Epic Two Monster Striped Bass And A Change In Perspective

There are events in life that change our perspective for the things we love doing.  For me, it was catching that fish of a lifetime.

What Matters Most

Our families bring us the greatest joy.  They’re the reason why we sacrifice so much time, money and energy.  We’ll go through thick and thin to protect them. Fishermen do the same thing.

We’ll sacrifice sleep, comfort and empty our wallets on fishing gear and tackle. We’ll hike miles through rough terrain for that one moment of bliss.  

We would never let any harm come to our loved ones, why not do the same for the things we love doing, fishing.

Change In Perspective

It wasn’t too long ago that I took home every legal fish I caught.  Whether I ate it or gave it away, it didn’t matter.  It was my catch.  I did with it however I wanted. 

It wasn’t until I landed my fish of a lifetime that my perspective completely changed.

I had been searching for my first bass over 10lbs for the longest time.  I had caught many bass before but with each bigger catch, I learned a little more.  I started using heavier line, got a more sensitive rod and I started throwing bigger baits.  I spent more time on the water as well.

I was fishing solo on an August evening at Hensley Lake, CA.  The sun had just set as I drifted over one of my marked underwater locations.

On a cast, I hook into what I thought was a snag.  But the snag tugged back.  Instinctively, I set the hook and the battle began.  After a good few minutes, I reel in what I had been searching for so long.  It registered at 14lbs on the scale.  You can read the full story when you subscribe to our FishAholics newsletter at the end of the post.

Ecstatic, I wanted to brag to my family and friends at what I had just caught.  I took it home, took hundreds of photos, wrapped it up and put it in the freezer in hopes of mounting it one day.

Landing a fish that big, you sometimes develop an emotional bond.  The countless hours, early mornings, late night trips for that one moment.  I had finally accomplished that dream.  And now it lies frozen…in a freezer.

A lot of questions came to mind.  How many anglers released it before I caught it?  Why not let it go to grow bigger? Now what?  I had a lot of questions swirling in my head.

I remembered the thrill of the catch.  How my legs were shaking as I reeled it in.  My heart racing as I was hyperventilating.  It’s not everyday you feel that kind of excitement.  Only rare human beings have had the honor.   

To me, the thrill of the catch.  The opportunity to catch that fish of a lifetime means more than a meal at the table.

When you shut the world out.  Nothing else matters and it’s just you and the fish.  It’s that high we live for.  That’s what I realized I had to preserve.  

Stay within regulations, practice catch n release and be responsible in the harvesting of my catch.  Let the big girls grow.

A New Goal

Like my bass, I had been on the hunt for my first double digit striped bass for a long time.  I spent countless hours for the chance to land that monster sized striper. 

Then one day, I get a phone call from Roger George who guides at San Luis Reservoir and is the Fresno Bees fishing expert.  We had been in contact before but never fished together. It was an invitation for my brother Nick and I to fish on his boat and a chance at catching a new personal best striped bass.

We’re talking and joking around and somewhere in between I threw out the word epic.  Little did I know, it was going to be just that…Epic.

We get to the lake and there were a few boats already on the water.  We hit our first location and Roger drops the down riggers. 

We’re in about 100 feet of water.  The fish were suspending in about 50 feet of water and we start trolling plugs.

Our first pass yielded nothing.  For the next hour or so, same result.  What’s going on, we’re marking schools of fish everywhere.

We switched things up with a new shad patterned plug.  Moved over to some deep water flats about 50 feet deep.  Finally some signs of life.  Nick hooked into the first fish…No skunk!

 

Slowly we began to hook into fish but not the quality we were looking for.  Afternoon comes around and I hook into something heavy.

It was a subtle bite.  Nothing dramatic.  No line peeling.  A light tickle on the rod tip.  I grabbed the rod and started cranking.

I’m reeling in slack as fast as I can.  Then I feel the heavy weight.  Must be a side hooked fish I thought.  It’s not fighting.

About 30 yards in I see the big waves from the dorsal fin as it dives and takes some line with it.

Every angler knows the excitement when they hook into something big.  The whole world shuts out.  Life’s struggles, pain and worries cease to exist.  For those few moments it was bliss.  I was in heaven.

With my rod tip in the water and commotion all around me, all I could think about was not losing that fish.  

After wearing it out, I was able to pull it to the surface where Roger was ready with the net.  

I had just landed another fish of a lifetime!   My first striped bass in the double digits.  My new personal best came in at 38″ and 27lbs.

The excitement I felt was priceless.  

We took our photos and released it to grow and fight another day.

I had accomplished what I had sought out for.  I was on cloud 9.  Whatever outcome the day had for us, didn’t matter.

Throughout the day, the bite was on and off.  We landed a few nice stripers but nothing near what I had hooked into that afternooon.

It’s nearing the end of the day and we try one last location before heading out.  The sun was setting as I stared off into the horizon.  

A quick glance at my rod and I could see the rod bend down ever so slightly.  I leaped over and started reeling the slack.  Another side hooked fish.  It was heavy.

Moments later I see a huge splash about 40 yards away.  It’s another monster striper.

Again, it peeled line as it got closer to the boat.  It dove straight down taking more line with it.  

After a heart pounding battle, it surfaced and Roger was able to pull it in with the net.

The fish came in at 36″ and 16lbs.

Two monster sized stripers in one trip.  Epic!

It’s something all anglers deserve to experience.  Funny how a tug on one’s line can create such excitement.  It can change your perspective.