Your Greatest Moment Fishing? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

RIJIMMY · 03-23-2009, 02:58 PM

Growing up, we had a relative that had a barracuda mounted and my Dad always talked about it. He used to watch every fishing show @ barracuda and was crazy about them. His dream was to get one. Despite fishing his entire life, he had never fished with a guide. While I was living in CA, I set up a trip for he and I to go out on the flats for barracuda in Key West. I flew to FL and we drove, down to the keys. stayed overnight and met the guide at 6am. For the next 4-6 hours we slammed massive barracuda on topwater and tubes all in water from 6' to 3 feet deep. It was mid-70s and no breeze. We laughed our asses off. The guide said to my Dad and I that we can take a break or eat whenever we wanted, we fished the entire time, only stopping to drink and move locations. Definitely the best time I ever had fishing.

Raider Ronnie · 03-23-2009, 08:24 PM

Watching Leo break 40lbs last year

BigFish · 03-23-2009, 08:57 PM

Great stories guys! Love reading them! The pics are also great!

Mr. Sandman.....love that childhood pic of you! Priceless!

JohnR · 03-23-2009, 09:06 PM

Rockfish - pass along my thanks and regards for your son please

Dad 818 · 03-23-2009, 09:39 PM

2 years ago. Taught my son to cast his spinning reel and my daughter was using her push button. Freshwater fishing. They each caught a 2 lb. bass on their first cast. Best double I will ever be a part of.

I could catch a 40# this year and it wouldn't top that day. Now my daughter is into the girl things, while my son can't wait to fish a beach with me.

And Rockfish, thank your son for me for being one of the brave people who allow my children to sleep safe every night.

JamesJet · 03-23-2009, 09:52 PM

My (our)first striped bass ever. My brother and bought a couple surf rods from Benny's and went to the Chatham lighthouse beach 3 nights in a row while on summer vacation in Harwich. We fished with sand eels over on the left near the rocks (back when the water was faster over there). The tackle store gave us the classic 2 hours either side of high - so we fished around 7-11, 8-12 and 9-1. Nothing but crabs. On the 4th night we said forget it - we must be doing something wrong - we basically just chalked it up to being freshwater guys and the big surf was our match. It was 9 or so and my girlfriend who was also there with us and sick of spending nights with my sister and family said why don't we go, there is some bait left and you guys love to fish - I'll even go. So the three of us went - took lawn chairs etc and headed down.
That night at around 1AM one rod started bobbing and it was not the waves. After setting the hook my brother yells "Jim, I think we got one and its heading to England" Well a longer than necessary fight took place. We all took turns reeling it in - I ended up going in the water to literally push it on shore (couldn't figure out how to surf that last wave in...).
We all look and its a keeper. We pack up quickly race home and wake up the whole house, the dog my parents sister and 75 year old grandma. It weighed 22 lbs, taken with the scientific step on the bathroom scale with and without it method. We stayed up and cleaned it and I think the grin did not leave my face for days.
Needless to say I was hooked. I now am married to the girl from this story, and I certainly don't have to explain to her why I go out late at night and come home with a grin on my face the receipts from tackle store are a different story...

ElSluggo · 03-23-2009, 11:42 PM

Number one when I lived on a lake. Giving my stepdaughter a rod and reel and stocked tackle box as a first conmunion gift and seeing her catch a 2lb. large mouth on the first cast from our dock.
Number two taking my grandson (age 7) saltwater fishing for the first time last fall and hitting a bluefish blitz from a breechway. I'll never forget holding his belt so the 13lb. blue wouldn't pull him off the rocks. Must have caught at least 40 fish during that blitz. He's been fresh water fishing since age 3 and now he thinks saltwater fishing is always like this.

Al in Westport · 03-24-2009, 08:10 AM

A Striper from the Old Days...

This photo is of myself with a 62-pound bass taken in 1971. What you can't see in the photo are the two 45 pounders laying at my feet. We were live-lining menhaden. I’m still around and still chasing that elusive 63 pounder. A boy can dream right?

So…here is my “Fish of a lifetime”…

Al

Rockfish9 · 03-24-2009, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnR

Rockfish - pass along my thanks and regards for your son please

I will do that.. this evening in fact ,he's home (in NJ) until May...

MarshCappa · 03-24-2009, 01:38 PM

Great Thread! Everyone's stories are very inspiring. My favorite trip occured last year on the South River with my then 3 year old. he caught his first striper on his rod drifting worms off my skiff. his face lit up and he was so proud of himself. But only a fraction of how proud I was of him. It's a powerful and emotional feeling doing these things with people that you are close too. It's hard for me to explain but reading all these posts is really bringing me back to how important family and friends are. Thanks Larry for starting this thread!

jim sylvester · 03-24-2009, 02:05 PM

decksweeper and I with easily a 600+ lb night
laughing like school children every time we hooked up

the first time I took my oldest son James fishing.....sunnies till his arms fell off

oh ya...and this as well

vanstaal · 03-24-2009, 02:14 PM

After coming close to death a couple of years back when I fell in @ Hazard Ave.By A rouge wave Everyday is the best.

BigFish · 03-24-2009, 02:49 PM

Hey Al....Fabulous picture!

redlite · 03-24-2009, 08:16 PM

GREAT Stories----Brings back so many memories of great times fishing with some I still fish with, others that I don't.
For the past 16 years my life has revolved around liitle but fishing for striped bass. A lot of good times with plenty of laughs, a lot of heartbreaks with disappointment. No moment, even as a young kid fishing compares to the night this past season that I caught my first 50lb.
The image of a board member here laying on his back on a rock staring up at me with his redlite on and his arms and legs wrapped around that beauty will forever, ever be burned into my mind.
As striped bass fishermen, a fifty from shore is the Lombardi Trophy. So many nights away from friends, family, activities and the wife in pursuit of that one fish, all the casts into perfect water in perfect conditions and it finally happened.
I have seen the Red Sox win a world series and caught my fifty.....now I can die in peace.
But then again the night behind the Oceanmist with JohnR is a close 2nd............

Al in Westport · 03-25-2009, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigFish

Hey Al....Fabulous picture!

Thanks Larry,

The fish was caught off Third Beach in Newport in October. In those days we never measured the fish, just the weight. To give you and idea of the length, I was 5'- 8" at the time. Gravity has taken a tole on my height over the years.

Notice the old green Penns in the picture. They were loaded with 20 pound test. I still am useing the Thermos that you see sitting on the boat.

Al