New World Record Striper Caught-Can Anyone Confirm

[Skolmann]

Read a report of a #81.6 striper caught on an eel this morning in Connecticut.

Angler's name is Al Stromski (must be something to the name Al and big bass). Fished was weighed in at Shoreline Bait & Tackle in Westbrook.

Can anyone confirm this?

[fin_s_guy]

I heard the same thing. Waiting on confirmation too.

[sportfishingusa]

if you see the pics you will not believe it, could and should be true, but that fish doesnt look any big of 81.8 lbs, but then again, i have never seen anything over 55lb, but the current world record looks to trump that fish, we shall see... maybe he weighed it on a boga :eek: :rolleyes: :p

[catfishonthelake]

Tons of stuff online. We shall see.

[GregV]

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/honest-angler/2011/08/breaking-news-possible-new-all-tackle-world-record-striped-bass-falls-ct

Pic included at link but not official

[sportfishingusa]

if that fish was 81lbs i dont think he would be holding it and i think he would have it laying in his lap with a serious depression on the fish from his leg... They said he weighed the fish and took off, and that the fish is in the back of his truck at the local ER because he has a panic attack.

[Supafly]

Some more pics

http://www.epicblitz.com/2011/08/could-the-holy-grail-be-broken-rumored-that-a-82-pound-striper-was-caught.html

[Capt. Lou]

If that fish weighs 81#'s plus it'll be news to me, I saw a couple of mid sixties & this won looks smaller ,maybe bad camera angles. If I'm wrong big congrat's to angler hope Mc Reynolds syndrome does not rear it ugly head!! Probaby not, no big bucks to fight over, I THINK????:) :cool: :eek:

[Supafly]

Apparently not pursuing the record :confused: http://bit.ly/qyI8Yx

[Captain Chris]

He waited 12 hours to weigh in and is not looking pursuing world record certification. Interesting.

[O'Connor]

I always thought that if the world record striped bass was broken that the internet woudl have to be un-plugged there would be so much finger pointing and drama! Will this turn into a Monica world record fluke fiasco???? only time will tell. could make for an interesting weekend on the fishing boards. :) $5 says someone on some board will claim that he is a commercial fisherman....:D

[PAMonger]

I always thought that if the world record striped bass was broken that the internet woudl have to be un-plugged there would be so much finger pointing and drama! Will this turn into a Monica world record fluke fiasco???? only time will tell. could make for an interesting weekend on the fishing boards. :) $5 says someone on some board will claim that he is a commercial fisherman....:D


He's a commercial... Please PM me for my address so you can mail me my $5. :p

[GDubya07]

Heard the same thing today when I was at a NS tackle shop this morning regardless whatever happens that is one helleva fishy

G-:cool:

[Dino]

I love how its another dude named " Al "

[Supafly]

I love how its another dude named " Al "

Greg Myerson caught the fish

[howarda780]

According to Facebook, Greg Meyerson is an Electrician and lives in Rhody.

That is one sow!

[Red]

Don't look that big at all???:rolleyes:


http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f177/rojo65/267300_1932253861150_1086360121_31705656_7791819_n .jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f177/rojo65/ll.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f177/rojo65/ll-1.jpg

[tautog]

Unless he is like 6'6'', it does not look like an 80lber when you compare it to his height and then his fingers under the fish.

[Flukemeister1]

I pity him. Now all the idiots that couldn't catch a cold will accuse him of all kinds of crap!

[tautog]

I pity him. Now all the idiots that couldn't catch a cold will accuse him of all kinds of crap!

It probably would have helped if he didn't go to the hospital with a panic attack immediately after weigh in. Also he already had a 57 and a 60 plus this year which is a hell of a run.

[Capt Sal]

Does not look any where near 80lbs.I have seen many 50 lb bass and a few 60lbs need more info like length and girth.Curios to say the least.

[Life's A Beach]

Nice fish
Scales don't lie, fishermen do

I congratulate the angler for catching the beast. But why the hell keep a fish that big unless you're going to challenge the record???

[Pool winner!!!]

can anyone here hold 82lbs straight out in front of you???

[Supafly]

can anyone here hold 82lbs straight out in front of you???

It appears based on pictures that the fish was 54 inches

[june181901]

He should have taken the fish into the hospital as well as himself. All hospitals have certified scales in the morgue.

[O'Connor]

can anyone here hold 82lbs straight out in front of you???


Yes

[duranautic al]

I got five dollars that a certain tattoed muscle bound dude on this site will claim he can hold out 82#'s first!

[duranautic al]

i was gonna bet on O'CONNER!! next time i'll stick to my instincts!

[O'Connor]

i was gonna bet on O'CONNER!! next time i'll stick to my instincts!


come on cuz! Go into your garage and dust off the weight set. grab a 45 lb bar and put two 10 lb weights on either side....curl it...stop it for a couple seconds half way down. no worries.

[duranautic al]

no thanks dan...drinkin beer watchin the mets is just fine tonight!

[MoparCharlie]

Here's the Al McRenolds story after he caught the record fish.....Maybe the record isn't all it's cracked up to be. Part 1

When Albert McReynolds landed what proved to be the world's largest striped bass ever taken on rod and reel, from a jetty off Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1982, he never imagined how the event would change his life. As we see in Part II of his remarkable story, catching a world-record fish can carry a heavy price indeed. We pick up on the morning after McReynold's epic battle with the 78-pound striper, at the tackle shop where the fish is being weighed.



