Thursday, January 31, 2008
How big do stripers get?
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
Fred Barnes (third from left) with pending 73-pound Virginia record striped bass.
When Fred Barnes reeled in a 73-pound striped bass off Virginia Beach last week, which is a pending state record, it got some people wondering. Just how big do these things get?
The 63-year old Barnes, an accomplished striper angler from Chesapeake, was knocking on the door of the International Game Fish Association all-tackle world record. That’s a 78.5-pound striper caught off an Atlantic City, N.J., beach Sept. 21, 1982 by Albert McReynolds.
IGFA has been the world’s record keeper since 1939, but before that there are accounts of huge, unofficial striper catches, some taken by commercial fishermen. The largest I am aware of is a 125-pounder netted at Edenton, N.C., in 1891. A 73-pounder is recorded as being caught in Massachusetts in 1913. In 1967, an 81-pounder showed up in a fish market, sent there by a Maryland commercial fisherman.
As a comparison, the freshwater Virginia record is a 53-pound, 7-ounce Leesville Lake catch by James Davis of Goodview. That is huge to come out of a 3,400-acre lake.
So back to our question. Just how big do these things get? The answer is, big. That means anyone catching a record may get booted by a bigger catch even before the ink dries in the record book.
It is a bit of a surprise that the current Virginia record, a 68-pound, 1-ounce March 4, 2006, catch, has stood nearly two years. It was caught by Clay Armstrong of Mechanicsville who was trolling south of Sandbridge. Prior to that, the record was 63 pounds, 8 ounces, landed off Wachapreague two months before Armstrong’s catch. It was taken by Paul Kleckner of Greenbackville.
Virginia has established itself as world-class fishery for jumbo stripers, and a world record should be in its future. Public ramps on the north and sound ends of Virginia Beach have been overflowing with boats this month to the point that the most difficult thing about striper fishing is reaching the fishing grounds. The crowds, normally big this time of the year, have been compounded by word of the record catch.
Barnes reported he hooked his fish of a lifetime while trolling a red and white Stretch 30 lure near the 4A Buoy off Cape Henry. He was aboard the private boat, “Country Girl,” skippered by Capt. Pat Foster. It was about noon, and it had been a decent morning, with several fish in the box, but slow in comparison to the kind of brisk days this fishery has been providing.
The captain had pushed the trolling speed up several notches in order to catch up with some birds. That’s when the big one hit.
The fight lasted a measly 10 minutes, said Barnes, who is no stranger to big stripers. In 2005, he caught one in the Eastern Shore surf a few ounces under 59 pounds, winning the World Striped Bass Tournament.
This time, Barnes and his crew kept on fishing, but the 52-inch length and 31-inch girth of the fish was impressive enough to make them decide they’d better head for the dock and a set of scales.
The catch is going through the normal process required of a pending record, said Lewis Gillingham, director of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. There has been the usual chat line chatter that Barnes was fishing outside the legal water, but nothing official, said Gillingham.
BILL
SUMMARY OF BILLS
Bills of special interest to outdoor sportsmen are being shot down or advanced at a rapid pace in the Virginia General Assembly. Here’s a look at some of them.
ALIVE AND WELL
HB 114, which would allow trappers to identify their traps with a number issued by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, has been reported out of the House with no negative votes and is in a Senate committee. Trappers currently must put their name and address on traps.
HB 115, which would require that submerged Conibear-type traps be checked every 72 hours rather than 24 hours, passed the house on a 92-2 vote and is in Senate committee.
HB 319, which would allow disabled veterans to participate in organized trout fishing programs without having to purchase a fishing or trout license sailed through the House and is in Senate committee.
HB 1016, which would allow the use of bait when hunting deer in counties with a special late, antlerless deer season, has been reported out of the House with a unanimous vote.
HJ 231 unanimously was voted out of the House and requires the DGIF to provide greater input from the public when hunting, fishing, boating regulations are proposed or changed.
SB 617 would establish an apprentice hunting license designed to make it easier for newcomers to take up hunting. It has been unanimously reported to the House.
SB 708 is making progress even as other Sunday hunting bills fail. This one would allow Sunday hunting during urban archery seasons.
SICK
HB 886, which would let bear hound hunters pursue their sport at nighttime during the chase season is making no progress.
HB 1250 appears to lack the kind of support to be reported out of committee. It would require youngsters 12 and under to wear a life jacket in many boating situations.
