58-Pound, 59-Inch Striped Bass Caught In Atlantic Highlands

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ — A Pennsylvania man caught a 58-pound, 59-inch striped bass Monday near Atlantic Highlands, NJ.

Perhaps most incredibly — other than the fish's sheer size — is that John Callahan caught it from shore, just casting off a local beach in the area, said the staff at Julian's Bait & Tackle. Callahan bought his bait at the Hwy. 36 tackle shop, and went fishing Monday afternoon, April 30. He brought his big catch back into the shop later that day to take photos, which have now gone viral online.

Shop owners did not want to reveal exactly which beach he cast from. But that means a fish that size was swimming just yards offshore in Raritan Bay.

However, the big catch is not without controversy, with some fishermen saying the striped bass is clearly a female and she should have been let go so she could lay her eggs and reproduce.

"The males do not get that big; any experienced angler knows this," said Nick Perez, a fisherman from Maryland who saw the photo on Facebook. "Seeing big breeder fish killed so you can get your name in the paper is just disgusting."

In Maryland, it would have been illegal to catch that fish. In parts of that state, such as in the Chesapeake Bay, you can only bring in a striped bass between 36 and 44 inches; anything bigger or smaller must be thrown back. Also, spawning grounds are off limits.

"If you catch one larger than 44 inches it has to go back, and the penalty in this state is a $10,000 fine," said Perez. "They cracked down hard here."

In the 1980s, striped bass were almost wiped out due to overfishing. As a result, states up and down the East Coast have enacted laws to protect them, but the regulations vary widely from one state to another.

But Callahan did not break any New Jersey fishing laws, said Ron Ziolkowski, pro staff at Julian's Bait & Tackle. In New Jersey, you are allowed to keep one "striper" between 28 and 43 inches long, and a second as long as it's 43 inches or longer.

In New Jersey, you are also prohibited from catching striped bass in the areas where they spawn, which is the Delaware River and its tributaries, from December through March. But Raritan Bay, where this fish was caught, is not recognized by the state as a spawning area.

"He didn't do anything wrong," said Ziolkowski. "If it were me, I would have probably taken some pictures and let it go. But the fish was probably exhausted from fighting in the surf. And again it's a personal choice. But yes, there are a lot of guys who want to see striped bass last."

Perez said he's part of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and every year they do a survey on the number of fish in that area.

"Every year, we see less and less fish bigger than 45 inches," said Perez. "It's only a matter of time before it catches up, and we won't be able to keep these fish anymore like in the '80s."

"He didn't break any laws," said Ziolkowski. "He broke hearts. I'm sure there a lot of people who want to catch a bass that big."

All photos used with permission from Julian's Bait & Tackle.