It got to be just about almost daylight, the crack of dawn. And the tackle shop is on a road where all the guys are going to work - construction workers, roofers, plumbers, carpenters, guys who work at the casinos and build the casinos in Atlantic City. And people start pulling up when they see this fish hanging on the scale. All of a sudden the Fish & Game people show up, the local TV people, the radio people. It turns into a crowd. Guys are asking, "Who caught the fish? Where's he at? I want to talk to him." Guys are lighting cigarettes and putting them in my mouth, pouring Budweisers on my head, drinking beers. It's turning into a festival.

Now, in order to qualify for an IGFA record, I had to surrender the lure, the rod, the line, the reel - everything. I had to explain the catch, how I handled the fish, how it was hooked and where. Everything in detail. Nobody tells you when you land a world-record fish that there's going to be an investigation. And this investigation is supposed to be handled very quietly through the IGFA. Nothing's supposed to be divulged until they reach a decision at the conclusion of their investigation and tell you if the fish qualifies for any world records. You need a lawyer immediately because you shouldn't open your mouth or tell anybody anything. The press calls it "freedom of press," but what you're actually doing is robbing yourself and your family. Because when you divulge everything it becomes public knowledge. The tackle companies feel they don't have to pay you nothing. And they're going to get a million dollars' worth of publicity. What they're going to do is give you a hat and a T-shirt, and that doesn't feed your family.

Well, we wound up with everybody there, and the fish is put back on the scale. And this weighmaster guy gets out the record book and he says, "Okay. Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 73 pounds. Caught by a guy named Charlie Church."

He moves the scale and it goes 71, 72, 73, 74. He says, "You got one record. You beat the 73-pounder what was caught by Charlie Church." Then he says, "Now this is for all the marbles. Montauk, Glen Cove, Long Island, 76 pounds, the all-tackle world record." Then he goes, "Seventy-five, 76, 77, 78, 79." It teeters and balances out. He taps it back. 78, 8. He says, "Albert, to my knowledge you just won everything, and you may have the record for 20-pound test."

He says to me, this guy who's the weighmaster, as he's shaking my hand, "You just won the state record. You beat the Massachusetts record. You beat the New York record. Thank you for bringing this fish to my shop."

We wound up going back inside his office and signing the proper papers with witnesses and everything. And the phone rings, and the secretary comes over to me. She says, "A man's calling, says it's absolutely urgent to speak to you."

She gives me the phone and this guy comes on. He says, "Albert, you don't know me. My name is Nelson Bryant. I'm an outdoor sportswriter for the New York Times. I live up here in Martha's Vineyard." He says, "Listen, are you sitting down? Sit down for a minute." I sat down. He says, "I'm in touch with the king of Sweden. I'm trying to reach a man who owns Waterford Crystal in Ireland. There's a fishing contest on.

A lot of people don't know about it. We're trying to track it down and find out how to qualify for it or how to file for it, or get an application, or find out what the rules are. You just might have won a whole load of money. You stay there now. I'm gonna call you back as soon as I hear something."

After that I walk outside, and here comes my wife through the crowd. She says, "What's going on?"

I tell her, "I caught that fish." And I'm pointing to the fish.

She says, "Wait a minute. You gotta be to work pretty soon. We need the money 'cause it's going to be a long winter."

I say, "I just got off the phone with a guy who told me I might've won a lot of money or something here."

She says, "Yeah, I'll believe it when I see the check. How long is all this going to take?"

Soon the weighmaster guy is talking to me again. He tells me he's gonna take the fish and put it somewhere safe. My rod's gone, my line, my lure, the tackle and everything I had is gone. Now even the fish is gone. I'm standing there with absolutely nothing, and I'm groggy and tired beyond belief. My feet are still soaking wet and I'm trying to figure out what's going to happen next.

Then this guy pulls up with a truck advertising this tackle company. They're one of the biggest companies that make fishing reels. He says, "Congratulations, man. Listen, get the reel and put it in the picture so it goes in the magazines or in the newspapers. Now, I'm gonna authorize right now to you a lifetime supply of fishing tackle. And you'll probably get cash too. I'll get back to you."

Then he gives me a hat and a T-shirt and asks me to put them on for the photos. I say, "Yeah, why not?"

Next thing I know, the secretary comes back out. I'm in the parking lot, posing for pictures with people. She says, "That man's calling again from the New York Times. Says to get you immediately."

So I go back inside and pick the phone up. The guy says, "Albert, this is Nelson Bryant again. I got some information for you. Listen to this. There's a 'chance of a lifetime' fishing contest. It's a bounty. It's being handled by Lloyd's of London. The Blair Mail House Nebraska people are handling the applications. We're having a private courier pick one up and bring it to New York, for you to claim one of the prizes. The contest, from what we understand, awards a prize for breaking the next IGFA world record for four species of fish. Rainbow trout, largemouth bass, king salmon. And what do you think the last one is?"

I say, "Striper?"

