Four Favorite Friends’ Catches of 2022
While I may not have matured as a human being (Robbins family motto: You’re only young once, but you can be immature forever), I believe that in recent years I’ve matured substantially as an angler. I went through a pretty heavy progression: from wanting to catch a fish, to wanting to catch the most fish, to wanting to catch the biggest fish, to wanting to catch the most challenging fish – and finally to being satisfied and even thrilled to watch others catch fish. I’ve been fortunate in my life to catch lots of different finned freaks of nature, and now when we go someplace like Panama or Alaska I thrill when a newcomer gets their shot.
I don’t always take the backseat – I still like to get my string stretched – but I’m far less impatient and selfish than I was just a few years ago.
Accordingly, as I look back on our travels during 2022, I’m glad that I can recall others’ catches fondly. Here are some of the best:
Lake El Salto – January
Sara Smith
9 pound largemouth
I love introducing new people to our favorite fisheries and lodges, but I always worry that the results won’t live up to expectations. Lake El Salto is like pizza and sex – even when it’s “bad” it’s still “good.” It was tougher than usual when we arrived in January, so I was worried for our new friends Sara and Stuart Smith of Wisconsin. When they got back to camp after their first session out I asked about their success, fearing the worst. There was nothing to worry about: Sara had landed a PB 9-pounder – on a popper, no less – on about her third cast of the morning. The Smiths would’ve been great travel companions no matter what, as they’re simply fun people, but that took a lot of pressure off during our first trip of the year.
Guatemala – February
Kristine Rygas
Pacific Sailfish
When Aaron and Kristine Rygas first joined us at El Salto four or five years ago, I got the feeling that she was just there as a good partner to her then-boyfriend, who was “all ate up” with bass fishing, even if it wasn’t her jam. Since then, she’s warmed to the sport, and I get the sense that she genuinely enjoys our trips South of the Border. This was her first time saltwater fishing, though, and watching the lady gym rat beat down on big sailfish was an absolute pleasure. They’re one of our favorite couples to travel with, and we look forward to the day when their toddler Ava can join us, too.
Lake of the Woods – September
Jennifer Combs
5+ pound smallmouth
I’ve fished with multiple-time Toyota Texas Bass Classic champion Keith Combs in numerous states, but I’ve probably fished with his wife Jennifer even more. She’s a good sport and a more-than-solid angler in her own right. We never would have dialed in the incredible smallmouth bite at Ballard’s Black Island had she not taken the initiative to tie on a Chatterbait. It proved to be the best overall presentation by far – outfishing crankbaits, spinnerbaits and swim jigs, at least for the giants. As a result of her intuition, we caught multiple 20- to 25-pound bags of ancient brown beasts.
Panama – November
Joe Lineberry
Tuna and Sailfish
Have you ever known you’d like someone before you actually met them? I kind of knew that I’d like Joe Lineberry shortly after Kevin Short introduced us virtually. Same sense of humor, same love of fishing. He came to Panama with us and committed to popping, even when the rest of us were worn out. As a result, he was rewarded with more species and more topwater thrills than any of us, especially when we got to chase the roaming tuna. He was further rewarded when his boat came upon four finning sailfish – they pitched a live bait to one and it ended up caught. He headed back to Ontario with lots of stories, and new friends in us. Can’t wait to trade Caddyshack lines and a boat with him again.
Bottom Line: Despite being a self-proclaimed misanthrope and loner, I’ve come to realize that one of the best things I’ve gotten out of my fishing addiction is a great set of diverse friends. For that I am exceptionally thankful.
