New Year's Eve striper trip results in 42lb fish

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.