He says, "Striped bass. You just won, to our knowledge, $250,000. Me and you, Al, are going to become good friends. I'm going to take the New York Times and point it at their head, like a double-barrel shotgun. And if they don't give you your money, I'm gonna blow it all over the newspapers. They're going to send representatives down from the tackle company that's sponsoring the contest. Now have a good day. I'll get back to you if anything changes. Just watch yourself. Be careful. You're dealing with some people that I don't think you're used to dealing with."

After that, the tackle-shop owner tells me if I want any tackle, anything at all, to take whatever I want. Just let him know what I need. He also tells me he has been in touch with an insurance company, since a prize is involved. He's gonna take care of the fish and insure it for $100,000. He releases this to the news media, tells them he is insuring the fish and that he'll be holding it for safekeeping.

By now I'm late for work at the Beach Patrol. Dozens of guys offer to give me a ride. When I get to the lifeguard station it's about 10:30, 11:00. And the chief walks up to me and says, "What are you doing here? Go home. You're suspended. We're docking you for the day. You never called. You never showed up."

As I'm standing there, some of the other lifeguards who want to heckle me are saying, "Wait, you can't go anywhere. Ted Koppel's calling. NBC's calling." They're breaking my balls and humiliating me and treating me terrible. My head's pounding. I'm upset, tired, frustrated. All this stuff is happening and it's overwhelming. Your feet leave the deck and you're floating on cloud nine, and the next minute you're walking into mean, jealous people who want to treat you terrible.

The chief also tells me to have all these phone calls stopped because they've been getting over 50 phone calls an hour from people who want to talk to me. Then the assistant chief says, "What is all this bull- over a fish? All it is is a stinking fish. I don't know what everybody's getting excited about."

I walk home on the boardwalk. I finally get back to our little rental apartment. I see the bed and I collapse. I must have passed out. I wanted nothing to eat, nothing to drink. I just wanted to get some rest. I don't know how long I slept, but my wonderful, beautiful wife, she wakes me up with hot chicken noodle soup and tells me to get up, it's time to go to work. I must have slept 24 hours.

I get to the lifeguard station, put on my uniform and go down to the beach. Before I know it, I get a call at the station. They tell me that the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute showed up and was examining my fish. And that the people handling the $250,000 contest were in town checking the fish, and wanted to know if I used any of their tackle. Which I didn't. I didn't use anything of theirs. But the application for the contest said you didn't have to use their tackle.

I don't know how many phone calls I got while I was working on the Beach Patrol the last couple weeks there, but it was unbelievable. I mean, I didn't have a minute's peace. There was always somebody who wanted to talk to me, somebody who wanted to meet with me. They wanted me at the Elks, the Moose, the VFW, the American Legion, the fishing clubs. All these so-called new friends wanted a piece of me.

This fellow who's the weighmaster and is holding my fish, now he wants to see me. He asks me who I would like have mount the fish. I said I'd like to give a local guy a shot.

[MoparCharlie]

Part 2:

So this taxidermist took on the task of making the mount for me, and the agreement we reached was that I was to get a skin mount. And there was supposed to be a right-facing mount and a left-facing mount. And I was assured this would be done.

When the mounts were finished, they were delivered to the weighmaster's store. I went to see them and there was a right mount, a left mount and a full mount - but they were fiberglass! I asked him where the skin mount was, the original fish, and he says the taxidermist told him it was destroyed. The world-record fish is destroyed! Now I know he has a $100,000 insurance policy on it, but that doesn't matter in the sense that what I really want is the world-record fish, the only one of its kind in the world, the largest caught on rod and reel. I want that. That's mine. That's my trophy, but I never got one.

Eventually the lure company comes forward. They give me a hat, too, tell me I'm on the advisory staff. The deal is they will get a mount of the fish. They will also give me $2,500 and tackle boxes filled with my choice of tackle from their plant.

Then the guy who weighed the fish, insured it and kept it at his store, he's also asking for a mount to display in his tackle shop. Now here I am, a fisherman all my life and a lifeguard in the summer. I have no education. I can't read or write. I never took a course in business. I'm really in a mess here, and it's starting to get worse and turn ugly. But I don't have any money to pay for an attorney.

Anyway, I get laid off from the Beach Patrol. I'm going to collect unemployment or try to find work in Atlantic City with the teamsters. I work there part-time with guys who I grew up with, who were friends of mine. I'm also a book holder for warehousemen, chauffeurs and truck drivers.

Around this time I start getting hate mail. I think I know who it's coming from, and we track it. But I refuse to prosecute because it's a family member. The hate mail says that I am a cheat, a fraud, that the catch is a hoax, a scam, that I devastated the striped bass population by killing the queen bee.

The guy who was with me when I caught the fish, he stops seeing me, talking to me, coming over to visit or going fishing with me. He starts becoming very scarce and evasive when I try to reach him.

Everything starts to go nuts. All kinds of stories are flying around. If I rounded up all the people who said they seen me catch the fish and was with me, they would fill a 70-foot party boat. Guys are telling me they seen me jump on the fish's back and ride it to shore. They were there. They caught a 69 when I got the 78. Years later, a guy tells my son the story. I walk up and say, "I'm Al McReynolds."

The guy tells me, "Al McReynolds is dead. He drank himself to death."

