2018 Species List

Top - Pollock (aka Coalfish),  Bottom - European Pollock
County Clare, Ireland
May 30, 2018

One of the most satisfying aspects of fishing is the pursuit of different species.  My goal is to catch as many species as I can in one year.  This approach is similar to the activities of birdwatchers.  My birdwatching past is what inspired me to take a species diversification approach to fishing.

Here's the list for 2018.  A total of sixty three species were caught; twenty six in freshwater and thirty eight in saltwater. One species, Brown Trout, was caught in both fresh and salt water. The list includes two new species, European Ling and European Pollock.  Both were caught on a fishing excursion off the West Coast of Ireland.  The list also includes quite few species that I haven’t caught in a number of years.  Some examples of these are Burbot, Rock Bass, White Sucker, Bonito, Chub Mackerel, and Needlefish to name a few. 

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 2018.

Mode Key:

K  Kayak

SH Shore

MB Private Motorboat

PB Party Boat

CH Charter Boat

IF Ice Fishing

Saltwater

Winter Flounder and Atlantic Mackerel
Scorton Creek in Sandwich, MA
July 1, 2018

Alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus (5) SH

Location(s): Cape Cod Canal

Atlantic Cod,  Gadus morhua (7) PB

Location(s): Stellwagen Bank, Northeast of Stellwagen Bank 

Atlantic Herring, Clupea harengus (4) MB, SH

Location(s): Cape Cod Bay, Cape Cod Canal

Atlantic Mackerel, Scomber scombrus (122) CH, SH, MB, K, PB

Location(s): Cape Cod Canal, Cape Cod Bay, County Clare Ireland, Scorton Ledge, Coxes Ledge

Black Sea Bass, Centropristis striata (289) K, MB, SH, PB, CH

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA, Westport MA, Coxes Ledge, Woods Hole MA

Bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix (52) K, SH, MB

Location(s): Popponesset Bay Mashpee MA, Westport MA, Woods Hole MA, Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA, Dowses Beach Osterville MA, Oregon Beach Cotuit MA

Blue Runner, Caranx crysos (3) K, SH

Location(s): Dowses Beach Osterville MA

Bonito, Sarda sarda (60) SH

Location(s): Cape Cod Canal

Brown Trout (Sea-run), Salmo trutta (13) SH

Location(s): Scorton Creek Sandwich MA

Chub Mackerel, Scomber colias (5) (SH)

Location(s): Cape Cod Canal

Cunner (aka Choggie), Tautogolabrus adspersus  (37) PB, SH, MB, PB  

Location(s): Coxes Ledge, Cape Cod Canal, High Pine Ledge, Plymouth Bay, Scorton Ledge, Woods Hole

Cusk, Brosme brosme (2) PB

Location(s): Northeast of Stellwagen Bank

European Ling Molva molva (2) CH

Location(s): County Clare Ireland

European Pollock Pollachius pollachius (18) CH

Location(s): County Clare Ireland

Fluke (aka Summer Flounder), Paralichthys dentatus (11) MB, K, SH

Location(s): Westport MA, Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA, Dowses Beach Osterville MA, Woods Hole MA

Grey Triggerfish, Batistes capriscus (1) MB

Location(s): Westport MA

Haddock, Melanogrammus aeglefinus (51) PB

Location(s): Stellwagen Bank, Northeast of Stellwagen Bank, Coxes Ledge

Hickory Shad,  Alosa mediocris (1) SH

Location(s): Popponesset Bay Mashpee MA

Menhaden (aka Bunker, Pogy), Brevoortia tyrannus (7) SH, K

Location(s): Popponesset Bay Mashpee MA, Cape Cod Canal

Mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus (2) SH 

Location(s): Red Brook Mashpee MA

Needlefish, Strongylura marina (2) (SH)

Location(s): Westport River, Menehaunt Beach East Falmouth MA

Northern Kingfish, Menticirrhus saxatilis (2) K

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

Northern Puffer, Sphoeroides maculatus (2) K

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA

Northern Sea Robin, Prionotus carolinus (1) K

Location(s): Woods Hole MA 

Pinfish, Lagodon rhomboidalis (1) K

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA

Pollock (aka Coalfish), Pollachius virens  (26) PB, MB, K 

Location(s): Coxes Ledge, County Clare Ireland, Plymouth Bay, Scorton Ledge Sandwich MA

