I don't count fish like I used to, except for just a few species for now. The past couple years I've kept track of Koi, Goldfish, Grass Carp, and (new for this year) Bowfin.
I know Goldfish probably aren't on most anglers' radars....ever. I knew I needed just one more Goldfish to reach a lifetime goal of 200 on the fly rod. So...that was my goal for this trip.
I caught Goldfish from 3 different bodies of water this year. I ended up catching 15 Goldfish on this trip, which brought my lifetime tally to 214, and my single-year mark to 103. Last year I caught 87. Pretty cool, I think.
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As there were also Koi at the spot I fished, I caught 13 of those, which brought my single-year mark to 131. Last year was the first year I'd ever caught them, and I caught exactly 100 in 2021. So, the lifetime fly rod tally for Koi is now 231.
I may (or may not) fish here again this year, since it seems they will both keep hitting until the water freezes over (based on last year's experience).
Many of these I recognize as ones I've caught before. They get harder to catch each time, not easier. Thankfully, they at least play dumb once in awhile for me, so I can enjoy catching them again.
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I fish for anything and everything, it seems. Often, I'm flyfishing for carp, grass carp, gar, bowfin, catfish...all of which, to me, are pretty cool fish and challenging. Koi and Goldfish are so colorful and beautiful, they are a very welcome addition to my usual targets!