My family and I wind up moving out of Atlantic City, over to the town of Brigantine. We move into a hotel called the Blue Marlin for the winter. I'm trying to find work. It's getting toward Thanksgiving and I'm still waiting to hear from the IGFA what their decision is. I go up to the Atlantic City Convention Hall to find work with the Teamsters. I'm standing in the bullpen, as they call it, with all the other guys, and this friend of mine walks over to me. He says, "Hey, Al. What are you doing here, man?"

I say, "What? What are you talking about?"

He says, "I can't put you to work. You're worth $250,000. I gotta put these other guys to work."I say, "What do you mean? I didn't get no money yet. I haven't heard anything." But I go back home to the hotel. I get there and I'm looking at my three kids and my wife. We have a 21-inch TV, remote control. I wind up taking it out and getting in touch with some lifeguards I know, tell them I have a TV for sale. The chief winds up making me an offer. I sell him the TV - I guess it was about 100 bucks - so we can have some food.

By Christmas I still haven't heard anything from the IGFA. Christmas Eve comes and I'm in the hotel with the kids. We're eating peanut butter and crackers. Ain't much going on.

The manager of the hotel comes by and says there's a phone call for me in the front office. I go out to his office, 'cause we didn't even have a phone in the room. They shut them all off. I pick up the phone and the guy comes on. He says, "Albert, I'm Elwood K. Harry. I'm the president of the International Game Fish Association. There's no more fitting time for me to call you than Christmas Eve. We reached a decision. We unanimously voted to give you the new all-tackle world record, as well as the 20-pound-test record. There's a limousine coming down from New York from the man who owns the tackle company. He's bringing you to New York, to Rockefeller Center. You're going to stay at the Hilton. He's flying in on the Concorde from Paris. He's bringing you your money and he's going to pay you the $250,000. Congratulations to you. Job well done on catching that fish. If you ever get down here to Florida, come and see us and say hello. Now God bless you, Albert, and merry Christmas."

Well, we make arrangements to have someone look after the kids because we don't know how long we're going to be in New York and what's going to happen. I wind up having somebody buy me a jacket and a tie. We get in the limousine and the weighmaster guy is in there, along with his wife. We all head off for New York.

We arrive at Rockefeller Center and check into the Hilton. In the room are bottles of champagne and a basket with every type of fruit in it. My wife and I look outside and there's the building where the ball comes down on New Year's, that wedge-shaped building. And we're looking at each other, and we're saying to each other, "Can this be real? Is this a movie? What is this?"

The next day we take a limo to the Explorer's Club in Manhattan for the ceremony. That's where they made the movie The Verdict with Paul Newman. Members include Admiral Byrd, the astronauts. They have moon rocks there. They have stuffed polar bears, elephants, Cape buffalo, lions. It's a real men's club. When I get there they take me to a room and give me cognac and a cigar. After a while, a couple of gentlemen walk in and say, "Al, are you ready?"

I said, "Yeah, let's go."

We walk up to these big sliding doors, must be 12 feet high, and I see all these people sitting at tables with tablecloths and napkins and crystal and waiters. There's a woman representing the governor from the state of New Jersey. I see my wife. She's sitting with the Guinness Book of World Records people from Niagara Falls. There's sportswriters all the way from Oregon, Maine, Florida. They bring me out and I stand next to the podium.

The owner of the tackle company walks up and says, "Albert, I really wish you were using one of my products. Couldn't you tell them you were wearing a hat or a belt buckle with my logo on it or something?"

I say, "No, I can't."

"That's all right," he says. "Now, if you'll turn around and look at this, you're gonna like it. I turn around and this check comes down from the ceiling. It's about 12 feet long, five feet high, has my name on it, and it has the $250,000 up there with all the zeros on it. And as I'm looking at it, it's dawning on me that this is real. This is absolutely real.

When we get back from New York, I deposit the money and rent a car. We take the family to Disney World. But before we leave I go to see my friend who was with me that night on the jetty. I hadn't seen him in a while. I don't know why he wasn't invited to New York, to the award ceremony, but it wasn't my place to invite anybody. And I still don't know what arrangement he had made with the guy who owned the tackle shop. I don't know what they worked out. When I get to his place, I say, "Hey, what's up, man?"

He says, "Well, if it isn't the millionaire! What's up champ?"

I say, "Hey, I brought something for you. I wanted to do something for you and your family." And I give him a check for $10,000. That's the last time we ever spoke.

So we go down to Florida to get out of the snow and ice. When we get there it's 70 degrees. It's fabulous. Palm trees, beaches. The kids are having a ball. We see Mickey Mouse, the Disney parades. We stay right next to Disney at one of the hotels there. I just want to mend my wounds. I'm feeling pretty beat up. And we are scared, nervous. Nothing like this has every happened to us. My wife's parents are both dead. She doesn't have anybody to hold her in Jersey. I really don't have anybody to hold me around either. My grandmother is dead. My grandfather is gone. It's just us and the kids.

When we get back to Jersey, I get a note saying that the Sportsman's Federation of New Jersey was making me Sportsman of the Year. I also get invited to the New Jersey Game & Fisheries' annual event. They want to give me a plaque for catching the New Jersey state record striped bass. I wind up going up there, driving up with my sister and my brother-in-law and my wife.

When we get there, I'm sitting at this table and this guy's talking to me. He identifies himself as a publisher from New York. He says, "You know, man, you robbed your kids and you robbed yourself and your wife."

I say, "What are you talking about? Who are you?"

