10. Dave Eng, Ling Cod. Pacific City Oregon
Coming in at #10 is Dave Eng with a nice Lingcod out of Pacific City Oregon. It was a beautiful day, we all got our limits of Rockfish, but this was the biggest Lingcod of the day, and one of only a few Lingcod for BMO in all of 2022.
9. BMO, Bluefin Tuna. San Diego CA.
At #9 is a small Bluefin Tuna caught out of San Diego on board the Limitless. Its not the biggest Bluefin, but is significant because it was the first Bluefin I ever caught, and it gave me a heck of a fight on light tackle.
8. BMO, Smallmouth Bass. Oregon
#8 is a four plus pound smallmouth caught on a VMC Ned Head Jig in early spring on the Columbia River. A great fish, and a beautiful day!
7. Mike Codino, Yellow Eye. Pacific City, Oregon
#7 is a beautiful Yellow Eye caught off the Oregon Coast by Mike Codino. This was the same trip that Dave End caught the Lingcod. These fish are so colorful and beautiful that it is hard not to put them in the top 10!
6. BMO Rainbow Trout on the Skwala, Bitterroot River, Montana.
#6 is a nice Rainbow trout, caught in Montana on the Bitterroot River. This fish is high on the list because it was caught on a Skwala fly...something I have been trying to do for many years. There was a great hatch the day before I got there, but the weather turned cold and the hatch died. luckily this trout was still keyed in on them and it took my fly!
5. BMO, Yellowtail. San Diego, CA.
Another San Diego Saltwater fish on the list. This is the first Yellowtail I ever caught, and I was shocked at how strong these fish are. Also, this is one of the best eating fish I have ever had. We have been enjoying it all year!
4. Todd Bruner, Bear Lake Cutthroat. Strawberry Reservoir, UT.
At number four is this beautiful Bear lake Cutthroat caught by Todd Bruner through the ice. We were fishing Strawberry Reservoir in UT and this was the fish of the day!
3. James Kerspel, Spring Chinook. Willamette River, Oregon.
At number three is a Spring Chinook caught by my nephew James Kirspel. It was his first salmon and the smile on his face says it all.
2. Marcus Twidale, Sturgeon. Willamette River, Oregon
The number two spot belongs to Rapala/VMC USA President Marcus Twidale. He landed this huge Sturgeon on the Willamette River in Oregon. It was not the best time of the year to catch big Sturgeon, but the fish gods were kind to us and he landed a dandy.
1 BMO, 20# Hatchery Steelhead, Clearwater River, ID
The number one fish of 2022 is this 39" by 20" hatchery steelhead caught on the Clearwater River in Idaho. It is my first ever 20 pound steelhead. I have been trying to catch one this big for over 20 years, and my time finally came in early November. This is definitely the number one fish of the year for BMO.