Alabama man catches state record 70 pound striped bass

[pwaldo]

http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/excur...-record-books/

An Alabama resident has reeled in a 70-pound striped bass that shattered a 54-year-old state record and could land the angler in the book of world records for the heaviest striper ever caught in a landlocked fishery.

James R. Bramlett, 65, reeled in the behemoth on the Black Warrior River on Feb. 28.

Bramlett told Joe Songer of AL.com that he credits his wife, Janice, for urging him to go fishing. She was scheduled to undergo a hospital procedure in a few days and would need him to be around and take care of her.

The catch, weighed on a certified scale, exceeds the previous record, set in 1959, by 15 pounds. (Bramlett and his catch are pictured at right.)

“It’s definitely uncommon,” Heath Haley, a biologist for Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, told Field & Stream. “This fish certainly, in my opinion, was an anomaly. It’s a very fat, chunky fish.

“The previous record being 55 pounds, the fact that it hasn’t been broken since the 1950s, it’s just incredible that not only he broke it, but he shattered it. You just don’t see them that big that often.”

The striper measured 45.5 inches long and boasted a girth of 37.75.

[jayperkins]

dang, that's a big fish, I love fishing and I would give about anything (accept my vintage baseball cards) to catch one that big!!

[angel0430]

That is awesome.

[ETID270]

That is crazy, biggest one I've caught was 14 lbs here in KY, didn't catch much last year, I think it was because the crazy hot weather, but already got a great start on this year!!

[centrehice]

That's beyond ginormous. Holy mackerel !!

Holy Bass !!