He says, "You gave everything away for free, and they didn't have to pay you. You didn't get a dime. You're a fool. You're stupid."

Just as I'm getting ready to stand up, my brother-in-law grabs me by my arms.

When I get up to the podium, this guy has a plaque for me. He says, "Albert, we want to present this plaque to you for the New Jersey state record." But they have the date wrong and they have my name spelled wrong. He says, "Well, this is close enough, man. Here, take it."

[MoparCharlie]

Part 3:

By spring I feel that New Jersey is closing in on me. I don't want to be there no more. It's time to leave. I tell my wife that I'd like to move up to New England, where I used to fish commercially. We wind up looking for property up there. I find a beautiful saltbox home, three bedrooms, three baths, a two-car garage, five acres of land. I buy it for my family.

We also decide to travel some more, to take the prize money and enjoy it. We travel extensively. We do what we want to do with our family. Sometimes we see people on hard luck and having tough times and we give money anonymously. We can't let people know that we help people and give money to charities. We don't want our names mentioned, because everyone will have their hand out. They think we're rolling in money.

People don't realize that if it wasn't for the $250,000 prize, I would have gotten next to nothing for catching that fish. But everybody throws that in my face - with $250,000, what am I crying about? It's the principle. I mean, come on, man. Ted Turner didn't stop at one million, Donald Trump didn't stop at a certain amount of money. You're supposed to make money and share the wealth.

One of the things I can't understand is when you have these news reporters come up to you and tell you they want to do an exclusive story, or they're freelance writing and want a story. As soon as you ask them what they're going to pay, they tell you that they have to talk to their editor about it. And then they come back and tell you that the editor says they can't pay you anything. Here these people are, traveling, getting their expenses paid, hotel, meals, a salary. Their newspapers are selling millions of copies and they start crying poor. They don't want to give you a dime. I hated that. I had people try to coerce stories out of me. Guys come down from New York telling me they're writing a book and they want an interview. Then, when I go to look for the book, the book never even came out.

You know, and I ain't joking when I say it, if I ever hooked another world-record fish I would think of cutting the line and letting it go. My oldest son says to me, "Dad, you should never pick up a rod ever again. It ain't worth it." I hope this story is going to open the eyes of anyone who thinks that catching a world record will make everything fabulous and wonderful. Let's talk about reality here.

I had people following me, watching me. I had all sorts of crazy things happening - phone calls, cars pulling up on our property with the lights off. People would pull up while I was fishing. I'd go to walk over to the car and they'd take off. When I went back fishing, they would pull up again. I'd try to walk up to them again and they would take off. I don't know what these people wanted. I have no idea. I wish I could have gotten a good attorney to advise me.

One time I went up to Maine on a trip and I walk into this bar there. It's like a little hunting bar. And I'm sitting there, and I had a jacket on with these patches for the tackle companies. Being a fool, I'm wearing these patches and these guys ain't paying me for them, but I'm advertising for them. They don't give a damn about me. This guy sees the patches on my jacket and he says, "What's all that stuff about?"

I says, "I'm the world-record holder for striped bass."

He says, "That's a damn lie. If you say that again I'll come around the bar and break your jaw. I'll fracture your skull. The world record was caught in Maine. You don't know what the hell you're talking about." And the bartender's standing there. Well, I got my stuff and I got the hell out of there.

It shook me up. I mean, here I am, the world-record holder for striped bass, and somebody wants to do me bodily harm because of it. I started thinking about what I did wrong. I didn't understand it. I'm just a regular guy. I learned. I would never wear any patches on any jackets, hats or shirts, or anything advertising these companies. Never again. Not for free I wouldn't do it.

I've had guys ask me, "You're the world-record holder for striped bass? Why are you so quiet, man? Why didn't you tell us who you are?" Because of things like this:

One time I'm in Brigantine, New Jersey, and there's a fishing tournament going on. I thought I'd go over and see what they are catching. There's a whole bunch of guys there, and they're having a little fish fry and beer bust. I walk up and this one guy's glaring at me. I never met this guy before in my life. He comes over to me and says, "You're the world-record holder for stripers?"

I say, "Yes."

He says, "How many stripes does a northern striper have and how many does a southern striper have?"

I say, "I really don't know. I didn't know there was a difference."

He says, "Yeah there is, you stupid ass. I told people that you don't know what you're talking about. You don't even know how many stripes there are on a striper!"

After I moved out of Atlantic City, I tried to go back just to visit. I pull up to the boardwalk and get out of the car with my two sons and we start to walk up the ramp. I get up to the top of the ramp and there's my cousin. He comes down the boardwalk, starts shoving me, poking his finger in my chest, telling me I deserted him. He said I was going to build him a tackle shop, said I was going to give him $10,000 like I gave the other guy. He's telling me my grandmother and grandfather would roll over in their graves if they knew what I turned into. I ought to be ashamed to show my face in Atlantic City. And he's doing this in front of my sons. We start backing down the boardwalk. He shoves me real hard and I go back against this rock. I laid the whole back of my foot open about five inches. We get back in the car. We drive out of there. I should have had him arrested for assault. This is what your family can do to you over money.

My sister calls me up and tell me she needs money. She's cheating on her husband with her minister and says that she found religion. The woman's out of her mind. When I won't give her the money, she tells me I should shove the money, and she wishes that I would die.

