A long time ago, I set a goal for myself. Try to catch 50,000 striped bass in my lifetime. I knew it was a lofty goal, but achievable. The last ten years have been a bonanza for me with average yearly catches of about 2,000 fish, inching that total closer and closer to 50,000.
I keep extensive records and logs of all the fish I catch. I have been doing this for the past 40 years. I use these logs to determine the patterns and places to fish from year to year; rarely do I base my fishing strategies on a fishing report. I also use these logs as a tally of fish I have caught and my kids have caught. Though most of my fish are caught from shore, I also do occasionally catch them from my brother's boat or my kayak. However, surf fishing has always been my passion.
So, as far as I can determine, tonight I hit the magic 50,000 with a fifteen pound keeper I caught in one of my favorite spots. My son took a picture of it, I unhooked it and released it. It was a beautiful fish.
