6-year-old Angler Catches Striped Bass as Big as Himself
OutdoorHub Reporters 11.11.15
A first-grader from Pitman, New Jersey shocked the local angling community when he caught a massive striped bass almost nearly the same size as he was. According to WKBW, six-year-old Sam Adams was fishing off the coast with Long Beach Island with his grandfather, Don Adams, last Saturday when he reeled in a 41-pound, five-ounce fish that measured 46.75 inches long, or just under 3.9 feet. To put that in perspective, the young angler is only 47 inches tall himself.
The impressive fish placed Adams squarely in second place for bass in the Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic, one of the oldest and most well-known surf-casting tournaments in the United States. The six-year-old’s fish was only exceeded by an even larger 47-pound, five-ounce bass. Understandably, anglers in the tournament were a bit surprised by a six-year-old placing so high on the scoreboard, but Adams and his grandfather had the proof all on tape.
“You got him, you just got to tire him out!” coached Don Adams, who filmed his grandson’s catch over the weekend. “Who’s going to tired out first huh?”
You can see that video below:
“He did say his arms went numb at one point during the fight,” Sam’s father Scott Adams told NBC10. “I’m just thankful my dad video’d it because a lot of people didn’t believe without that video that a kid his size could catch that fish. It’s just amazing. We go fishing a lot. I’m really proud of him.”
Sam Adams (6) is 47 inches tall and his Classic bass was 46.75 inches and weighed 41-5. Sam caught his fish in Spray Beach this morning while fishing with his grandfather Don.
Posted by Jingles Bait and Tackle on Friday, November 6, 2015
However, some anglers still remain skeptical since the video cut off without showing the fish. Scott Adams said that in the excitement, his father stopped filming and moved to help the others secure the catch. Photos of the fish were later taken and tournament officials have certified the bass as the second largest caught so far this year. Sam Adams is currently first in the youth bass and bluefish division.
