Next time, unless mounting the striper, release the big ones and keep the
12# and under. They taste better, and the big ones are females, and those
big females make lots of eggs.

"SimRacer" wrote in message
...

"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in
message ...

"SimRacer" wrote in message
nk.net...
With the continuing "relatively nice for the time" weather we've had
here
in NC, me and a fishing buddy linked up and went out to the OBX to get
in
on some of this winter Striped Bass fishing we've been hearing so much
of
the past few years. We went out this past Saturday (Dec 31) off
Hatteras
Island (NC) out of Oregon Inlet and managed to catch a few really nice
stripers. There were a ton of folks on the water, I was even surprised
at
the amount of charter boats we saw out there chasing these winter bass.
The "3 mile line" kept us all clumped up along the various stretches of
shore from Kitty Hawk/Duck NC past Oregon Inlet and the Bodie Island
Lighthouse all the way South to Hatteras Village and the lighthouse
itself. So we just jumped into the trolling line that was more like a
fleet by mid morning, and all "followed the birds" looking for schools
of
bait fish.

We caught this particular striper about 10 miles North of the Hatteras
Lighthouse, about 2 miles off the beach:
(this is my buddy in the photos, he reeled her in, so we gave him the
glory)

http://home.earthlink.net/~simracer5...b_striper5.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/~simracer5...b_striper1.jpg

We had her certified for a state citation when we got back in, which is
35lbs here in NC. Weighed 42 lbs on the dot according to the
"official/certified" scales at the tackle shop. Our best rough
measurements were 45" long, 28" girth. Nowhere near the *rumored* new
record set this past week during a tournament of over 60 lbs, which was
the record from 1971 until this past week if said rumor is true. (We
heard
several weights through the rumor mill; 62, 63 and 65 pounds, so
apparentlly a large one above 60 lbs was caught)

Hope everyone here at rofb had enjoyable holidays.

That's a beast!

Hehe! Yes it is. The possibility of catching something "like this" was the
very reason we braved the ocean, the weather, etc in the first place, this
time of year.

With fishing pressure seemingly ever increasing around here during the
"warm
months" I've made a committment to try to fish more of the off-season, and
it paid off this time. Now, here's hoping when I get on the flat water
nearby chasing the largemouth shortly, that we're as fortunate. Me and the
fella in these photos plan on LM bass fishing every spare day in Feburary
that is above freezing that we can...

--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com