BY CHUCK WOLF
Rio Vista – Guide “Rustic Rob” Reimers and angler Jerry Hulsey from Sutter, Calif. achieved what few anglers ever do. They boated and released a massive 42.1-pound striper. The fish was taken last week in 58.4-degree water, under cloudy skies and light fog, just off the West Bank at approximately 7:30 a.m. on a red-white and chartreuse Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow 5.14 with a 6-inch chartreuse Zoom Trick Worm trailer.
Reimers fishes the lower Delta as soon as the fish move in. He’s seen plenty over 20 pounds an a few over 30, but this fish exceeded his wildest expectations. Reimers launched his River Wild 25 from Sherman Island, cranked his Yamaha VMAX SHO and headed for the West Bank. The tide was incoming, so he started a downhill troll beyond the last of the upriver tules. Reimers had three anglers on board and set four rods. At the end of his first run, just before the “half sign,”the inside rod pegged to the gunnel. Anticipating a snag, Reimers cut his speed, cleared the three remaining rods and just before the last of the gear hit the decks, all hell broke loose. Barely able to clear the rod holder, angler Hulsey was hooked into the striper of a lifetime.
At 70 feet behind the boat, and after peeling off another 20 yards of braid, there was little chance that the fish would tangle the boat, the motor or any other gear and with an experienced angler handling the rod, the chase was on. Into the deep water, back to shore, under the boat, around the boat, the fish fought heroically for more than 15 minutes. Twenty yards from the boat, the fish surfaced. As Reimers describes it, “it was the biggest, most beautiful striper he’d ever seen. “A short tussle later and the fish came to the net. With three extra hands the net was easily held in the water until the hook was removed. After a few pictures a fully revived trophy was released.
The fish weighed 42.1-pounds, was 46 inches long and had a 24.38-inch girth at the edge of the gill plates, a 26.58 girth at the dorsal, a 20.58 girth at the anal fin and an 11.18-inch-wide tail. A few months later that same fish will probably be closer to 48 pounds, maybe even 50 pounds. So, what do you do after your first fish of the day comes in at over 40 inches? Go look for another. While Reimers and his clients were all able to limit out with some heavy keepers. It may be a while till another like this one comes along again.
