HOPPER1000'S CATCH LOG
LAST UPDATED: JUNE 2026
SPECIES RECORDED: 15

PEACOCK BASS

FIRST CAUGHT: 2022
LOCATION: CAPE CORAL, FLORIDA
LARGEST: 7 LBS

The fish that started my obsession.

At the time I had no idea how much of my fishing life would end up revolving around them.

CLOWN KNIFEFISH

FIRST CAUGHT: JUNE 2026
LOCATION: SOUTH FLORIDA
LARGEST: N/A (no scale)

A dream fish for years.

FIELD NOTES

this is my dream fish. it's called a Clown Knifefish. A nocturnal and tropical fish, native to Southeast Asia. When I first came across photos of the Clown, I instantly connected with it. It looked so majestic, alien, and mythical. Powerfully surreal. Something about this fish spoke to me. There is a small population of Clown Knife located in Southeast Florida, the only place in the USA where it's possible to catch them. But even so, it is a notoriously difficult catch. I researched waters to catch it. I dragged friends and lovers alike on extensive journeys through Florida, hoping to catch the mythical fish. Each one of these trips ended the same. The sun went down, and many hours and dollars later we had no Clown. No matter what bait we used, the Clown proved to be an elusive and challenging fish. My birthday was coming up, and I knew that finally catching the Clown could be a special gift to myself. I was turning 30 this year, and all of my recent birthdays were wasted in alcohol-fueled nightclubs. I couldn't remember most of them. I wanted this birthday to be different. Me and my best friend took a 4-day trip to Miami, Florida. We fished nonstop for 15 hours every day. We bounced around the East Coast of Florida, searching for Clown. We braved rainstorms and drove many miles. On night 2, during a heavy rain, i ran into my first Clown. It was hiding in some foliage outside of storm drain in Boynton Beach, Florida. It swam away quickly and gracefully, but this short sighting filled me with an intense longing. The Clown was real. We spent days in Miami catching all sorts of fish. Peacock Bass, Snakehead, Catfish, Largemouth, but no Clowns. Eating Cuban food, sharing moments of laughter and reflection. Fishing with different friends along the way. Day 3. We were fishing the E-4 canal system at 1:30am, when I felt a strong bite. It was a clown. after 40+ hours of fishing, I finally caught the Clown Knife fish. 3 days after my 30th birthday. A symbol and testament to my lifelong pursuit of adventure, and an oath to the endless preservation of myth-making.

BULLSEYE SNAKEHEAD