I've got an older brother who lives in Hawaii. He's a retired E9 Chief from the Navy. He married a Japanese girl from Okinawa and has a couple of kids. He finds out I have money and he contacts me. Tells me he's losing his home. And here he is with a chief's pension. God knows how much a chief gets after 30 years in the military. I break down and send him $10,000. He tells me he owns land in Bakersfield, California, and that he'll give us that as collateral, or he can give me a sword owned by his wife. It's a Samurai sword, worth thousands of dollars. But I don't take anything from the guy. I just want to help him out.

Later, I come to find out he's a used-car salesman, working part-time, and he's an alcoholic. When I ask about my money, he tells his kids and his wife that I'm nuts. He changes his phone number, his address, never pays me a dime. Think about lending money to your family!

It gets worse. I get a call from a former lifeguard who lives in Cleveland. He's in the money-management business. He deals with people like Mario Andretti, Arnold Palmer, Dick Butkus, Barbara Streisand, Johnny Mathis. This guy wants to take me on as a client. Well, he had me invest some money in stocks and bonds, stuff I know nothing about. I wound up getting wiped out. I lost money.

Now it doesn't give me any pride to tell people what eventually happened. This is the seriousness of catching the world record, winning the richest prize, and all these other things. We actually wound up losing our home. We lost all our money. We have no life insurance. We have no medical insurance. We wound up living in a car and living in motels with our children. And I was too embarrassed to ask anybody for help or tell anybody what our situation was. But I think it should be told. This is real life. This is the truth I'm telling you. Was it all worth it? Yes. They say life is a roller coaster. You have highs and lows. If you don't get on the roller coaster you never enjoyed life. Jackie Gleason said that fortunes are to be won, fortunes are to be lost and then won again. He says life is terrific. And he's right. Life is fantastic.

If you get to Florida and visit the IGFA headquarters, the new Fishing Hall of Fame, the replica of my world-record fish is hanging there when you come in the door. It's right above the world-record largemouth bass. There's also a painting of me standing on the rock jetty, and it shows the world-record fish coming up and taking the lure. The artist is a famous painter. He donated the painting to the IGFA. It's a $20,000 painting. It's called "The Moment of Truth

[PocketFisherman]

can anyone here hold 82lbs straight out in front of you???

I can.

[JoeLongo]

I got five dollars that a certain tattoed muscle bound dude on this site will claim he can hold out 82#'s first!


I will do you one better. I will hold Lab straight out. :p

[cece1]

Saw the pic. Thats no record unless there is lead in the belly. Love to see a different pic on the scale.

[ChaosStarter]

That was a crazy friggin story.

[Supafly]

The fish will be entered for a record! Sounds like the guy deserved it and he kept fishing after he caught it

http://www.epicblitz.com/2011/08/this-fish-will-be-submitted-as-a-world-record-link-to-exclusive-interview-on-field-and-stream.html

[tautog]

Answers a lot of questions and rumors. Still amazing that he has like 4 fish over 60 in the past 2 years and holds a full time job. Maybe striper guides in his area need to work harder..*S*

[tautog]

Still hard to believe a 54" striper weighed 81 plus though. It is fat, but doesn't look that fat. I had a fat 55" fish that I had to release out at Nantucket shoals that was maybe in the mid 60s.

[duranautic al]

haha.. lab,is he actually 82#s??

[tautog]

haha.. lab,is he actually 82#s??

With his shoes on after a heavy breakfast...maybe.

[AJFISH13]

Still hard to believe a 54" striper weighed 81 plus though. It is fat, but doesn't look that fat. I had a fat 55" fish that I had to release out at Nantucket shoals that was maybe in the mid 60s.

What were you fishing for? That's still a fish of a lifetime. Nice job.

[BigBassJim]

I kinda hope it doesn't stand, just because the previous record has a better story to it, on a rock getting pounded by waves at night on a 5 1/2 inch rebel swimmer on 20lb MONO and a light surf spinner! This guy was eeling with probably a 12" eel and "Myerson, who uses a heavy duty 6-½ foot St. Croix tuna rod and a Quantum Cabo reel spooled with 50-lb. Berkley Gorilla Braid to handle big stripers."

[O'Connor]

I kinda hope it doesn't stand, just because the previous record has a better story to it, on a rock getting pounded by waves at night on a 5 1/2 inch rebel swimmer on 20lb MONO and a light surf spinner! This guy was eeling with probably a 12" eel and "Myerson, who uses a heavy duty 6-½ foot St. Croix tuna rod and a Quantum Cabo reel spooled with 50-lb. Berkley Gorilla Braid to handle big stripers."


the man was fishing out at a reef, in a specific spot he found that has produced three bass in the 60's and a 70. This fish was caught how they are supposed to be caught....either surf or boat...drifting eels is a classic way to bass fish. If you read the story the fish had 6 feet of line trailing from it's mouth because someone had hooked the monster and broke it off. This guy deserves it...only a June NJ snag and drop fish would be enough to send me in to my garage to break all my rods over my knee. While it was kind of cool to have the record come from my home state...from everything I have read so far, he seems like a stand up, humble guy...just a good fisherman who broke the record. I tip my cap to his accomplishment.

