you heard it here first.

Several fish over 70 have been recently caught and they are getting closer to the magic 78. There are already rumors that it is already broken....we shall see. If not this season, def next season but my bet would be in the next 90 days it falls.

yup, I think so as well. If you look at the class of 1996 and after, there were a lot fish born. Hopefully it they will come inshore.

I hope so,,, Its time,,,

Sorry Sandman....Charley Soares has been talking about it since pre-season! :tooth:

From July 8, '08

"Im sure everyone knows about the recent catch at a UDL just a little to our SW that has attracted some local attention and has some checking their gear.
So there might be a school of impressive size coming our way.

This, from an almost 100 year old volume in Uncle Crafty's library:

"The largest striped bass of authentic record that I personally know of taken with rod and reel weighed 70 pounds. This fish was taken by Mr. William Post at ****** *****, Newport, RI on July 5th, 1873. It was a long, thin emaciated fish that would have weighed 100 pounds in normal conditions."

Early on an old-timer once told me to think of rocks as game trails and since none have changed significantly in these last 135 years...."

I dunno, Jim - I'm with you...

yup, I think so as well. If you look at the class of 1996 and after, there were a lot fish born. Hopefully it they will come inshore.

The 1996 fish aren't even 50 pounders yet, let alone 80 pounders.

The record will come from either the 1982 or 1989 class, if it comes this year.

Maybe it will come from year class 1981
offspring of Bertha

and BERTHA would beeeeeeee???

Sorry Sandman....Charley Soares has been talking about it since pre-season! :tooth:

Charlie talks about it every year.
This is the year, I got that feeling. (Either that or my hemroids are acting up:hihi:)

The 1996 fish aren't even 50 pounders yet, let alone 80 pounders.

The record will come from either the 1982 or 1989 class, if it comes this year.

Exactly. The current super sized fish are most likely from 1982.

The 1996 fish aren't even 50 pounders yet, let alone 80 pounders.

The record will come from either the 1982 or 1989 class, if it comes this year.

Mike, do you have a link to historical YOY data for bass? :huh:

I have a friend who's the RI Senior Marine Biologist (the Tog Meister) and can get it from him maybe or Mark Gibson.

Thanks,
Crafty

Tog Meister retired Chuck....

I don't care what year class the fish comes from. What we appear to be seeing is the next wave of ultra large fish being caught much like fishing in the 1980 period when Rocchetta, Stetzco and Mcreynolds' fish were caught. During that time I was fishing nearly every night and was trophy fishing myself. There were many really big fish landed in rapid fire fashion during those years.

I sense the next wave of real big fish is finally coming back, and the record will fall shortly. 3 (possibly 4) 70's have been caught in the last few weeks. Not to mention several 60's too. This has not happened in a very long time, like 25-30 years. If not this year next year for sure but I think we can say good bye to Al's 78. Also whomever is the lucky angler will not last nearly as long. The next record will fall again shortly soon after and maybe again after that too. IMO there will be eventually 100#+ bass up on the list with in the next decade. They will probably be boat fish caught with bunker.

For us surf guys, it is time to brake out the big eels and heavy gear again.

Jim. whats the info on the the 70s being caught this year? I havent heard anything about them/......?

Tog Meister retired Chuck....

Naaahhhhhhhh....no way!

J,M and J - another contemporary succumbs to old age :hs:

Well, looks like I'll have to find him at the Hibernian then instead of his J-town office. At least it's within crawling distance of home.

BTW, I met Matt yesterday for the first time at work - told him about us being in the club together etc etc, he said he's a golfer not a fisherman, didn't even know who Mad Billison was.

A golfer?

Oh, the shame! :hihi:

Mike p. you are right of course. Had a brain cramp with math.

Here is one link I found.

http://somd.com/news/headlines/2006/4680.shtml

And here is a better one that also shows other species:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/juvindex/

When I see a large number of very large fish being reported, it reminds me of just before the crash of the stock just before the moritorium. Makes me flinch a bit. The conditions may not be the same in general health of the stocks but to me it's like being burnt, you don'r forget.