101 Fishy things to do before you die!

[Freeeedom]

There are a few "before you die" lists around at the moment, places to visit, foods to try, things to experience etc, and the upcoming movie "The Bucket List" with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman has the same theme.

I thought it might be interesting to compile a list of fishing experiences that Ausfish members would put on such a list if they were to compile one.

Of course everyone's list will be different. For some number 1 might be "catch a legal fish, any fish!!!" For others the list may be more discriminating.

I'm sure "catch a mangrove jack" will be on quite a few lists, or "catch a big jew" or "metre plus barra" or many others, or even "learn how to catch beachworms" - but these won't appear on your list if you've already achieved them.

So let's see what the most popular things on the Ausfish lists will be.

Post your top 5 still to be achieved fishing experiences - even if they're already up there and I'll keep a progressive tally to see what comes up most frequently.

Here's my top 5

1. Catch a Murray cod (and let it go!)
2. Watch the sun set into the sea in the Kimberley
3. Catch a wild brown trout
4. Swim with a whale shark
5. Catch a wahoo

Cheers Freeeedom

[Cammy]

i have

1. Go deep sea fishing!!!!
2.Travel to NZ for a bit of trout fishing and saltwater fish also
3.Catch a nice size threadfin ( if i ever go to brissy river)
4.Catch my first bass ( in QLD)
5.catch my first cod

cam

[marty+jojo]

1. Catch a longtail tuna
2. Get back to Weipa
3. Go fish W.A
4. Get a Jewie on a soft plastic
5. Get back to Hinchinbrook
Marty.

[Jeremy87]

Come on guys lets be a bit more ambitous, the world is your fishing oyster.

1. Big gt on popper in new caledonia.
2. New Guinea black bass
3. An atlantic tarpon in the florida keys
4. Fish the amazon, not for any particular species but it just seems like a cool idea.
5. 1000lb black marlin

I can think of more, nile perch, tiger fish, a whole swag of big pelagics etc etc.

I wonder how much all that would cost. But then again i'm only 20 so i've got a long time to dream on.

[jtpython]

1. Be able to fish everyday
2. Be able to own my dream boat
3. Be able to live on the water
4. Be able to pull up anchor and drive anywhere around the coast and park up and enjoy fishing in a diffenrent spot whenever i want
5. Be able to eat seafood every night
Before i'm 40 this is LOL

[BR65]

1. Catch a bigger coral trout than my missus
2. Beat my PB for impoundment barra
3. Hook, land and release a jigged 100lb plus dogtooth
4. Hook, land and release a Toga off the surface on a popper
5. Hook, land and release a meter plus flathead
Fullfill all five of these, especially the first one, I can die a happy fisho
cheers
brian

[FNQCairns]

Spear a Spanish and catch a decent sized Black Bass.

Would also like to catch a sail, it's been a long time.

cheers fnq

[imnotoriginal]

I like your list Jeremy, I think I'd also add
1. learn to fly fish
2. Use said skills to target bonefish in the Florida Keys
3. And Milkfish up in Darwin like Set the Hook.
4. Find a completely new technique for targetting a well known species
5. Write a fishing article and get it published.
Joel

[Cammy]

well for outa state
i would first go for a fish at alaska for some Pike for sure,
then over to where the nile perch are (i have sorta set this trip up for me and a mate)
then to NZ

cam

[Lovey80]

I'm sure I'll add ones to this list as I tick them off!

1. Catch a metre plus Flat head
2. Catch a 65+ jack in shore
3. Catch a large King in Shallow water on Popper
4. Catch a Yellowfin Tuna on spin gear
5. Travel from NQ through the top end to broome over the dry and what ever comes my way. (hopefully ticking some off the list as i go)

Cheers Chris

[Vindicator]

At the moment I would like to calm the seas just for a few days in a row. Will let you all know when I have ticked it off!

Cheers
Kezza

[poundalead]

1. Catch a 40cm+ Whiting on a popper
2. Go on a trip to the Swaines
3. Go on a trip aboard Nomad
4. Catch a 10kg+ Red out of my boat
5. Upgrade current boat to a custom built one
6. Get soft plastics wired (sorry im dislexic)

[theclick]

1. When im old and retired (a while off at atleast 35 years) , Id love to be able to relax with my wife (if i have one) in a small sea side town and fish whenever the hell i want. Not a hassle in the world. I dont care for big fish, just discovering what is lurking beneath

[PinHead]

I could die tomorrow and not have any regrets..boating and fishing is just a pastime for me..got a great wife..2 good kids and 2 grandkids and another on the way...so nothing else really matters.

