Four Favorite Friends’ Catches of 2023

Last year I highlighted the fact that I’ve learned to take great pleasure out of watching other people catch fish, trophies or otherwise. As I noted then, I’d be sad if I didn’t catch any fish of my own, but I’ve increasingly learned to really appreciate our great and diverse group of traveling angler friends.

Accordingly, as I look back on my days on the water during 2023, I’m fortunate that I have a lot of great memories on the water with friends to remember. Here are four that stand out in particular:

Guatemala -- February

Jen Falk

Pacific Sailfish

We met our friend Joshua Massoud and his daughter in Mexico and always had a good time talking with them, so we were thrilled when he inquired about coming to Casa Vieja Lodge with his wife Jen. Outwardly, we have much in common with them (they’re both attorneys) but didn’t know how we’d mesh otherwise. We shouldn’t have worried. Through the “grownup” (i.e., non-fishing) part of the vacation in Antigua we enjoyed each other’s company, and while Jen cared about the boat ride and experience more than the fishing, we forced her to reel in a leaping sailfish, too. We’ve met so many good people through fishing, and it particularly thrills me when the non-anglers get in on the action.

Lake El Salto – June

Diana Liner

Largemouth Bass

Diana Liner is a ray of sunshine, someone who sees the good in everyone and is not shy about expressing it. She and her husband volunteered (and stayed late) at the Keith Combs charity tournament on Sam Rayburn, and we’re glad she did, because it helped her forge a relationship with Jennifer Combs that led her to join us at El Salto in June. She more than held her own on the water, and simply made the time in Mexico more fun. We can’t wait to meet her husband Michael, in Mexico, Texas or somewhere else.

Alaska – July/August

Jason Klein

Halibut, Lingcod, Trout, Salmon and more

While my brother once went to El Salto, and my parents took us on our first trip to Guatemala, no one in my immediate family really cares much about fishing, and I’ve done a poor job of keeping my extended family in the loop. That’s why I was thrilled that my cousin Jason – who as far as I know had never really fished – joined us in Alaska, both for a Seward saltwater trip and then for four days on the water in Bristol Bay. He’s 42 years old, but that was the most time we’ve spent together, and I was excited that he’s a quick learner – but also that this provides a springboard for us to have a great friendship going forward.

Potomac River -- June

Hanna Robbins

Largemouth Bass

I was hesitant to put the Redheaded General in this article because I wanted to reserve the space for another “non-family” friend, but this one 4-pound largemouth from the Potomac really stood out as a highlight of my year. We were out there, not catching much, and she grabbed a Megabass Sleeper Gill from the cupholder. I’d cut it off in March and left it there without another thought for three months. She figured out which rod to put it on, how to keep it above the grass, and made it work for her in a scenario where I might not have considered it. For so much of her angling life, she’s been told what to throw, which rod and reel to use, and how to retrieve it, that it was exciting to me to see the gears of her brain working effectively to make good decisions. It was a “happy parent” moment – seeing her use the information I’d provided to make decisions of her own.