Red Hake (aka Ling), Urophycis chuss (10) PB

Location(s): Stellwagen Bank, Coxes Ledge

Sculpin, Myoxocephalus scorpius (5) PB, K

Location(s): Stellwagen Bank,  High Pine Ledge, Plymouth Bay, Scorton Ledge Sandwich MA

Scup (aka Porgy), Stenotomus chysops (189) K, PB, MB, SH

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA, Woods Hole MA, Popponesset Bay Mashpee MA, Westport MA, Browns Ledge, Coxes Ledge

Silverside, Menida menida (9) K,SH 

Location(s): Bass River Yarmouth MA, Woods Hole MA

Smooth Dogfish, Mustelus canis (1) K, MB

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

Spiny Dogfish, Squalus acanthias (9) PB

Location(s):  Northeast of Stellwagen Bank, Coxes Ledge

Striped Bass, Morone saxatilis (71) K, SH, MB

Location(s): Popponesset Bay Mashpee MA, Cape Cod Canal, Westport MA, Plymouth Bay, Woods Hole MA

Striped Sea Robin, Prionotus evolans (56) K, SH, MB

Location(s): Megansett Harbor North Falmouth MA, Popponesset Bay Mashpee MA, Westport MA, Cape Cod Bay, Bass River Yarmouth MA, Woods Hole MA

Tautog, Tautoga onitis (5) MB

Location(s): Westport MA

Whiting (aka Silver Hake), Merluccius bilinearis (8) PB

Location(s): Plymouth Bay, Stellwagen Bank

Winter Flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus (5) K, PB

Location(s): Scorton Ledge Sandwich MA, Cape Cod Bay

Freshwater

Ice Fishing Tip Up on Scargo Lake in Dennis MA
January 9, 2018

American Eel, Anguilla rostrata (1) SH

Location(s): Santuit Pond Mashie MA

Black Crappie,  Pomoxis nigromaculatus (1) IF

Location(s): Long Pond Lakeville MA

Bluegill Sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus (33) SH

Location(s): Beaver Pond Franklin MA,  Flax Pond Bourne MA, Upper Artichoke Reservior West Newbury MA, Mill Pond West Newbury MA, Oyster River Durham NH, Lamprey River Durham NH, Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA

Bridle Shiner, Notropis bifrenatus (1) SH

Location(s): Oyster River Durham NH

Brook Trout, Salvelinus fontinalis  (5) IF, SH

Location(s): Hathaway Pond Barnstable MA, Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA

Brown Bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus (1) SH

Location(s): Santuit Pond Mashie MA

Brown Trout, Salmo trutta (18) SH

Location(s): Pimlico Pond Sandwich MA, Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Mashpee MA, Hamblin Pond Barnstable MA, Aille River County Clare Ireland, Scargo Lake Dennis MA, Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA

Burbot (aka Cusk), Lota lota (5) IF

Location(s): Lake Winnipesaukee NH

Chain Pickerel, Esox niger  (33) IF, SH  

Location(s): Hoxie Pond Sandwich MA, Santuit Pond Mashpee MA, Long Pond Lakeville MA, Lake Nipennicket Bridgewatewr MA, Beaver Pond Franklin MA, Lake Winnipesaukee NH, Flax Pond Bourne MA

Common Shiner, Luxilus cornutus (4) SH

Location(s): Andrew Brook Newbury NH, Oyster River Durham NH

Creek Chub, Semotilus atromaculatus (3) SH

Location(s): Andrew Brook Newbury NH

Eurasian Perch, Perca fluviatilis (9) SH

Location(s): River Fergus Ennis Ireland

Fallfish, Semotilus corporalis (10) IF, SH

Location(s): Lake Winnipesaukee NH, Spicket River Salem NH, Oyster River Durham NH, Andrew Brook Newbury NH

