Fishing has been slow for the most part with the cold weather and there hasn't been a lot of recent posts that got everyone involved. The recent post by Ender about the prettiest fish he caught got me thinking about trying to spark up a discussion to pass the time.

What is the most memorable fish (freshwater or saltwater) that you have caught? It doesn't have to be your biggest, but something that means a lot or has a cool story. If you can dig up a pic that'd be cool

If this thread has already been done, please forgive me. Just trying to get people talking and thinking about fishing.

My most memerable bass is probably one i caught this year at Calero. It was one of the first bass i caught in 2011. I was using a white jerk bait,and its one of my biggest bass. It was about a 2lber.I know its not that big, but hopefully this year i catch a donkey!

Thanks for kicking it off! I was going through pix reliving past catches

There are many memorable fish I've caught over the years, in fact, most of them have a story that brings me back to the time I caught them. For me personally, I am going to go with a bass I caught back in the summer of '08. Going through a lot at the time, had just lost my dad the previous month and couldn't really focus on much of anything. From school to work, my mind was all over the place in the days and weeks following his passing. I knew I had to get out and get on the water to clear my head, or try to. I day was Friday the 13th, forecast was saying temps in the high 90's, so I got on the water early to beat the heat. I went to the Campbell Perc Ponds and was fishing in the back blue pond. Water at the time was really low, (you'll see in the pic) and I had a jerkbait tied on. Not really expecting a whole lot, I was just happy to get on the water and be surrounded by the quiet outdoors (minus the nearby freeway!). I ended up catching one fish that day, the first bass after my dads passing. Not a giant, 1.5 lbs, but one that has a ton of meaning. Just goes to show you that when you are faced with adversity and hardships, keep doing what you love to do because those are the things that are going to make your life feel as normal as possible or as close as how it used to be. Nothing will ever bring my pops back, however now I dont have to rush home and show him the pictures, he's with me on the water every trip now.

that's one of the nicest posts I've ever read...thanks, and well done...

Thank you for the kind words

Yeah Basswanted I agree thats is the nicest post i have ever read !! Glad you caught that fish for pops know doubt he was smiling at you and thanks for the post very heartfelt Thanks man your pops would be proud !! He raised a good dude!! Keep gettin on the water, i myself feel closest to my pops when im fishing Peace be with you ,,,,,,,,right on man good post!

Thank you bro!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex26IZSPRRo

I caught this female rainbow at Trinity Lake on a dry fly. It is the biggest fish I've ever caught on a dry fly.

It was about 5PM and fish were jumping and surfacing all around me. The weather was cloudy with storm clouds rolling in.

I was in the back water near a glide when I casted my Black Gnat fly onto the water. The fly and line landed perfectly. I waited patiently while staring at this fly drifting downstream. Then this trout breaks the relatively calm surface to take my fly. I could see her entire dorsal side surface and entering the water . She surfaced the way a dolphin jumps out of the water as its following a boat.

It was ON! I set the hook and she goes swimming in the opposite direction. Overall, she didn't put up much of a fight considering her size but she did make my arm tired. My forearm was getting tired from pulling in her weight, not from the fight. 24 incher.

When she finally calmed down, I de-hooked my fly and let her go.

Awesome detail!

I guess i might as well throw one in, bass fishing was something i was not into almost 2 years ago, now that im into it, there's way of me stoping, ive had many memorable bass, but not many can get say that they got a topwater bite less than 2ft from their waist. I was wading in the water throwing a topwater frog, didnt get bit all day and i was thinking to myself, Where are all the fish? at that same momment i looked down to my leg (to the point where i could grab her with my hand) and right next to me was a 3-4 lber. I stood casually and started talking to it, like she some kind of aquaintance, 5 mins i decide to drop my frog on top of her thinking she wouldnt bite, then she came up and slurped it in. I was stunned by the fact and let her swim past me till i remembered to set the hook. She weighed 3.8 lbs but it the best topwater bite ive ever gotten. (i wish i had a go pro bak then)

God story blugill wow thats nuts!!!!

The first tuna I ever caught takes the cake for now. My first offshore trip was pretty miserable...picked baits, crowded rails, nasty weather. I got sick of cleaning sardine scales off from changing baits, so I picked up a surface iron for the first time ever. 40 minutes later I'm getting it down pretty good. 10 feet from the bow of the boat my Tady 45 explodes and a 40lb yellowfin surfaces. I can't say I ever chase tuna a bunch, but every time I step on a charter boat I remember this fish. I've caught a lot of bass, a lot of trout with an 8lb brown on the fly in the mix, but the sheer ferocity of these fish is amazing.

Good one dockboy!

Will always be the first fish i caught with my Dad !

Too cool! Love the stories guys, thanks for sharing.