If anything fishing related..Monster Fishing.

[Keechie]

1. Fish the rolley shoales(Western Australia) for my 21st birthday
2. Bream on a lure over 40cm
3. Metre plus flathead on a lure
4. Get a pro bream boat
5. Catch a Marlin

regards,
keechie

[Cobia Kid]

Im pretty well happy catching bigger fish then my old man..
:D:D
oh and a 65ft gamefisher boat would go down a treat

[thesav]

The simple things are always the best:
1 Spend a week with a few mates fishing the banks of the Thompson, Barcoo or Condamine rivers - and this will happen in next 12 months after the wonderful rain.
2 Finally catch a barra from Monduran
3 Finally catch a Toga from Borumba
4 & 5 repeat 2 of above several times.
Regards
Sav

[Dan5]

Mine would be a black bass on lure or fly and to go back to the kimberly and Rowly shoal.Dan...........

[NAGG]

There have been some great ones so far:P
my top 10 would include

Bay of Islands NZ .... Big Snapper & Kings off the stones
Lord Howe Is...... Return visit
Madang PNG ..... Return Visit
Kimberly's ...... Incl Broome & Rowley Shoals
Alaska / Canada ...... Salmon
Nova Scotia ..... 500lb + Bluefin Tuna
Bougainville ..... Black Bass
Whyalla SA .... Snapper
Barrier Reef ...... Long range charter ( Cooktown to Seisa)
Hook up the boat & fish the rest of Australia
8-) 8-) 8-)
Nagg

[baitwaster]

1. Jewfish ( any bloody jewfish will do )
2. Find spot X
3. metre barra
4. Sailfish
5. spear something

[mwilko]

1 live to see the day murray cod are made only c&r in the rivers
2 catch and release a metre murray cod
3 murray cod on fly
4 fish an arnham land river
5 png black bass

[el_carpo]

You're probably not familiar with some of these species, but my list for fish I'd like to catch are:

1. 20 inch smallmouth bass
2. ANY sized chinook salmon (been trying for 8 years now--it's truly pitiful)
3. 15 inch yellow perch
4. A big musky or northern pike would be nice
5. A big striper or hybrid striper

Heck, who am I kidding? I'd even love to catch a big carp or catfish.


That's the realistic wish list.

My dream list would be:

1. Barramundi
2. Peacock bass
3. Australian bass, redfin perch, cod, yellowbelly (those freshwater fish you guys have)
4. PNG black bass
5. :idea: One of those talking / wish granting fish from those old Chinese folk stories.;D

6. :idea::idea::idea: Maybe some good-looking mermaid chicks :gorgeous:


I know, I know.......I'm a :dunce:

[bdowdy]

my list would be 1- ANY BILLFISH, 2-another metre cod (CLOSE OR 100LB) ,ANICE MANGROVE JACK ,METRE BARRA, BLACK BASS OF NEW GUINEA, cheers bdowdy

[major-defect]

Hmmm I'd say
1 metre plus barra
2 metre plus jew
3 png bass
4 do a trip right across the top end to the Kimberly
5 20kg plus GT
I'm sure this could change a bit though.

[Freeeedom]

What a lot of great ideas. I'm currently trying to organise them into a single list, which isn't easy when you see the diversity involved. Keep 'em coming - too much time on my hands with the weather like it is!!!!
Cheers Freeeedom

[B_E_N]

1- sight fishing to marlin in shallow water on fly or light spin gear
2- flyfish for bones on chritmas island
3- pop a 60kg + GT on spin
4- jeremy beat me to it but amazon adventure for peacock bass
5- Cuba fly fishing for XOS tarpon, bones and permit

[Freeeedom]

Here's a complete list so far with a few categories, each ranked by number of times mentioned. I'll update it as more come in
Cheers Freeeedom