Golden Shiner, Notemigonus crysoleucas (17) K

Location(s): Santuit Pond Mashie Ma

Lake Trout, Salvelinus namaycush (4) IF

Location(s): Lake Winnipesaukee NH

Landlocked Salmon, Salmo salar sebego (2) IF 

Location(s): Lake Winnipesaukee NH

Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides  (29) IF, SH 

Location(s): Long Pond Lakeville MA, Flax Pond Bourne MA, Santuit Pond Mashpee, Spicket River Salem NH, Pimlico Pond Sandwich MA, Isinglass River Barrington NH, Scargo Lake Dennis MA, Hathaway Pond Barnstable MA, Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA

Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Lepomis gibbosus (26)  SH

Location(s): Santuit Pond Mashpee, Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Mashpee MA, Pimlico Pond Sandwich MA, Mascoma Lake Enfield NH, Hartshorn Pond Milford NH, Cocheco River Dover NH, Lamprey River Durham NH, Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA

Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss  (32) IF, SH 

Location(s): Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA, Mares Pond Falmouth MA, Johns Pond Mashpee MA, Long Pond Yarmouth MA, Hamblin Pond Barnstable MA, Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Mashpee MA, Pimlico Pond Sandwich MA

Redbreast Sunfish, Lepomis auritus  (17) SH 

Location(s): Spicket River Salem NH, Mascoma Lake Enfield NH, Isinglass River Barrington NH, Lamprey River Durham NH

Rock Bass, Ambloplites rupestris (1) SH

Location(s): Lake Sunapee NH

Smallmouth Bass, Micropterus dolomieu (11) SH

Location(s): Scargo Lake Dennis MA, Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Mashpee MA, Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA, Mascoma Lake Enfield NH

Tiger Trout, Salvelinus fontinalis X Salmo trutta Hybrid (1) K

Location(s): Hathaway Pond Barnstable MA

White Perch, Morone americanus  (17) IF, SH

Location(s): Scargo Lake Dennis MA, Heard Pond Wayland MA, Santuit Pond Mashpee MA, Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Mashpee MA, Johns Pond Mashie MA

White Sucker, Catostomus commersonii (9) SH

Location(s): Mashpee-Wakeby Pond Mashie MA

Yellow Perch, Perca flavescens (183) IF, SH

Location(s): Spectacle Pond Sandwich MA, Santuit Pond Mashpee, Ashumet Pond Falmouth MA, Hathaway Pond Barnstable MA, Long Pond Lakeville MA, Heard Pond Wayland MA, Lake Winnipesaukee NH, Quaboag Pond Brookfield MA, Pimlico Pond Sandwich MA, Flax Pond Bourne MA, Little Cliff Pond Brewster MA, Mascoma Lake Enfield NH, Cocheco River Dover NH

Species Hunting Adventures - Part 4: Summer Visitors And Success At Last!

Northern Puffer

September 12, 2018

By the end of the Summer the water in Buzzards Bay and Nantucket Sound gets warm enough to attract a host of warm water species.  This year was no exception.  The local fishing reports told of False Albacore blitzes all over Southern New England.  Stories of  exotic catches included southern species such as Snappers, King Mackerel, and Cobia.  Diversity of saltwater species is at a peak at this time of year.  With that in mind it was time to make another attempt at breaking my personal record of fourteen species caught in one day that was set last year in October.

Wood’s Hole Blitz

Kayaking the waters around Woods Hole would be a good way to start.  Lately I’d been catching small Striped Bass near rocky structure and a lot of Bluefish.  The warm water here also attracts a number of southern species as well as holding the usual resident bottom dwellers.

I arrived just before sunrise and paddled out past the docks. As I turned the corner near the National Marine Fisheries facility, the water suddenly erupted with breaking fish and diving birds.  I paddled towards the commotion and hurled a brightly colored Kastmaster at at some breaking fish.  Something grabbed the lure just as I started the retrieve.  Soon netted the day’s first fish, a medium sized Bluefish.  Caught a couple more Blues but none of the False Albacore that frequent this area in September.  

