I am most thankful this year for the chance to fish with some great friends, making some new friend, fishing with my dad once again and having the chance to see the world. I am grateful that I still have a job, with a stable personal finance, a great family who supports me and my addiction, and that I'm still here today to enjoy life.
What a year 2010 ended up to be! At the start, there were no travel plans, and there was little expectation on new local species seeing I have caught many of them already. But it was a year filled with surprises!
The year started right with new species #1 of 2010…just 16 days into the year!
During the ice season, I had some good day with friends. This was one of my favourite last year when we found a nice little hole and Matt, Cuong, Mario and I braved 5” ice jigging for whitefish and lake trout.
After ice out, I added new species #2 and #3 of 2010
When the trout season opened, I found a new fishing friend even though it lasted only a couple of trips…but it did make the year a little more memorable…
Come May, I continued on a quest that had begun 4 years ago to catch a longnose gar. And finally, I checked that species off with a few fly caught gars! New species #4 for 2010
This was another memorable fish from 2010. I got lucky with this 6lb walleye while species hunting!
For the past few years, Shan had been trying to get me on a good day of salmon fishing on Lake Ontario. Finally, it happened! Jay, mini-Jay, Shan and I had a great day landing multiple chinook and some very big steelheads. I broke my PB chinook salmon that day with a 26lb fish!
Along the way, I also taught my buddy Mike how to fly fish…
Catching a new species #5 for 2010
And landing some bruiser carp breaking my PB over and over again…and finally settling at a 20lb carp!
Monster!
Of course, I was adding new species unintentionally as I was carp fishing with new species #6 and #7
Then fall came around…and I went on a big trip to Europe! In May, I found out I was attending a workshop in France! What a pleasant surprise for a year that I was not expecting to travel!!! And the new species just came rolling in while fishing in Greece and France…#8 to #23…phew…
In between Europe and another trip, Matt and I managed to get out for some beauty steelheads!
Of course, for a year I was not expecting to travel, I was informed back in February that my cousin was getting married. My aunt was paying for our flight back to Hong Kong to attend the wedding…so my sister and I put our heads together to plan an Indo-Pacific sojourn! That meant more new species came knocking…#24 to #47
Still can’t believe I caught these!
A 5’ bronze whaler shark…are you kidding me???
And this…
Oh…and I met a great potential…
In Hong Kong, I had to chance to fish with my dad again…even if it was ever so briefly. I also met a few new friend that are going to be lasting fishing friends. Another 4 new species were added in Hong Kong…# 48 to #51…maybe a possible #52 if I count the leader touch on the Japanese Seabass…I’m still undecided on that matter…
So for a year I was not supposed to travel, I ended up visiting Greece, Italy, Vatican, France, Thailand, Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan! And for a year I was not expecting spectacular fishing, I ended up with 51 new species of fish caught
2010 was an exceptional surprise and I would say my best fishing year so far! I was actually quite busy at the lab all year and I didn’t get to fish a lot. I also fished very close to home to save money for the travels…but fishing at home resulted in the biggest carp I’ve caught. Strange year it was!
I’m not expecting much for 2011 since I have already maxed out on my holidays and my budget…but who knows. Year 2011...surprise me!
