Fishing the Fifty

Virginia - Saltwater

Striped Bass

After my very successful trophy saltwater trips for sharks off Ocean City, Maryland and bluefin tuna off Scituate, Massachusetts, I decided to play the hot hand and headed to Deltaville, Virginia to tangle with some truly impressive striped bass.  During the season, Wes Crump (WCSportfishing.com) catches better striped bass in a week than I have seen in my life.  And that isn't an exaggeration.  My trip with Wes produced my biggest ever striper at 49 inches and 47 pounds, my second-biggest striper ever at 45 inches and 43 pounds, and my fourth-biggest striper ever at 46 inches and 39 pounds.  It was absolutely unbelievable.  Stripers are, by far, my most fished for species.  I have fished for or caught stripers in 16 states and have caught trophies in four of those states.  Yet, on one morning with Wes, I casually shattered my previous personal bests.  Wes is a fantastic guide who knows the best techniques and locations for producing citation stripers.  This was my first Virginia saltwater citation, and it is safe to say that I am officially hooked on saltwater fishing.

My first citation striper of the day, 46 inches and 39 pounds.

My second citation striper of the day, and briefly my personal best, 45 inches and 43 pounds.

My third citation striper of the day, and my personal best, 49 inches and 47 pounds.