Look

Fatty…

Yes, big fish back then. Last year I caught more fish over 45" than I have in the last 15 years. All fat also!

We sure did and while I caught a ton of those chucky 20-40 lbers, I never topped the 50 lb mark after my first three. My first was October 2, 1987 live bunker in Hingham harbor. Probably told this a few times, but man do I love to relive it. Fishing out of my old Basstracker V17, bunker schools way up inside Hingham by the 3a rotary were being mauled by big bass and gator blues. I was snagging with a old 7 foot penn spinning rod with matching penn reel spooled with 12 lb mono. Snagged a bunker to put on a fresh bait and suddenly it was gone, which happened occasionally as I filed the barbs off to do less damage, or so I thought. Pulled hard to snag another and set the hook on that monster and luck and a bit of skill keep her out of the boat moorings and just before she stopped by the first boats, she surfaced just enough to shake her head like a largemouth bass would. Wish I could have released her, but gills took a beating, weighed in at 51 lb 2 oz.

Next year same spot and about the same time of year, a repeat but this time with substantial gear and that 55 lber (guess bottomed the 50lb scale like nothing) was released and later that fall off Peogoty beach I almost put what I can only estimate was a solid 60 lber on the beach, same bait and fight was incredible and I was lucky it was a sandy beach or I'd have never got her into the wash for a look.