2020 Species List

Here's the list for 2020.  A total of forty five species were caught. This total is my lowest annual species count since 2016 and is eighteen species less than the 2019 total of sixty three. I attribute this decline to the COVID-19 pandemic preventing me from participating in party boat fishing and limiting travel options. 

Twenty two species were caught in freshwater which is on par for most years. Only twenty five species were caught in saltwater which is the lowest number since 2014.  Two species, Brown Trout & Striped Bass, were caught in both fresh and salt water. 

The list includes just one new species or hybrid rather, the Splake, which is a cross between a Lake Trout and a Brook Trout. The list also includes two species that I haven’t caught in recent years, the Oyster Toadfish and Weakfish.

Although the species counts were a disappointment, not so were the size of a few of the fish caught in 2020.  Here are my new Personal Bests caught in 2020 (photos of these fish were used for the Species List).

Brook Trout:          18 inches/2.5 pounds             Caught while ice fishing in Maine

Northern Pike:          35 inches/11.6 pounds     Caught while ice fishing in Maine

Largemouth Bass:       20 inches/5.4 pounds     Caught from shore in Wareham, MA

Hickory Shad:            22 inches             Caught from shore in Mashpee, MA

Weakfish:         26 inches             Caught from a kayak in Mashpee, MA

Smallmouth Bass:        21 inches             Caught from shore in Mashpee, MA

All species are listed by one or more common names followed by the scientific name.  The number indicates how many were caught during the year. Letters following the number indicate mode of fishing (see key).  Also included are the locations where each species was caught in 2020.

Mode Key:

K  kayak, canoe, or rowboat

SH shore

MB private motorboat

PB party boat

CH charter boat

IF ice fishing

1. Alewife (aka River Herring), Alodsa pseudoharengus (1) SH

Location(s): Cape Cod Canal

2. Atlantic Cod, Gadus morhua (1) MB

Location(s): Browns Ledge 

Top: Atlantic Cod, Bottom Left: Black Sea Bass, Bottom Right: Bluefish

3. Atlantic Mackerel, Scomber scombrus (22)  SH

Location(s): Cape Cod Canal

4. Black Sea Bass, Centropristis striata (320) MB, SH, K

Location(s): Westport MA, Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA, Browns Ledge, Old Silver Beach Falmouth MA, Parker River Yarmouth MA

5. Bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (35) SH, K, MB

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA, Westport MA,

Top: Atlantic Cod, Bottom Left: Black Sea Bass, Bottom Right: Bluefish

6. Blue Runner, Caranx crysos (1) K

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA

7. Brown Trout (Sea-run), Salmo trutta (7) SH

Location(s): Scorton Creek Sandwich MA

8. Cunner (aka Bergall, Choggie), Tautogolabrus adspersus  (29) K, MB, SH  

Location(s): Browns Ledge, Cape Cod Canal, Scorton Ledge

8. Fluke (aka Summer Flounder), Paralichthys dentatus (19) MB, K

Location(s): Westport MA, Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA

9. Grey Triggerfish, Batistes capriscus (1) MB

Location(s): Westport MA

10. Hickory Shad,  Alosa mediocris (30) K, SH

Location(s): Popponesset Bay Mashpee MA

11. Little Skate, Leucoraja erinacea (1)  K

Location(s):  Scorton Ledge

12. Menhaden (aka Bunker, Pogy), Brevoortia tyrannus (57) K, SH

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA, Popponesset Bay Mashie MA

13. Mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus (1) SH 

Location(s): Trunk River Falmouth MA

14. Northern Puffer, Sphoeroides maculatus (1) K

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA

15. Oyster Toadfish, F (1) SH 

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA

16. Sculpin, Myoxocephalus scorpius (1) MB

Location(s): Browns Ledge

17. Scup (aka Porgy), Stenotomus chysops (153) K, MB, SH  Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA, Westport MA, Browns Ledge

18. Silverside, Menida menida (1) SH 

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA, Cape Cod Canal

19. Smooth Dogfish, Mustelus canis (2) MB, K

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA, Old Silver Beach Falmouth MA