[BigBassJim]

Not saying anything bad about the guy and congrats to him on catching a *pending world record* and I know how effective eeling can be and when eeling you always know you got the chance for a 50lb+ fish but how often do you plugging with a 5inch swimmer saying "im gonna catch a 50lb+ fish" It just my opinion sure it would be awesome for it to become a new world record i just like how the other world record was caught and it sounds alot better.

[AJFISH13]

only a June NJ snag and drop fish would be enough to send me in to my garage to break all my rods over my knee.

Why do you have so much hatred towards live bunker fishing. They don't go wild every day, there are some days it completely dies and it's not predictable. It might not require a ton of skill, but most days it requires more work. The captain has to find bait and then find FEEDING fish which could be on the pods or offshore or on a piece of structure. The angler has to successfully execute a hookup using a 3/4 to even 2 lb. bait that the bass often play with/drop. And if you couldn't tell, I usually end up going out on the slow days:eek: .

[O'Connor]

Why do you have so much hatred towards live bunker fishing. They don't go wild every day, there are some days it completely dies and it's not predictable. It might not require a ton of skill, but most days it requires more work. The captain has to find bait and then find FEEDING fish which could be on the pods or offshore or on a piece of structure. The angler has to successfully execute a hookup using a 3/4 to even 2 lb. bait that the bass often play with/drop. And if you couldn't tell, I usually end up going out on the slow days:eek: .


I have no hatred towards livelining. I spent many seasons netting bunker off the sea bright bridge at night, putting them in my live well system I had rigged in my jeep cherokee, driving to jetties at dawn, running out to the jetties with a bucket of water and a bunker and most times I would catch a bass. what goes on now requires no skill aj beyond basic seamanship. It requires batteries in your cell phone a solid network of phone buddies and a full tank of gas in your boat. Now...if you want to talk about livelining on a piece of structure, drifting rips at night etc...then let's talk. do not get me wrong...it is fun as hell and it is great for the charter and party boats so that makes me happy as I have friends who book a lot of charters for june bass.:)

[AJFISH13]

I'll agree, if you have a solid network and plenty of gas, your in business. But when no one is on the fish, the captains have to find them, often in the deep on pieces of structure. I have fished on the Cock Robin when we did that. Also been on there when we ran like a bat out of hell after leaning it turned on somewhere else:D . Sorry if I offended you, just seems like you always had something against it. Know I realize your jealous becuase you can longer take advantage of it living in California:p .

[O'Connor]

I'll agree, if you have a solid network and plenty of gas, your in business. But when no one is on the fish, the captains have to find them, often in the deep on pieces of structure. I have fished on the Cock Robin when we did that. Also been on there when we ran like a bat out of hell after leaning it turned on somewhere else:D . Sorry if I offended you, just seems like you always had something against it. Know I realize your jealous becuase you can longer take advantage of it living in California:p .


100% true....Do not weep for me though....we have big fluke(halibut) giant weakfish(white sea bass) and other things that keep the line tight. I am just an old 39 year old guy that grew up surf fishing for striped bass so I keep the fish close to my heart...it makes me sad to see them become a bucket fish like the lowly ling or porgy. Times change....I guess I am just slow to evolve. Good fishing to you...

[tautog]

What were you fishing for? That's still a fish of a lifetime. Nice job.

Cod jigging. Thought I had a supersteaker, wound up not even winning the pool..*L*. I saw a length chart that had a 60lb average and a 72lb max for a 54" fish. Fish doesn't look over 20lbs fatter than an average fish but who knows.

[kmaty]

Buddy of mine got a 78lb drum was as long as truck is wide so il give the guy a chance if it turns up that its a lie/Rumor than so be it but a nice catch no mater what

[Life's A Beach]

I will do you one better. I will hold Lab straight out. :p


I CAN hold an 82# fish straight out. Especially amped up after catching a beast like that.

[Life's A Beach]

haha.. lab,is he actually 82#s??


Down to a swelte 142 today Al

And I could hold that fish out. I can take a hindsaddle of veal off a double hook above my head and carry it 3 blocks on my shoulder (Done and Done).

My biggest problem is catching a fish

[jmurr711]

Down to a swelte 142 today Al

And I could hold that fish out. I can take a hindsaddle of veal off a double hook above my head and carry it 3 blocks on my shoulder (Done and Done).

My biggest problem is catching a fish

could you hold me straight out??????

[lunkertaker]

could you hold me straight out??????

Only if your 82 lbs:p

[duranautic al]

not questioning your strength mike!! just your weight...and never your put em in the box capabilities!:)

[Supafly]

First hand account of the potential record and more details

http://www.epicblitz.com/2011/08/first-hand-account-of-the-potential-world-record-striper-and-more-details.html

[O'Connor]

Cod jigging. Thought I had a supersteaker, wound up not even winning the pool..*L*. I saw a length chart that had a 60lb average and a 72lb max for a 54" fish. Fish doesn't look over 20lbs fatter than an average fish but who knows.


The current world record, McReynolds fish, was only 53 inches long and weighed 78 1/2 lbs.

[tautog]

It may be legit but I still think that scale needs to be re-certified to make sure. McReynolds fish looks to have a much bigger head and gut. I used to know of several local tackle shops that had IGFA stickers on their scales which were commonly 3 or 4lbs off. The whole fluke tourney controversy from this weekend points out that properly maintained scales can be inaccurate.

