NJ Saltwater Fisherman Forums
NJ Saltwater Fishing Reports and Information => NJ Saltwater Fishing Reports => Topic started by: Capt. Jerry on January 26, 2008, 10:21:27 PM
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Chesapeake man shatters Virginia striped bass record
Posted to: Outdoors Sports
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Fred Barnes, 63, of Chesapeake, caught this state-record 73-pound striper near the 4A Buoy off Cape Henry on Wednesday. (David B. Hollingsworth | The Virginian-Pilot)
By Lee Tolliver
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 24, 2008
CHESAPEAKE
Fred Barnes had caught some pretty big striped bass in his lifetime.
But nothing had prepared him for Wednesday.
Barnes, 63, a Chesapeake telephone contractor, shattered the state rockfish record with a 73-pound giant caught near the 4A Buoy off Cape Henry.
The previous record was a 68-pound, 1-ounce fish caught in 2006 by Clay Armstrong.
Barnes' fish is one of a handful of documented rod-and-reel-caught stripers topping 70 pounds. The fish missed the International Game Fish Association all-tackle world record - a 78-8 striper caught off a New Jersey beach in 1982 by Albert McReynolds - by 5-1/2 pounds.
It hadn't been a banner day before Barnes' hook-up.
"Nope, it had been kind of slow, actually," he said. "We had three or four in the box, but they hadn't been anything special.
"Then this guy decided to get hungry right about lunchtime."
Barnes was fishing with Capt. Pat Foster aboard the Country Girl out of the Virginia Beach Fishing Center.
The huge striper hit a red and white Stretch 30 trolling lure. The fish was fought on a Penn 30 level-wind reel spooled with 50-pound test line.
"We were actually doing about 5 knots trying to get to some birds when it hit," Foster said. "We troll a lot slower than that when we're striper fishing. So it's pretty wild that this fish hit.
"This thing by far tops anything caught on my boat before. I'm ecstatic."
Once hooked up, Barnes said the fight took him about 10 minutes.
"We kept fishing for a little while longer," Barnes said. "But we kept looking at it and decided to come on into the docks.
"I thought it was going to weigh somewhere in the 60s, but I never dreamed it would be more than 70."
Barnes' previous biggest rockfish was a 58-13 caught in 2005 from the Eastern Shore surf. Wednesday's pending state-record fish measured 52 inches long and had a girth of 31 inches.
Barnes said Wednesday afternoon that he had no plans to have the fish mounted.
Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament director Lewis Gillingham, who registered the fish at the Virginia Beach Fishing Center, had been saying for months that he expected the existing state record to be broken.
"To the point that we set a new record is not surprising," Gillingham said. "Striped bass are a highly sought-after fish this time of year, and the numbers of big fish off the coast have been incredible. But to break it by 5 pounds is pretty impressive."
Lee Tolliver, (757) 222-5844, lee.tolliver@pilotonline.com
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great find..
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Yes! Great Find Capt Jerry. Thank You t^
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Nice fish, good video. t^
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Incredible! Congratulations to Fred!!
Guess it's time to buy stock in Mann's! Those Stretch 30s will start flying off pegs! ;D
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All I can say is WOW!!!
Thanks for a great find.
Paul
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WOW is right!!!! I work in Norfolk/VA Beach area often and see them boys out by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel all the time. The Chesapeake Bay and coast of VA is a great fishery and it wouldn't suprise me if the next world record striper comes from down there. I gotta take my rods with me next trip.
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I am going down this weekend, My dad fishes that area. ;D I will let you know how it goes.
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Keep us posted Hunter2. I would like to set up a trip with my Uncle as well and I only hope the weather cooperates. This time of year can be brutal.
But the fishing down thee can be fantastic I hear.
Happy Catching
Paul
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t^ t^ I will try to remember a camera.
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Guess what guys I am starting to hear gumblings from down south about that fish we will have to wait for the full outcome from the IGFA.
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Here we go again. The head of jealousy pops out again. nosmly
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Is this a line class record? Al McReynolds fish was 78lbs if I'm not mistaken.
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I believe so. Al's record stands but something with the state itself.
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Damn, I still never caught a Striper let alone anything as close to as big as that.
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You will this year. My promise to you t^
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There ya go Mah Ha Rishie Ma Hes Roddie has spoken... rofla rofla hhppy hhppy
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I checked it out, the world record still belongs to Jersey!!
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/recmarst.htm (http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/recmarst.htm)
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Thats some fish I'm quite happy with my 49 and 46 what a shame I was one pound from fifty abd have been chaseing that fifty for some time. The biggest I had in the bay was 38 I had a 40 by the jetty in breezy. Mabye a october trip to montauk is needed.
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I just heard a rumor that the record was broken by a guy fishing out of a kayak. I think that it's bull because I would think I would of seen a story on one of the sites that I visit.
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http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/recmarst.htm
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the video is of the bass that broke the Virgina State Record, not the world record.
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whs
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BIG FISH!
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That is absolutely Amazing...
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nice video
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Big Fish t^
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great find...but isnt the world record 78lb 8oz
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Yes it is. This should have been titled, Virginia State Record. t^
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Video Link was dead.. Posted Picture and Write up t^ also changed Title.
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BOMB OF A FISH