100 Fishy things to do before you die

Species

1- Black bass of New Guinea, PNG black bass, PNG black bass. black bass on lure or fly, catch a decent sized Black Bass, New Guinea black bass
2- Metre barra, Barramundi, metre barra, a barra from Monduran, Beat my PB for impoundment barra
3- Catch a metre plus Flat head, Metre plus flathead on a lure, Hook, land and release a meter plus flathead
4- Catch a Murray cod (and let it go!), catch and release a metre Murray cod, Murray cod on fly
5- Get a Jewie on a soft plastic, Jewfish ( any bloody jewfish will do)
6- metre cod (close or 100lb), catch my first cod (what type?; fresh/salt?)
7- A nice mangrove jack, Catch a 65+ jack in shore
8- a Toga (saratoga) from Borumba, Hook, land and release a Toga off the surface on a popper
9- Nile perch, where the Nile perch are
10- 1000lb black marlin, Catch a Marlin
11- catch a sail(fish), Sailfish
12- 40cm+ bream on a lure
13- Catch a 40cm+ Whiting on a popper
14- Catch a bigger coral trout than my missus
15- Catch a nice size threadfin
16- Catch a wahoo
17- Catch a wild brown trout
18- Catch my first bass ( in QLD)
19- - Catch a 10kg+ Red out of my boat
20- Big gt on popper in New Caledonia.
21- Catch a large King in Shallow water on Popper
22- Milkfish on fly up in Darwin
23- Any billfish
24- Catch a longtail tuna
25- Hook, land and release a jigged 100lb plus dogtooth
26- Catch a Yellow fin Tuna on spin gear
27- Australian bass, redfin perch, cod, yellowbelly (those freshwater fish you guys have)
28- bonefish on fly in the Florida Keys
29- An Atlantic tarpon in the Florida keys
30- tiger fish (Africa)
31- 20 inch smallmouth bass
32- ANY sized Chinook salmon
33- 15 inch yellow perch
34- A big musky or northern pike would be nice
35- A big striper or hybrid striper
36- a big carp or catfish
37- Peacock bass
38-
39-

Locations


40- Kimberly’s...... incl Broome & Rowley Shoals, Kimberley and Rowley shoal, Fish the Rowley shoals(Western Australia) for my 21st birthday, Watch the sun set into the sea in the Kimberley
41- fish NZ, Travel to NZ for a bit of trout fishing and saltwater fish also, Bay of Islands NZ .... Big Snapper & Kings off the stones
42- Go fish W.A
43- Get back to Weipa
44- Go on a trip to the Swains (reefs)
45- Whyalla SA.... Snapper
46- Barrier Reef...... Long range charter ( Cooktown to Seisa)
47- Spend a week with a few mates fishing the banks of the Thompson, Barcoo or Condamine rivers
48- fish an Arnhem land river
49- Find spot X
50- Get back to Hinchinbrook
51- Lord Howe Is...... Return visit
52- Madang PNG..... Return Visit
53- Alaska / Canada...... Salmon
54- Nova Scotia..... 500lb + Bluefin Tuna
55- Bougainville..... Black Bass
56- Hook up the boat & fish the rest of Australia
57- Travel from NQ through the top end to Broome over the dry and what ever comes my way.
58- Fish the Amazon, not for any particular species but it just seems like a cool idea.
59- fish Alaska for some Pike

Techniques & Tackle

60- Find a completely new technique for targeting a well known species
61- learn to fly fish
62- Be able to own my dream boat
63- Spear a Spanish
64- Go deep sea fishing!!!!
65- 65ft gamefisher boat would go down a treat
66- spear something
67- Get a pro bream boat
68- Get soft plastics wired
69- Go on a trip aboard Nomad
70- Upgrade current boat to a custom built one

Lifestyle


71- At the moment I would like to calm the seas just for a few days in a row. Will let you all know when I have ticked it off!
72- When I’m old and retired (a while off at least 35 years) , Id love to be able to relax with my wife (if I have one) in a small sea side town and fish whenever the hell I want.
73- Be able to fish everyday
74- Be able to live on the water
75- Be able to pull up anchor and drive anywhere around the coast and park up and enjoy fishing in a different spot whenever I want
76- Be able to eat seafood every night
77- Swim with a whale shark



