I'm not sure how many of you get saltwater sportsman but they have an awesome article on the man that caught the world record Striper and the trial and tribulations associated with it. I read it and almost looked at it as what might happen to the person who catchs the largemouth WR if they arent careful..

Part one has to do with the catch. and part 2 has more to do with the outcome of catching the fish.
Part 1
http://www.saltwatersportsman.com/saltwater/fishing/article/0,12746,682325,00.html

part 2
http://www.saltwatersportsman.com/saltwater/fishing/article/0,12746,702163,00.html

Kind of long but enjoy the story...
Erik

Incredible read... thanks a million for sharing.

It makes you wonder how you would handle catching a world record of one of the "Glamour Species", and how it would change your life.
Tight lines,
Wade

Great read, what a story. Imagine the record LMB, it would be way crazier for that record.

I think you really have to be prepared for something like catching a world record. I think when it comes down to it, they want the "right" person to catch it. Someone that will look good with all of the endorsements and publicity that would go along with it. ESPECIALLY with largemouth bass. I'm sure there's a lot going on behind the scenes when comes time to make the decision on whether or not a fish is a world record.

Thats crazey,but.........it took three hours+ to pull in a 78# striper on 20# string????They dont fight like tuna!

The story is crazy, I read it a while back. I believe the fish was 76ish or was it 67ish? I can't remember exactly, but I do remember the story of his hardships following the catch. What is even crazier are those old photos from around the turn of the century. I saw a fishing show once where guys were holding up 100lb+ stripers. These stripers were so huge they looked fake. The show said they didn't weigh them back then, but some were estimated to approach 125 pounds! Schools of stripers in the 30-40 pound class aren't that rare these days(East Coast). Could you imagine 60-80 pound schoolies or a 100lb striper on topwater? I'll have to add that to my time machine fishing trip list for sure.