Here is a quick story Shawn B. I was relatively new to striper fishing at the time and very hungry for my first keeper. I had been working hard, fishing alot, listening to everyone, and reading everything I could find that might take me to that next level......a keeper! Well, the keeper came.....31 inches about 10 pounds. I was thrilled.....then you want bigger.....a little more time, a little more experience and then "WHAM"! I am out there and I hook up with two nice fish on successive casts, a 14 pounder and a 19 pounder and change and I am thinking..."man, can it get much better than this?". Then of course you are thinking "boy, when am I gonna get over that 20 pound mark?". Well I eventually did and then some......out one night, fishing live eels and "BANG" a nice 30 pounder plus takes my eel for a ride and after a nice fight, she was mine! Went right by the 20 pound mark and went 31 pounds 1 ounce! Still my biggest to date! Come close to that but have not yet exceeded it. I want my first forty real bad Shawn B. but you know what? It will come, sooner or later I know that I will dance with my first forty.....and all the hard work and the wait will have been worth it! Yours will come, and probably sooner than you think. Just enjoy!
