Trash Fish Bucket List?

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Here's something only my fevered mind would dream up.
Every angler wants to catch the big name fish. Big bass, Massive salmon, trophy bluegill, arapaima in South America (my personal quest), and so on.

But what about those other fish, the "trashy" ones we don't admire nor talk much about? If you were to target them, which ones would you go after?

In other words, what would a "Non-game Fish Bucket List" look like?

[JBplusThuy]

Def. snakehead. If we manage a family vacation to Florida in the next few years, I hope to be able to set a side a day with a guide to take me after snakehead. As Leo will attest, I'm sure, they're really tasty :-)

Haven't done much fishing this summer, though. Just got through a it of remodeling, and was further distracted by getting a Benjamin Marauder .25 :-)

[Slip Sinker]

http://www.floridaevergladesbassfishingadventures.com/Meet_the_Capt...

This guy has a ton of video on you tube...

[Keith Owen]

Oh David! So many fish... so little time!

1. My current quest (not considered a trash fish by any means) a legal size (18") Saugeye on a fly rod.

2. Rio Grande Perch (Texas Cichlid) on a fly rod

3. Mountain Whitefish of double digit length... on a fly rod of course

4. 20+ pound carp on a fly

5. Mooneye/Goldeneye on a fly, double digit length would be gravy

6. Both an Oklahoma Chain Pickerel and an Oklahoma Grass Pickerel, fly rod would be great but ultra light spinning would work

7. A Sand (White) Bass as close to 5lbs as is humanly possible on a fly

8. A 2lbs Bluegill, a 2lbs Red Ear and a 2lbs Green Sunfish all in the same day. Fly rod, spinning gear, cane pole... don't care

9. 12"+ Red Spot Chub on a fly rod

10. Pirate Perch however possible

If I had to actually think about it I could come up with a dozen more. These are just the ones written on sticky notes over my fly tying bench.

[Allen Morgan]

#1 - Go to Shell Creek lake, NW of Sand Springs.  I know they're in there.

#4 - This is a pattern that works in the Spring, when the Cottonwood trees are dropping their fluff.....Go below Keystone Dam at night (probably any tailwater will do).  No generation!  Calm water.  The carp should come up top and start sucking down the Cottonwood fluff.  Tie some dry flies, probably size 12 or so, and tie some white CDC feathers to the hook.  Cast one out in front of a feeding carp (Keystone's tailrace has lights, so you can see).  When it gets sucked in, set the hook!

#5 - I have caught a Mooneye/Goldeye, but not on the fly.  I caught it on a jig. Probably a Clouser?  Don't ask me how to target them.  The one I caught was a fluke.....

#6 - You need to head to the SE part of the state.....

#7 - GOOD LUCK!!!  State-Record Sandie (over 5 lbs) was caught before genetic testing was done on the fish.  If you study the picture of the supposed record Sandie, it's actually a missidentified Hybrid Striper.

#8 - Bristow City lake!

[Lord of the Fly , Rods]

  All this gar talk, hey they tear up your equipment, been there ,done that, but I have buddy that is moving into the sunken lands and is right across the road from a boat launch and I told him we would go for a boat ride on the river and the lake that was created the same day Reelfoot Lake was formed, during the New Madrid earthquake. Years ago people came from all over to fish for alligator gar and I know they are still in there so we may have to try our  luck, It's only 15 miles from the house, might be fun.  I had another buddy that had oscars in a fish tank,they looked tasty, anybody ever try one? LOFR

[Allen Morgan]

Are you talking about Caddo Lake???

Ever hear about the Caddo Lake Monster?

[Lord of the Fly , Rods]

Allen the place I'm talking about is the St Francis River where in 1930 someone caught a 350 pound alligator gar, been in there several times and it looks like a swamp in South Louisiana    LOFR

[Mark]

gar is real popular around my area, fishing guides get top dollar to take folks out after the alligator gar. got one when i was about 12 on a rod and reel. didnt know what i had cranked him in like crazy till the splashes started. then i  leaned the rod back to bring him up toward me and next thing i knew a mouth full of teeth was coming my way. being a freaked out kid i let go of the whole rig, rod reel line hook and fish. i keep hearing about carp that get pretty hefty id like to hunt some down. 

[John Sheehan]

Carp on on my bucket list . Red suckers get good sized around here in NENJ and here's a real good one I got that I enjoyed catching on 4# test . These two as they are around the waters I fish .Just gotta learn to target ,put the time in and catch them.

[Jim Gronaw]

John...that's a pretty big one there. We have white suckers in our rivers. I once caught a 16 pound mirror carp while fishing for musky in the Potomac...fish was snagged in the tail with a Mepps spinner. I guess that one doesn't count! Ha Ha!

[Tony Livingston]

Wait........they make fish other than Bluegill???????

[Jim Gronaw]

I've been slummin' it for years and have caught spotted gar, bowfin, white suckers, fallfish and quillback carpsuckers and others. I fished for snakeheads on Marylands Mattawoman Creek last summer and drew a blank, although there are now guides who ply these great largemouth waters with a good chance of a 'Potomac Pike', or snakehead, being caught while fishing for bass. The northern snakehead is firmly entrenched in Potomac tributaries below DC and fish to 18 pounds have been caught. They are reported to be better tasting than walleye, and spectacular fighters, with brilliant coloration.

Quite a fish!