20. Spanish Mackerel, Scomberomorus maculatus (1) SH

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA

21. Striped Bass, Morone saxatilis (97) K, SH, MB

Location(s): Popponesset Bay Mashpee MA, Cape Cod Canal, Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA

22. Striped Sea Robin, Prionotus evolans (38) K, MB

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA, Westport MA, Old Silver Beach Falmouth MA

23. Tautog, Tautoga onitis (112) MB

Location(s): Westport MA, Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA

24. Weakfish (aka Squeteague), Cynoscion regalis (1) K

Location(s): Mashpee MA

25. Winter Flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus (1)  K

Location(s):  Scorton Ledge

Freshwater

1. Banded Kilifish (4) SH

Location(s): Johns Pond Mashpee MA

2. Black Crappie (aka Calico Bass),  Pomoxis nigromaculatus (2) K

Location(s): Coonamesset Pond Falmouth MA

3. Bluegill Sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus (4) SH, K

Location(s): Pocasset River Bourne MA, Lake Rico Taunton MA, Flax Pond Bourne MA

4. Brook Trout, Salvelinus fontinalis  (11) SH, K, IF

Location(s): Big Wood Pond Jackman ME, Peters Pond Sandwich MA, Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA, Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Mashie MA

5. Brown Bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus (2) SH

Location(s): Santuit Pond Mashie MA

6. Brown Trout, Salmo trutta (50) SH

Location(s): Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA, Hamblin Pond Barnstable MA, Pimlico Pond Sandwich MA, Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Mashpee MA, Peters Pond Sandwich MA

7. Burbot (aka Cusk), Lota lota (2) IF

Location(s): Lake Winnipesaukee NH

8. Chain Pickerel, Esox niger  (19) IF  

Location(s): Santuit Pond Mashpee MA, Pocassett River Bourne MA, Lake Winnipesaukee NH, Red Brook Pond Bourne MA

9. Fallfish, Semotilus corporalis (4)  IF, K

Location(s): Big Wood Pond Jackman ME, Moose River Jackman ME

10. Golden Shiner, Notemigonus crysoleucas (1) K

Location(s): Pocassett River Bourne MA

11. Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides  (12) SH 

Location(s): Mill Pond Wareham MA, Red Brook Pond Bourne MA,  Santuit Pond Mashpee MA,  Coonamesset Pond Falmouth MA

12. Landlocked Salmon, Salmo salar sebego (8) IF 

Location(s): Lake Winnipesaukee NH, Big Wood Pond Jackman ME

13. Northern Pike, Esox lucius (3) IF

Location(s): Sabattus Pond Sabattus ME

14. Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Lepomis gibbosus (2)  SH

Location(s): Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA, Big Wood Pond Jackman ME

15. Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss  (20) SH, K 

Location(s): Hamblin Pond Barnstable MA, Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA, Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Mashpee MA, Scargo Lake Dennis MA

16. Redbreast Sunfish, Lepomis auritus  (1) SH 

Location(s): Taunton River Taunton MA

17. Smallmouth Bass, Micropterus dolomieu (20) SH, K

Location(s): Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA, Big Wood Pond Jackman ME, Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Mashie MA

18. Splake Trout, Salvelinus fontinalis X Salvelinus namaycush Hybrid (2) IF

Location(s): Big Wood Pond Jackman ME

19. Striped Bass, Morone saxatilis (1) K

Location(s): Taunton River Taunton MA

20. Tiger Trout, Salvelinus fontinalis X Salmo trutta Hybrid (2) SH

Location(s): Peters Pond Sandwich MA

21. White Perch, Morone americanus  (4) SH

Location(s): Santuit Pond Mashie MA

22. Yellow Perch, Perca flavescens  (130) IF, SH, K

Location(s): Lake Winnipesaukee Moultonborough NH, Mill Pond Wareham MA, Pimlico Pond Sandwich MA, Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA, Santuit Pond Mashpee MA,  Johns Pond Mashpee MA, Red Brook Pond Bourne MA, Shubael Pond Barnstable MA, Big Wood Pond Jackman ME