Miscellaneous

78- catching bigger fish than my old man
79- Write a fishing article and get it published.
80- One of those talking / wish granting fish from those old Chinese folk stories.
81- Maybe some good-looking mermaid chicks
82- Live to see the day Murray cod are made only c&r in the rivers

[Silent]

Mine would be:
1. Cray fishing at tassie
2. King crabs at bering sea
3. PNG black bass
4. 1m plus snapper
5. 1m plus barra

[Freeeedom]

Thanks Silent - that's the first time Tassie's got a mention. I thought some of the huge Tassie trout from the lower Franklin or Lake Pedder might have got a mention before now. I'll update the full list in a day or so
Cheers Freeeedom

[aussiebasser]

I guess we all have the dreams of fishing nirvana. I've had them since I was a kid. Late last year I had a bit of a problem with a coupla blocked arteries and ended up with a spell in hospital and a gouple of operations. This put the wind up my partner a bit and she decided to surprise me for my 50th birthday a couple of weeks ago. In July this year we're going to New Guinea to fish for Black Bass. Next year we're goin' on a round the world trip which is mainly fishing oriented. We get 5 international stops and we're currently sorting out exactly what we'll do but it looks like the following:

Egypt, Lake Nassar Nile Perch
Venezuala, Peacock Bass, Piranah
Chicago, Drive Route 66 to LA doing some Large Mouth Bass fishing along the way. Domestic flight to Florida for Tarpon.
Rome, just to see some old stuff.
Maldives or Christmas Island, Bonefish.

Last Saturday I had my daughter's present, which was 8 laps in a V8 at Willowbank, that was pretty awesome too.

[Why-ting]

1. PNG Black Bass
2. 1m of Murry cod
3. Big popper muching GT
4. 65cm + estuary red devil
5. Nile Perch

[Luke mcleod]

1 Get atleast 1 decent big barra out at awoonga.
2 actually land one of the big gt's i have been hooking upto on popper
3 go to NT
4 be able to find a taxidermist in QLD when i bag my first metre plus impoundment barra (wouldnt keep a salty)

[tunaticer]

1 To have an endless stream nearby to flyfish wild trout in.
2 To have a holiday house with boat waiting for me at Stanage Bay.
3 To have the health and time to enjoy every single time i go fishing.
4 To be fishing at the last day of this century is a good goal
5 Making every effort to see these come true

Jack.

[Dirtysanchez]

I would just like the time to be able to actually go out fishing, locally, get into a regular routine where I could understand the seasons and what fish are biting, for example, take a tinny out in winter and catch a few squire or snapper, then in the spring / summer catch some whiting and flatties :-/

Is it that easy to tell I read more about fishing than actually doing it ? :-[

[mattooty]

1-Catch a marlin landbased on the north coast (NSW)
2-Yellowfin tuna over 40kg landbased
3-Nomad charter
4-Jew over 25kg on lure
5-Spanish mackeral on spin landbased.

As you can see my list is fairly land based orientated. I feel most of my list could be ticked off from a boat in under a decade but those 5 will have me going for the rest of my life i reckon (im only 18)

[Dezzer]

1. Catch something, anything, decent in the Brissie River!!

[Freeeedom]

Updated list. We only need four more to reach the 101. (Isn't there anyone who wants to learn to catch a surf worm before they die?)

There is a bit of duplication because if the fish was named first it went into the species list, if the location was named first it went into the location list.

