Usually stories of big striped bass begin with the fish hitting a lure or bait, but this one, told by Bert Jenkins of Derry, NH, begins with something hitting the fish.
Bert was fishing eels in 3 feet of water on Joppa Flats back in June 2014, when a fish breaking the surface caught his eye. He motored over to the activity, and was surprised to see a giant striped bass struggling to swim, its tail badly damaged. The fish appeared to have been hit by a boat, Bert explained, and the tail looked to be broken.
His friend Roger from Windham, NH took a net and scooped up the injured fish. The striper (pictured above with Bert) measured 54 3/4 inches long, and Bert estimated it to weigh somewhere between 50 and 60 pounds.
“Fishermen spend there whole lives pursuing fish like this,” Bert said. “And this one just swam right into our net.”
Did it survive to perhaps get healthy to be released??
Why, do you imagine there’s a fish rehabilitation hospital in Newbury?
captain there was nothing that could be done to save her. That fish had all the quality’s to become a true monster.
This is one of the rare instances where its better not to release. This fish would never be able to catch prey if its tail was broken, it would starve to death before the tail healed. Better to go on a dinner plate than be served to the crabs.
Thanks Nick, thanks for the feedback. Have a nice day
If people can’t release a perfectly healthy bass what makes you think this one made it out alive?
Hi Clint , this is Bert (holding fish) the injury to its tail was so bad, that no effort could be made to help it. Or that fish would have been released
Did you release it??
Bob it couldn’t be saved. Or it would be gorging on mackerel as I write this. Have a great day..
Wow. So rude. Can’t seem to muster a decent comment there guys?
Hi Trish; Iam a catch and release fisherman. I keep only 1-2 fish a year for friends. I would have loved to set this big girl free. Unfortunately the injury to its lower back/tail was significant. The fish measured from bottom lip to end of tail 54-3/4″. Over the lenght of its body. On the ground from bottom lip,to end of tail it measured 47-1/2″. It gain 7″. From the girth it had . I hope this clears some of the confusion, thanks for reaching out have a nice day. Bert
You sir are a legend. What a beautiful fish and you sir are a beautiful man. What a monster fish. Such a beautiful sight. I hope she tasted delicious I’m sure she could have fed a family. <3 love, 1 legend to another ?
Thanks Chad; caught a lot of big fish in my life. But only one with a net. Gave it to Roger. He netted the fish on the side of my boat. Fish that big don’t taste that good ,there old and tough. Thanks again for the response. Take care.
Hey Burt, I had a Rare catch also fishing for stripers plugin, in south Jersey capemay ferry area, I seen an object about 50 yards away from the jetty and about 50 yards out from where I was as it got closer it was still alive and his back fin was totally off the creature had the way 46 pounds it was 50 inches long I was in shock he was still alive even in breathing I’m sure it’s been done plenty of other times where big boats just run over big fish and sometimes you’re there too hit the jackpot lol the worst thing about it was she was carrying babies it was about June 4th 5th somewhere in that time range where there were still fish back there but was starting to swim up North anyway I thought this was a funny story I have pictures of the fish I actually left the tail in the water to look like I caught it plugin but I couldn’t keep the secret and had to tell everyone this story lol on Facebook anyway
I totally agree that it was the best thing to do keeping that fish instead of making him a sharks snack . you can see by the photo it was badly beat up so hope you enjoyed the gift of a few great meals she gave you
I do however want to tell you an honest story about 10 years ago a buddy and i were fishing for schoolies in onset bay when i hooked into one that really put up a much better fight than the ones we were catching when i got it to shore we realized this fish had no tail whatsoever we couldnt tell weather it was born that way or lost it years earlier because it was healed over completely as if it was normal
that fish measured only 33″ but it was the strongest striper I ever caught as far as just holding him how it lived that long with no tail is just unbelievable we had to let it go because somehow it survived against unbelievable odds
Blanco that’s cool. This fish had bacterial infection as well. But its lower tail section was. Broken and chewed up pretty bad. This is probably why if got bacterial infection. Thanks for the feedback. Bert
Fish, like every animal, have surprising abilities to recouperate from injury. It’s hard to tell from the picture or the comments whether this big striper could have, but I’d probably have let it go unless it was so messed up that it couldn’t swim. Maybe it had only just been hurt and was regrouping in shallow water. Unless I really wanted 30 pounds of striper fillets from a fish I didn’t really “catch,” I’d have let it go in case it could spawn again next spring (it was probably a female).
Get a clue. It was injured severely and swam into a net. Why waste a beautiful fish?
wow bert that fish is beautiful yeah i agree with you theres no saving that, the tail is shot
I once scooped up a big striper in a net Also that had been gut hooked and the treble was left in its throat . Fish was flipping around on the surface still alive so I took it home and ate it . It was about 20 pounds it would have died if left there
Bert. I would have brought it to Rockingham Brewery. Traded it for a Remy Rye IPA or A Smokey Bacon beer.!