[Fishguts]

The current world record, McReynolds fish, was only 53 inches long and weighed 78 1/2 lbs.

Damn thats a mighty big salvo fired at all the haters.:eek: :eek:

Hopfully IGFA will clear this all up and we can have a chance to talk to the fine fisherman at all the sportsman shows for the next 20 years:)

[Andycw]

fyi - google it;

Fishermen around the area are anxiously awaiting word on whether a striped bass caught in Long Island Sound is a new world-record.

Jack Katzenbach of Jack's Shoreline Bait & Tackle in Westbrook said angler Greg Myerson, 43, of North Branford, brought in a striper that weighed in at 81.88 pounds."He was just trying to enter it into the Striper Cup," Katzenbach said. This fish was reportedly caught off a boat using live eels. Myerson had already headed home, while Katzenbach and others are worked to figure out how to get the fish recorded as the largest striper caught.

The fish is larger than current record-holder, a 78.8 pound striped bass caught in New Jersey by Albert McReynolds in 1982. At Jack's Shoreline Bait & Tackle, Katzenbach said the phone has not stopped ringing.

Reports are circulating through the sport-fishing world of the possible record-breaker, but there has been no confirmation from any official source yet.


Read more: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Striped-bass-catch-may-be-world-record-1751712.php#ixzz1UMcLTx1Q

[Supafly]

This is fantastic

http://www.epicblitz.com/2011/08/hitler-chimes-in-on-the-8188-pound-striped-bass.html

[JBird]

"Those yellow eyed demons nicked my line! Stupid flourocarbon!"
That's some funny s**t, man.

[pulltaug]

Here’s the facts, reported to us by Connecticut-based OTW writer Kierran Broatch: This morning, Striper Cup angler Greg Myerson weighed in a striped bass that registered 81.88 pounds on the scale at Jack’s Shoreline in Westbrook, Connecticut – almost 12 hours after it had been landed Thursday evening aboard a boat in Long Island Sound.

If Myerson’s fish is certified by the IGFA, it will be the new all-tackle world record striped bass.

I am trying to upload a photo but it won't let me!!!
GRRR

http://www.onthewater.com/fishing/81-pound-striped-bass-update/

[Capt. Lou]

If that fish weighs 81#'s plus it'll be news to me, I saw a couple of mid sixties & this won looks smaller ,maybe bad camera angles. If I'm wrong big congrat's to angler hope Mc Reynolds syndrome does not rear it ugly head!! Probaby not, no big bucks to fight over, I THINK????:) :cool: :eek:

Looks like I was wrong on my initial statements, big congrat's to angler on not only that WR catch It's nice to see a hard core angler that puts in is time & reap those benfits on breaking one of the most prestigious sought after records in years!:) :cool:

[Gerry Zagorski]

You know what is really discouraging to me??? This guy catches what could be a world record fish and people are already pissing on his parrade.

How about congrats, nice fish...

Really growing tired of all the drama here lately. It needs to stop.

[Rayman1]

You know what is really discouraging to me??? This guy catches what could be a world record fish and people are already pissing on his parrade.

How about congrats, nice fish...

Really growing tired of all the drama here lately. It needs to stop.

Amen.. Thats a great fish.. Congrats to him.

[Fishbone]

Thank you Gerry!! I dont post alot because all of this nonsense.. Lets keep it clean and for once say hey congradulations nice catch!! Dont be a bunch of jealous haters!!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Fishbone - I would not say "jealous haters" since that is drama in my book too.

How about supporting eachother instead of tearing eachother down?

Maybe giving someone the benefit of the doubt before making a public accusation?

If you weren't there or would not say the same thing to someone to their face then lets not post it here.

[sportfishingusa]

i would say this is the most "drama" free website in the planet when it comes to fishing communities online.... i rarely and i mean RARELY see any personal attacks towards anyone.. little banter is fun once in a while imho.. :D

[NJ Dave]

That is a huge fish. Its a shame that this guy caught this possible record fish and everyone instantly doubts its size, weigth, how it was caught, ect.
This spring I had my two personal best fish one was 41 and a week later a 44.
I thought the 41 was huge but the 44 did not phase me until it hit the scale. I could not believe that this fish was bigger tham my previous.
The reason I found was that the first fish was longer and skinny giving it a bigger appearance while the second fish was shorter but fat.
Like this fish it may not look real long but that gut alone must weigh 15 pounds.
Congrats none the less.

[jmurr711]

what happens in the canyon stays in the canyon......................

does kind of suck that everytime a record fish is caught there is always a sense of is it real or did dude cheat or stuff it with lead, i wonder when i break the world record for pout if i will draw the haterade

[Baldguy01]

what's a pout?

[Hacker]

Hey just heard there was a 81 pounder caught in Ct.

[Duffman]

i wonder when i break the world record for pout if i will draw the haterade


That would be funny...and fitting if it were you who caught it.

Is there an IGFA entry for banana cod? There is for bergal, why not pout.

[shrimpman steve]

Congrats to the angler, I hope he gets the record. If he caught the fish on rod and reel and it is as heavy as reported, he deserves it!

[Stumpy]

Record or no record.....That is one helluva ginormous fish!!!
Kudos to the angler that fought and landed that monster.