, which is some good info if heading to those areas.

[NoBassPro]

I'There is nothing like a 25lb+ king salmon hitting a crankbait on bass gear.

If you haven't tried it already, go at night. The number of people fishing goes down about ten fold, and my catch rate goes up about three fold. Same locations, same baits, same colors

[Nashua Nev]

8 lb plus largemouth, big northern pike, and a big walleye. and a big fish in the ocean, maybe a marlin type that jumps alot. caught the 5 lb smallie on my flyrod so that one is done.

[Addicted to Smallies]

Every time I watch Jeremy Wade on "River Monsters" I realize that my fishing bucket list is getting longer... and less likely to fulfill. Now THAT guy has a great job...

[trevor]

Bonefish, permit, and tarpon on the fly. Dorado in Bolivia. Marlin or sailfish on the fly. Cubera snapper. Trout fishing New Zealand. Giant bluefin in the Northeast. Fly fishing the Seychelles. Tautog over 20 lbs. Carp on fly over 35 inches. Wahoo over 60 lbs.