Next I paddled over towards a small rocky island in search of Striped Bass.  It didn’t take too long to catch one small schoolie.  Switched over to bottom fishing with bits of clam on a small hook.  Caught a very small Cunner near the island and a few Scup as I paddled back into more open water.  Switched over to using a clam baited Bucktail Jig bounced along the bottom.  Caught a couple of Black Sea Bass.  Stayed with the bucktail for a while hoping for a Fluke.  After catching more Sea Bass it was time to move on. Five species down with ten more to go.

Warm Water Exotics

Next stop was Megansett Harbor for more kayak fishing.  Started out with a hi-lo rig baited with clam.  As to be expected the pesky Scup started stealing the bait.     However I persisted as other species might also find the bait.  After releasing a bunch of Scup I reeled in a “double” of what at first appeared to be two Scup, one on each hook.  To my surprise one of the “Scup” was actually a Pinfish, a rare southern visitor to Cape Cod.  I caught Pinfish for the first time last year in North Carolina. 

Pinfish

Next I decided to use a baited bucktail jig to target Fluke and Sea Robins near a sandy beach.  Success followed and I pulled in two Fluke that measured 16 and 17 inches. 

Fluke

A warm water species commonly found on Cape Cod at this time of year is the Pufferfish.  Megansett Harbor is usually where I catch them.  To target the puffers I switched to a hi-lo rig with very small hooks and bits of clam.  Next I paddled closer to the beach where the water would be warmest   After a couple of drifts and a few tiny scup, I managed to catch species number eight, a Northern Puffer.  

I could have stayed a bit longer to try for a Sea Robin or a Kingfish, but decided instead to move on to some other spots that were a sure bet for catching more species. Next was a short visit to the Cape Cod Canal.  The Canal is loaded with small baitfish in September.  Using a Sabiki rig, it didn’t take long to catch a Silversides and a small Menahaden (a.k.a. peanut bunker). At this point the species count was ten, all of them from saltwater.  Only needed to catch five more species.  Targeting freshwater species seemed like the best strategy.  It was 3pm which would give me about four hours before dark. 

The Final Stretch

Drove a few miles to Spectacle Pond in Sandwich.  Used a sliding bobber rig with a small #12 hook baited with an earthworm.  I fished it close to shore and caught four Yellow Perch, two Pumpkinseed Sunfish, and one Smallmouth Bass.  Two more species to go!

Santuit Pond in Mashpee has a nice variety of freshwater species.  It’s too warm and shallow for trout but has an abundance of just about everything else.   I used two poles with sliding bobber rigs.  One was baited with an earthworm while the other had a live Killifish.  Before too long something grabbed the Killifish and swam off with the bait.   I counted to ten and then set the hook.  It was a Chain Pickerel.  Then a fish swam off with the worm on the other rod.  This time it was a Golden Shiner, species number fifteen. Finally succeeded in breaking my personal record for most fish caught in one day!   

After catching a few more shiners and one more pickerel, the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the water.  A prime time to catch White Perch.  As if on cue schools of perch started to break the surface chasing small baitfish.  So I finished the day by catching seven feisty White Perch and set a new personal record of sixteen species. 

White Perch

This record will be hard to beat.  More time is definitely required.  The long days of June will be best time to make another attempt.  The earlier in June the better because the trout might still be active.  Ocean kayaking is also a key to success, although the warm water summer visitors won’t be here yet.  However the longer day will allow me to kayak in more than just two saltwater locations. 

Until then I’m thinking that the next species hunt challenge could be largest number of species caught in one day of ice fishing.

List Of Species Caught On 9/12/18

1. Bluefish  
2. Scup  
3. Black Sea Bass  
4. Cunner  
5. Striped Bass
6. Pinfish 
7. Fluke   
8. Northern Puffer
9. Menhaden  
10. Silversides
11. Pumpkinseed Sunfish 
12. Yellow Perch  
13. Smallmouth Bass 
14. Chain Pickerel
15. Golden Shiner  
16. White Perch

August 15, 2018 Species Hunting Adventures - Part 3: Party Time!

