This Monster Sea Bass Could Break a Nearly 50-year-old Record
OutdoorHub Reporters 02.22.16
A kayak fisherman in California may have broken a 47-year-old record with this massive white seabass. The International Game Fish Association announced recently that a 74.2-pound white seabass caught by Brian Fagan of Poway will be considered for a line-class world record, as soon as he submits an application for it. The fish was caught late last month off La Jolla during what Fagan described as a routine fishing trip. At first, the angler thought he snagged the bottom, or perhaps hooked a black bass, which is protected in California.
“Since I was convinced it was a black, I didn’t even ready my gaff and still had it holstered in my rod holder,” he told The San Diego Union Tribune. “Then I see the fish 10 feet down and kinda stopped breathing for a moment and reached back quickly for my gaff,”
It was the fish of a lifetime. Fagan said by the time he was able to get the fish on the kayak, he noticed it was only slightly shorter than the length of the boat. The angler brought the fish back to Dana Landing and had it measured at 74.2 pounds and about five feet in length. Fagan had used an Avet reel on a Sabre rod with a 65-pound line and a 40-pound leader with a circle hook.
Fagan’s seabass may not have broken the state record, which was set in 2002 with a 78-pound fish, but the angler does seem to have nabbed the line-class record for the 80-pound test line category. According to GrindTV, that record was last set by Allan Tromblay, who in 1968 caught a 74-pound fish near Catalina Island. Fagan however, says he does not really care about putting his name on a record.
“I could care less about records; I’m just a fishing fool and love the peace and the quiet kayak-style fishing provides me,” he told the Tribune.
