interesting

[lumberslinger178]

We have all heard the stories of beach fisherman having their rod and reel pulled out of a sand spike and into the ocean.
This tackle is usually only seen later at the Davey Jones Flea Market. The angler who does the losing assumes it was the
"big one" that took the rod and reel. Those hearing the story assume it was a big skate or jumbo bluefish. Unfortunately it's usually a spike that was placed in wet sand instead of dry sand allowing the ocean's hydraulics to work on the sand pulling the spike with rod and reel into the ocean. Well there may be reason to hope it was "the fish of a life-time". This week while fishing for Weakfish about a mile and a half off Barnegat Light, Captain TA snagged a piece of Power Pro line. On one end there was a 10 ft surf rod and reel. On the other end there was a 52 inch Striped Bass. This leads us to the next old saying, "if you snooze you lose".

 

[randlemanboater]

Cool!

I always just hold the rod, how you gonna set the hook with it in a holder?

 

[Sean]

WOW, was the bass dead? I am a true believer and always havingthe rod in hand. Some of my biggest fish started of as jump a litle bump,bump and if you are not there to feedthem some line, theres a good chance you will miss them.

 

[lumberslinger178]

I found more of the story




October 31, 2007

1:30 PM

More on that Rod and Reel with Striper snag reported on 10/28/2007 Noon...

The angler who originally hooked up with the fish is now known. On 10/10/2007 after a meeting of the Heavers Fishing Club, Pete Figueroa went fishing off 28th Street in Barnegat Light. His rod was baited in a sand spike and when he walked away for a few seconds that is when the fish struck. The sand spike went down and the rod and reel were pulled into the water just inches away from the angler grabbing it. At that point it was just a wonder as to what it could have been. Mr. Figueroa is now excited to know that what he actually hooked that night was a 52-inch Striper. [This would have been a great fish for the LBI Striped Bass Derby.]

A bit more info... On 10/21/2007 the vessel Rascal II with Captain George Ellmer and Mate Captain Tom Albert while fishing a charter loading up on Croakers and Weakfish about a 1-1/2 miles off Barnegat Light snagged a fishing line. It was Power Pro and handling it took some care and patience especially when they realized a big fish was pulling back on that end of the line. Pulling in the line they discovered a live 52-inch Striper on one end and a 10' Surf rod and reel on the other end. Yes, you read that correctly, the fish was alive