Sunrise At Plymouth Harbor

East Of Stellwagen Bank With Captain John Boats 

Party boat fishing is great way to go far from shore and catch species that are usually out of reach to a shore or kayak fisherman.  It’s also fun, affordable, and hassle free.  I usually try to bring along other family members or friends and meet other passengers to converse with.  It’s a very sociable mode of fishing.  As for cost I only pay $44 with the senior discount for a six hour trip with Captain John Boats in Plymouth. Even if you add a tip for the mate it’s still pretty inexpensive. 

On this day I went alone on a six hour trip arriving at the harbor just in time watch an awesome sunrise.  The main targets would be Haddock and Hake.  It was a one and a half hour trip out to the fishing grounds which left about three hours of actual fishing time.  The boat provided clams for bait.  I brought along my own mackerel strips.   

I started with a rig that was purchased on a recent trip to Ireland, my “Irish Jigs”.  It has three hooks dressed with orange and pink attractors plus a few glow beads.  Using mackerel strips for bait I caught some Whiting, a small Cod, quite a few Red Hake and a couple Mackerel.  I kept using the same rig for about an hour then switched to a hi-lo rig with 4/0 hooks and green glow beads baited with clams.   This method seemed to work best for Haddock.  Caught two keeper Haddock (over 17 inches) and a few shorts. 

Red Hake

Whiting

The boat returned to Plymouth Harbor at 1 pm.  I had caught five species so far.  At this point I decided to make another attempt at breaking last year’s personal record of 14 species caught in a single day.  One advantage was the fact that four of the five were species that I wouldn’t likely encounter fishing from from shore or in a kayak.  The disadvantage was that it took half the day to get only five species.  

My first stop was the nearby Cape Cod Canal.  I used a sabiki rig baited with small bits of clam to catch a couple of Cunner.  There was only a slight chance of catching other species at this time of day so I switched gears and went freshwater fishing.  

The Ponds In Sandwich

Made a stop at Hoxie Pond hoping for a big pickerel.  Nothing was biting the live bait that I was throwing out so I didn’t stay long.  Next stop was Spectacle Pond. Using very a small hook with a piece of earthworm I caught two juvenile Smallmouth Bass and a Bluegill Sunfish.  The “gill” was a real surprise.  Pumkinseed Sunfish are quite common here and this was the first Bluegill I ever caught at this location.  Next was Pimlico Pond.  This is a reliable spot for Yellow Perch year round and Pumkinseed Sunfish during the warmer months.  I managed to quickly add these two species to the list which by now was up to ten. 

I had to decide on a strategy.  I had two choices. One was to continue fishing in freshwater until sunset where I had a shot at catching maybe five species at probably two different locations.  Another choice would be to take the kayak out on Megansett Harbor with a reasonable shot at seven species.  I decided on the saltwater option. 

Megansett Harbor In North Falmouth

Northern Kingfish

I launched my kayak at 5pm with hopes of quickly racking up some species. Ideally I might even have time to hit another pond afterwards.  The Scup were plentiful.  In fact they were too plentiful, grabbing both jigs and bait before anything else had a chance to bite.  I started out with a hi-lo rig but soon switched to a baited bucktail jig and a chartreuse Berkley Gulp Mullet as a teaser.  With this rig I would be targeting Sea Bass, Fluke, Sea Robin, and maybe Bluefish or Striped Bass.  The Scup continued to be a nuisance by stealing bait.  After over two hours I had caught over 20 Scup, 2 Black Sea Bass, and 1 Northern Kingfish.  With the sun low on the horizon I paddled back towards the beach and started casting small metal lures for Stripers and Blues.  Watching a glorious sunset ay Megansett Harbor was compensation enough for once again coming up two species short of breaking my record. 

Sunset At Megansett Harbor

List Of Species Caught On 8/15/18

1. Red Hake
2. Whiting
3. Haddock
4. Atlantic Cod
5. Mackerel
6. Cunner
7. Bluegill Sunfish
8. Smallmouth Bass
9. Pumpkinseed Sunfish
10. Yellow Perch
11. Scup   
12. Black Sea Bass  
13. Northern Kingfish