HB 1352 would fire the current board members of the DGIF and change the way future ones are appointed. It has made little progress and likely will be killed this week.
ALL BUT BURIED
HB 872, which would require blaze orange during the muzzleloading season, has been tabled.
HB 1456, which would allow hunting on Sundays with a bow or crossbow, is not expected to advance.
SB 524 was snubbed by committee. It would have removed the ban on Sunday hunting.
DEAD
SB 365 which would have allowed localities to prohibit the use of rifles for turkey hunting. It was withdrawn by its sponsor.
BILL
A BIG BUNCH OF TURKEYS
On a recent drive in Botetourt County, Betsy Williams spotted so many big birds in a field that at first she through that they were Canada Geese. A closer look revealed that they were wild turkeys.
“I stopped counting at 60 turkeys,” said Williams, who is an experienced birder and director of operations at the Science Museum of Western Virginia in Roanoke. She watched them 10 minutes or so, observing many jakes with 3- to 4-inch beards, hens and three mature gobblers.
“Finally they all took off with a big whish,” landing on the other side of the road, Williams said.
Williams’ account was shared with me by Gary Norman, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries wildlife biologist. I asked him if he’d ever seen a larger flock. In Highland County several years ago he said he counted 70 in an area where a farmer was feeding them.
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
>>Haven’t renewed your fishing license? You will likely get a reminder of that from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The agency is setting up what it calls a “Lapsed Angler Marketing Program,” to stimulate license renewals.
>>The Wildlife Center of Virginia, an emergency room and hospital for wildlife located in Waynesboro, is offering a rare series of open houses. The dates are March 2, 16, 30; April 13 and 27. Reservations are required and can be made via wildlife@wildlifecenter.org.
>>Joan Cone, a woman of outdoor sports long before that became trendy, died Saturday. She was best known for her tips and recipes on cooking game and fish. A resident of Williamsburg, Cone has been best known in recent years for her “Recipes” column in Virginia Wildlife. She is survived by her husband, Art, the author of several outdoor books.
>>Virginia Ducks Unlimited has produced a flyer to increase awareness of wetland restoration and conservation programs. “Things have been a little stagnant over the past couple of years,” said DU biologist Mike Budd, glaro.ducks.org/mafo/i
>>The February issue of Field & Stream highlights Kevin Paulson of Fredericksburg in its Heroes of Conservation series. Paulson donates to conservation organizations a portion of the profits from his huntinglife.com Web site that features hunting guides. The magazine said Paulson had given more than $40,000 to groups such as Whitetails Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
BILL
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Meeting of Smith Mountain Striper Club, Feb. 1, 7 p.m., Moneta Community Center, speaker Stu Tinney, author and veteran striped bass angler.
Fredericksburg Outdoor Show, Fredericksburg Expo Center, Feb. 8-10 Info@woodsandwatersmagazine.com.
Fly Fishing and Wingshooting Show, Feb. 8-10, Charlotte Merchandise mart, Charlotte, N.C., www.flyfishingshoweast.com
Richmond Boat Show, Feb. 14-17, Richmond Raceway Complex, information from agievents.com.
Western Virginia Sport Show, Feb. 15-17, Augusta Expoland, Fisherville, westernvasportshow.com
The Greater Virginia Sports and Big Game Show, Feb. 15-17, 2008, Rockingham County Fairgrounds, Harrisonburg, vasportsshow.com.
The Virginia Outdoor Sportsmen’s Classic, Feb. 22-24, Roanoke Civic Center, vaoutdoorsportsmensclassic.com.
National Wild Turkey Federation conference, Feb. 21-14, Georgia World Conference Center, Atlanta.
Dixie Deer Classic, Feb. 28-March 2, North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Raleigh, dixiedeerclassic.org.
Southwest Virginia Boat Show, Feb. 29-March 2, Roanoke Civic Center.
National Capital Boat Show, March 7-9, Dulles Expo Center, information from agievents.com.
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, April 4, 7 p.m., Moneta Community Center, program by Dan Wilson, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologist.
Youth spring gobbler day, April 5
Spring gobbler season, April 12-May 17.
Seventh Annual David H. Horne Memorial Hunters for the Hungry Golf Tournament, May 7, Birkdale Golf Course, Richmond, contact Braxton Bell, 804-739-3010.
Twenty-fifth annual Bluefish Derby, June 13 & 14, Reedville, information from Jett’s Hardware, 804-453-5325.
Roanoke Valley Friends of NRA banquet, Oct. 18.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