Cheers Freeeedom

100 Fishy things to do before you die

Species

1- Black bass of New Guinea, PNG black bass, PNG black bass. black bass on lure or fly, catch a decent sized Black Bass, New Guinea black bass, PNG black bass, PNG Black Bass
2- Metre barra, Barramundi, metre barra, a barra from Monduran, Beat my PB for impoundment barra, 1m plus barra, Get at least 1 decent big barra out at Awoonga.
3- Catch a metre plus Flat head, Metre plus flathead on a lure, Hook, land and release a meter plus flathead
4- Catch a Murray cod (and let it go!), catch and release a metre Murray cod, Murray cod on fly, 1m of Murray cod
5- Nile perch, where the Nile perch are, Nile Perch
6- Get a Jewie on a soft plastic, Jewfish ( any bloody jewfish will do), Jew over 25kg on lure
7- Big gt on popper in New Caledonia, Big popper munching GT, actually land one of the big gt's i have been hooking up to on popper
8- A nice mangrove jack, Catch a 65+ jack in shore, 65cm + estuary red devil
9- 1000lb black marlin, Catch a Marlin, Catch a marlin landbased on the north coast (NSW)
10- metre cod (close or 100lb), catch my first cod (what type?; fresh/salt?)
11- a Toga (saratoga) from Borumba, Hook, land and release a Toga off the surface on a popper
12- Catch a 10kg+ Red out of my boat, 1m plus snapper
13- catch a sail(fish), Sailfish
14- 40cm+ bream on a lure
15- Catch a 40cm+ Whiting on a popper
16- Catch a bigger coral trout than my missus
17- Catch a nice size threadfin
18- Catch a wahoo
19- Catch a wild brown trout
20- Catch my first bass ( in QLD)
21- Spanish mackerel on spin land based.
22- Catch a large King in Shallow water on Popper
23- Milkfish on fly up in Darwin
24- Any billfish
25- Catch a longtail tuna
26- Hook, land and release a jigged 100lb plus dogtooth
27- Catch a Yellow fin Tuna on spin gear
28- Australian bass, redfin perch, cod, yellowbelly (those freshwater fish you guys have)
29- bonefish on fly in the Florida Keys
30- An Atlantic tarpon in the Florida keys
31- tiger fish (Africa)
32- 20 inch smallmouth bass
33- ANY sized Chinook salmon
34- 15 inch yellow perch
35- A big musky or northern pike would be nice
36- A big striper or hybrid striper
37- a big carp or catfish
38- Peacock bass
39- Cray fishing at tassie
40- King crabs at Bering sea
41- Catch something, anything, decent in the Brissie River!!

Locations


42- Kimberly’s...... incl Broome & Rowley Shoals, Kimberley and Rowley shoal, Fish the Rowley shoals(Western Australia) for my 21st birthday, Watch the sun set into the sea in the Kimberley
43- fish NZ, Travel to NZ for a bit of trout fishing and saltwater fish also, Bay of Islands NZ .... Big Snapper & Kings off the stones
44- Go fish W.A
45- Get back to Weipa
46- Go on a trip to the Swains (reefs)
47- Whyalla SA.... Snapper
48- Barrier Reef...... Long range charter ( Cooktown to Seisa)
49- Spend a week with a few mates fishing the banks of the Thompson, Barcoo or Condamine rivers
50- fish an Arnhem land river
51- Find spot X
52- Get back to Hinchinbrook
53- Lord Howe Is...... Return visit
54- Madang PNG..... Return Visit
55- Alaska / Canada...... Salmon
56- Nova Scotia..... 500lb + Bluefin Tuna
57- Bougainville..... Black Bass
58- Hook up the boat & fish the rest of Australia
59- Travel from NQ through the top end to Broome over the dry and what ever comes my way.
60- Fish the Amazon, not for any particular species but it just seems like a cool idea.
61- fish Alaska for some Pike
62- Egypt, Lake Nasser Nile Perch
63- Venezuela, Peacock Bass, Piranha
64- Chicago, Drive Route 66 to LA doing some Large Mouth Bass
65- Florida for Tarpon.
66- Maldives or Christmas Island, Bonefish.
67- go to NT

Techniques & Tackle

68- Find a completely new technique for targeting a well known species
69- learn to fly fish
70- Be able to own my dream boat
71- Spear a Spanish
72- Go deep sea fishing!!!!
73- 65ft gamefisher boat would go down a treat
74- spear something
75- Get a pro bream boat
76- Get soft plastics wired
77- Go on a trip aboard Nomad, Nomad charter
78- Upgrade current boat to a custom built one
79- be able to find a taxidermist in QLD when i bag my first metre plus impoundment barra (wouldn’t keep a salty)

