Discover The Largest Striped Bass Ever Caught in Colorado

Colorado is a popular state for recreational activities. Not only can you hike up beautiful mountains and visit stunning national parks, but there are also plenty of bodies of water to fish. Striped bass is among the most common fish anglers look for in Colorado. They reach impressive lengths and weights and are challenging, without being too tough. Keep reading to discover the largest striped bass ever caught in Colorado. It might inspire you to take a trip and try to catch one!

About Striped Bass

Striped bass are one of the most common fish anglers fish for in the world. Some people commonly call them silver bass, stripers, Atlantic striped bass, and rockfish. They are a favorite for recreational fishing because of their impressive size and uses. Striped bass are delicious when cooked. They have white flavorful meat and flaky flesh, which can be eaten raw or pickled. Are you ready to learn more about this fish? Keep reading to learn about striped bass including the largest striped bass ever caught in Colorado.

Size and Appearance

Most striped bass have 7 to 8 horizontal stripes across their bodies. Despite their nickname, they aren’t entirely silver. Instead, striped bass are either a light olive, brown, blue, or black on top. On the bottom, their skin and scales are white or iridescent. These stunning fish also grow very big. The average size of striped bass is between 5 to 20 pounds and their length is 20 to 35 inches. However, some larger striped bass have been found across the world.

Diet

Striped bass eat just about anything. They are silvery striped fish that swim slowly looking for their prey. They commonly eat fish, crustaceans, and other marine or freshwater animals. Although striped bass are hunters, they won’t attack an animal larger than themselves. Interestingly, striped bass sometimes hunt together in a school. They’ve been filmed eating sand lances, green crabs, mackerel, and eels. While striped bass prefer fresh and live prey, they will also eat the dead carcass of their prey.

Predators

Adult striped bass has few predators except for large marine animals. For example, they are preyed on by sharks, whales, and sea lions. It’s more common for young juvenile striped bass to be attacked. Bluefish, silver hake, cod, and weakfish frequently prey on small and young striped bass. Large birds also swoop down and eat young striped bass.

Behaviors

Striped bass are interesting fish. They are aggressive and mainly feast during dawn and dusk. This gives them the advantage of darkness, which they use to sneak up on their prey. Striped bass are also attracted to bright and shiny colors. Expert anglers recommend using a yellow lure or bait when fishing for striped bass.

The Largest Striped Bass Caught in Colorado

Striped bass are impressive and Colorado residents and visitors have set some amazing records. For example, the largest striped bass ever caught in Colorado is 29.31 pounds. Harvey Shade reeled this impassive catch in 2017 at the John Martin Reservoir.

Another jaw-dropping striped bass record is the largest largemouth bass ever caught in Colorado. In 1999, Jarrett Edwards caught an 11.38-pound largemouth bass in the Echo Canyon Reservoir (Archuleta County). You can also find white bass in Colorado. In 1963, Pedro Martinez caught a 4.44-pound white bass in Blue Lake. Although these are some of the largest bass records in Colorado, it’s likely larger fish have been caught. However, for a record to be official, anglers need to weigh their catch on a state-certified scale at a Colorado Parks and Wildlife regional office. The fish must also not be frozen, gutted, or altered.

Where is the John Martin Reservoir Located on a Map?

The John Martin Reservoir is on the Arkansas River in Bent County, Colorado, between Lamar and La Junta on State Highway 50 in the eastern part of the state. The nearest town in Las Animas, which was once an important location on the historic Santa Fe Trail.

The Largest Striped Bass Ever Caught in the World

Striped bass are impressive. The largest striped bass ever caught in the world is nearly 4 times the size of the record in Colorado.

On August 4, 2011, Gregory Myerson was on Long Island Sound when caught a massive 81.88 pound striped bass. It measured 54 inches long. It beat the previous world record by 3 pounds after 29 years. He holds the current IGFA All-Tackle World Record. It took Gregory Myerson only 15 minutes to reel in the giant with his St. Croix rod and Quantum reel. While reeling it in, the fish put up a fight and Myerson slipped on eel slime, hurting his ribs on the gunwale of the boat. He caught the fish around 8 PM and the next day took it to Shoreline Bait and Tackle to be weighed.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © slowmotiongli/Shutterstock.com