Kayak caught 43-pound, 9-ounce striper off LBI

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Daily Shep on Fishing report: Surfcaster on Long Beach Island uses kayak to land 43-pound, 9-ounce striper

MIKE SHEPHERD of The Press of Atlantic City reported the following

Steve Warren is the on-line honcho in The Press editorial department, a successful surfcaster and a sailor of some repute.

He was on the beach early Tuesday morning at Surf City on Long Beach Island when he noticed some action in the water. It was too far out for surfcasting, so he ran back to his family home and hauled out a kayak and fishing rod.

Warren snagged a bunker and rigged it up live, and hooked up with a heavyweight striper. He said fighting the big fish on kayak is different than from the beach because he was in 20 feet of water and when he got it up to surface it would dive.

The fish eventually tired out and rose to surface. He got a rope the through the gills and secured it.

Then he realized he had a different problem. A west wind pushed him to what he said was more than a mile off the beach. He could not paddle back against the wind towing a bass.

His solution: the bass had to join him in the kayak, so he pulled it aboard.

When he got back to the surf, he was riding a wave when the bow went under from the weight of the fish and the kayak capsized. He scrambled to control fish, kayak and equipment.

He swam pulling the whole magilla toward the 23rd Street Jetty and finally got everything on the beach.

He got a few scrapes in the process and had to sit on the beach for a few minutes to revive.

"Damn near killed myself," Warren said.

But while he was sitting there on the beach, he could look over with satisfaction at the 43-pound, 9-ounce striper he just battled to exhaustion.

A memorable experience for sure.

Nice catch...bad press. I launch along that beach when the surf is down. Sounds like an impulsive fisherman, poorly prepared and an inexperienced Kayak fisherman who just lucked out. The reading public might get the impression that all Kayak fishermen show this kind of disrespect for the Ocean. Hope I'm wrong on this.

Plenty of surf fishermen have watched me leave that beach and expressed curiosity,
checked my gear out and admired, with some regret the bass I came home with.

And not upside down in the surf.

I attribute the Barnegat Coast Guards recent concern with Kayak Fishermen to guys like this. The Coasties have been running the Kayak fishermen off the north side. I guess they really don't want to scramble to make a rescue at an odd hour in bad conditions for some instant kayak fisherman's bad judgement. Now we all are looked at like this guy and his " Great Adventure" ....I think I will write Shep a note on his irresponsible glorification of freakish behavior. I have to think about this before I say or do something equally stupid ..............................................................................................

Excellent point Bob! This is why surf clinics and training are so important. This guy doesn't represent the norm in kayak fishing and I should have noted that last night.

Did this guy have a PFD, VHF, Cell, file a float plan? Shep is definitely getting a memo...The guy is on staff at the press it seems....all the better...I'm going to include a few links for their review and volunteer to be the Kayak Fishing editor....I have to wait an hour or so till I calm down...Arrrg

Bob, Mike Sheppard has been the fishing editor at the Press for 100 years. He's the biggest spot burner that ever lived. It might be best to keep your distance.

When Cholly Wright was editor, I delivered the fishing report from Earl Blades at Blades tackle. Then young SHep came on board as Cholly moved to retire. Shep is a writer not a fisherman...he admitted that when he started and his "stock" reporting is just a narrative of what he heard somebody say. The AC Press was just filling a slot with what they had available at the time for the price.... After Earl and June Blades retired young Jack Blades took the store over and sold out to the Casinos....the rest is history. When Atlantic City lost the Tuna Club that was pretty much the last of anybody who was anybody authentic. AC press would stand to gain some readership if they printed articles with content. I have held back before because they were so cheap...everybody wants it for free, penny-wise and dollar foolish. The press may have all the advertisers it needs to prosper or maybe they could use a boost. Don't know till I ask