Cool stuff sandman! That's my idea of fun. I love stripers best, but I'll never limit myself with all this other cool stuff out there.
Had a blast this year and the learning curve is starting to go straight up. This was only my third season in the salt and the first that I really put some time in for bigger fish.
After a fun spring with hundreds of schoolies, I had a nice fall on the mass south shore, catching a bunch in the high teens and several in the low-to-mid twenty pound range. My largest was only around 24+lbs., but my career is just getting started!
Learned a few lessons, mostly regarding terminal tackle and proper line maintenance... you know, don't use 17lb. test around car size boulders and change your line more than once a season. Hey, I'm a freshwater guy, largemouth bass don't often spool you
Also, don't volunteer to help a friend move when bass and blues are pushing bait right up onto the shore and you could be out catching them. And the most important thing I learned is not to go to your sister-in-law's wedding in Florida while your fishing buddy is at home slaying 20-30lb. stripers 10 miles from your house (but if you go, take at least one day to check out the saltwater fishing on the Indian River down there... its sweet).
Anywho, that line thing cost me a couple of probable 30+lbers. All fish released.
I'll get in on this fun stuff...
Meanest, ugliest creature caught... a huge, ornery, jurassic snapping turtle while fishing live frogs in Canada. I was 8-9 years old and my dad was b#$%in' at me for getting snagged where there was nothing to be snagged on when the thing suddenly surfaced. We were fishing out of a 12' john boat and I have no doubt the thing could have bit thru the hull and sunk us. Made me think twice about swimming in the lake that year.
Second ugliest... John R caught a nuclear spider crab drifting an eel off Brant Point on Nantucket. The thing had like 10 legs and 3 claws and was the size of medium size dog. It started chasing us up the beach when it finally let go of the eel... alright, I'm stretching things a bit.
Best battle... a 17lb bluefish on an 8' lamiglas w/penn 5500 and 12lb. test. I was about ready to quit (kidding) when he finally gave up. Honorable mention... several 7-8lb. jack crevalle on light tackle on that beforementioned Indian River.
Not sure of my biggest fish... I caught a shark on my honeymoon in 1995 that was probably 40+lbs.
Geez, I went off on a tangent... sorry for puttin' everone to sleep. Have a great Holiday weekend folks.