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Jersey striper madness and my first 40 lber

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  • Jersey striper madness and my first 40 lber

    I had off Monday and planned to meet my buddy somewhere in North Jersey at dawn to look for birds and bunker and chase big bass. He overslept but I got to the beach right at sunrise. I parked and couldn't see over the dunes so I walked over them and immediately saw the biggest bass blitz I've ever seen right in the wash. I sprinted back to my truck and got my rod but by the time I ran back to the beach the fish were gone, leaving only a pile of adult bunker washed up on the beach. Gannets and gulls were circling maybe 3 cast lengths offshore so I ran back again to the truck, got my kayak and gear ready and hauled ass down to the water.

    About 5 minutes after I launched I marked my first bunker school of modest size. I kept pedaling out and then I hit it. A bunker school so thick that my fishfinder was marking it as bottom! I was in 50 FOW and my lowrance suddenly told me I was in 10 feet. I dropped my snag hook down and it was on. My first bass came in about 5 minutes and was a solid 20 lber. At this point I picked up my phone and started calling my buddy to get out of bed and start the two hour drive. I snagged another bunker and dropped it down and got a savage hit that shook my whole boat. I let it eat for a second, set the hook and held on while the fish made a crazy powerful run to the bottom. Then for some reason it came up just enough for me to catch a glimpse of it and I couldn't believe how big it looked. It dove right back to the bottom and repeated this 3 or 4 more times until she finally tired out and gave up after a 10 minute fight. Sadly the snag hook was in its stomach and I knew she wasn't going to make it. I felt really bad about this and for the rest of the day I would switch the bunker to my second rod on a single hook to prevent killing any more fish. I did keep a 15 lber later in the day and gave the big girl to a Vietnamese friend with a huge family of fish eaters.

    I took that fish back to shore and relaunched and it was game on for the rest of the day. Twenty pound fish were nuisances and I had two more mid 30s fish, countless 25 lbers, straightened hooks and several brief hookups with fish I never moved. Midday we had several whales come through feeding on the bunker which was absolutely insane. I was 100 yards away from them twice when they breached. Being in the middle of a giant bunker school when you know there are whales somewhere underneath you is the craziest mix of fear, excitement and adrenaline I've ever experienced. Near the end of the day the fish came to the surface and we got them on wooden swimmers, pencil poppers and anything you could cast or troll. It was simply ridiculous and I'm gonna be spoiled on stripers forever. I hope everyone gets to experience a day like this in their life.







    Hobie Revo 13 carribean blue

    My YouTube Channel

  • #2
    WOW!! That is and amazing and epic story. Congratulations on suffering through all those nuisance 20 pounders to get your big ones.
    Bruce

    Hobie PA 14
    Wilderness System, Thresher 155

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    • #3
      I had to clean drool of my screen before I could type. Wow indeed.
      Mike
      Pro Angler 14 "The Grand Wazoo"

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      • #4
        WOW epic day does not do it justice!!!!
        Way to go!!!
        Yak67
        2015 Hobie PA-14

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        • #5
          Epic! Congrats on the day and I'm sure you'll be remembering this one for a long time!
          Hobie Local Fishing Team - Backyard Boats
          Locations in Annapolis, MD and Woodbridge, VA
          https://www.backyardboats.com/

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          • #6
            Awesome, just awesome!

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            • #7
              Here is a really awesome video my buddy made that will give you an idea of what it was like out there

              Hobie Revo 13 carribean blue

              My YouTube Channel

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              • #8
                Great story and even better fish!
                ___________________________

                Hobie Fishing Team Member
                Survival Products, Salisbury, MD

                2017 Camo Hobie Outback
                2015 Olive Hobie Outback

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                • #9
                  awesome coverage and story of this whole event. hope they make it down to OCMD soon, thanks for sharing.

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                  • #10
                    Amazing!
                    <insert witty comment here>

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                    • #11
                      SWEET! Looks like it couldn't have been a better day to for a surf launch.

                      I only make it back up there once a year anymore on Black Friday to join my dad and brother. Won't be bringing the kayak, just surf fishing, so hoping fish are within casting distance. I've been jonesing for a couple weeks now to go... you've only made that worse
                      Brian

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                      • #12
                        Wow, just wow!
                        Ryan
                        Blue 2016 Hobie Outback
                        Chesapeake Bay Kayak Anglers, Inc

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                        • #13
                          Man great report pics and vids! That was a truly epic day. A term that I don't throw around lightly! LOL I would be happy with a day full of just the "Average" BASS you were catching.

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                          • #14
                            They've been pushing in every time there's an E or NE wind anywhere from sandy hook down to Barnegat inlet. Find the birds, find the fish

                            Originally posted by Slobber Bob View Post
                            SWEET! Looks like it couldn't have been a better day to for a surf launch.

                            I only make it back up there once a year anymore on Black Friday to join my dad and brother. Won't be bringing the kayak, just surf fishing, so hoping fish are within casting distance. I've been jonesing for a couple weeks now to go... you've only made that worse
                            Hobie Revo 13 carribean blue

                            My YouTube Channel

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Romo View Post
                              Find the birds, find the fish
                              ... and the whales, and the seals, and the boats....

                              I have a couple friends that make it over there a few times a week. Seaside and LBI mostly. They've been saying the same thing. My dad went the other day but the fish were all like 28". But I'd take that even; OC MD surf has been lifeless lately

                              Hope you get on them again!
                              Brian

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