Lifestyle


80- At the moment I would like to calm the seas just for a few days in a row. Will let you all know when I have ticked it off!
81- When I’m old and retired (a while off at least 35 years) , Id love to be able to relax with my wife (if I have one) in a small sea side town and fish whenever the hell I want.
82- Be able to fish everyday
83- Be able to live on the water
84- Be able to pull up anchor and drive anywhere around the coast and park up and enjoy fishing in a different spot whenever I want
85- Be able to eat seafood every night
86- Swim with a whale shark
87- To have an endless stream nearby to fly-fish wild trout in.
88- To have a holiday house with boat waiting for me at Stanage Bay
89- To have the health and time to enjoy every single time i go fishing.
90- To be fishing at the last day of this century is a good goal
91- Making every effort to see these come true
92- I would just like the time to be able to actually go out fishing, locally, get into a regular routine where I could understand the seasons and what fish are biting, for example, take a tinny out in winter and catch a few squire or snapper, then in the spring / summer catch some whiting and flatties



Miscellaneous

93- catching bigger fish than my old man
94- Write a fishing article and get it published.
95- One of those talking / wish granting fish from those old Chinese folk stories.
96- Maybe some good-looking mermaid chicks
97- Live to see the day Murray cod are made only c&r in the rivers

[fish_on]

1 - spend a month at the kimberleys fishing and camping
2 - fish the rowley sholes
3 - catch a massive gt on a popper off the beach up at weipa
4 - catch a metre salty barra somewhere in the nt or far nth qld
5 - catch a jack 65+ on a lure ( i can only dream )

look forward to doing all those things and more before i die

[tunaticer]

I reckon having a mud crab on monday for lunch
king prawns on tuesday for dinner
whiting on wednesday for dinner
roast beef on thursday for lunch
pasta on friday for dinner
sand crabs on saturday for brunch
and on sunday having the kids feed me something interesting for dinner would be about as good as it can get for the rest of my life.

Jack.

[hoodunnit]

1 legal red emporer 2 cato reef 3 actually land a GT from Tuku ranch in Vila 4 any barra 5 seisa jetty.

[Horse]

I would like a

1 Dogtooth Tuna
2 Big Red
3 45cm+ Whiting
4 Murray Cod
5 Black Bass

The places I would like to fish would be
1 Kimberlies
2 PNG
3 Cato etc
4 Bottom bash off the shelf
5 Island Head Creek/Shoalwater Bay

[mad_pierre06]

1. Do a Mornington Is. week long trip.
2. A jack, any jack.
3. My knees come good so I can get back on the rocks.
4. A jewie in the surf on the worms I learned to catch.
5. Retire to a houseboat in Tin Can Bay.

[PaulMark]

Well I'd agree with all the above;
Personally,
1.Boat of choice
2.metre plus Barra,at last.
3.Learn to fly fish.
4.Trout NZ & Tassie
5.Swim with a Whale Shark.

Although as you tick em off,more creep in,so its never ending.Which is what lifes all about really.
Paulo.

[Tangles]

I've only one, to enjoy it!, includes family/friends/mates and solo,,,,
you guys can have the PB whiting/jack etc;

\ mike

[Reel Magic]

1 - A 10kg+ Snapper
2 - A 10kg + Red Emperor
3 - Catch a Marlin
4 - Fish Bay of Islands, NZ
5 - Fish Coruba shark hunt again, Napier, NZ.

Cheers Ryan.

[sammys]

1: the east cape of mexico for marlin,sailfish and tunas.
2: the long range boats out of san diego for 300lb yellowfin.
3:alaska for giant halibut and chinook salmon.
4:the rowley shoals for dogtooth tuna and gts.
5:lizard island for a grander black.

[t4topcat]

1. West coast of the Cape on a mothership
2. PNG Black bass and Spot Tail bass
3. Nomad charter
4. Cruise and camp the Kimberley

Cheers

Chris

[rockfisho]

1. 50 lb jewie from the beach or stones.
2. 15 lb snapper from the stones.
3. an 8lb+ tailor from anywhere.
4. catch a big barra
5. cant think of a good one yet

cheers

Owen

[Voda]

#1 What my kids grow up and experience & enjoy fishing as much as i have.
#2 Catch a Grand Black
#3 Get my STA Award with ANSA for tagging Jacks
#4 Go to PNG Catching Black Bass

#5 Uprade on my PB(97cm) Flathead.Only been trying for the last 14 years,one has to commit suicide sooner or later.

[reelemin1974]

1: black bass
2: salmon in canada
3: 50kg GT on popper
4: big mako shark
5: 20kg + jew on popper