Greetings to everyone from River Run Guide Service.

Hope everyone's 2011 is off to a great start!

Speaking of great starts...

Couldn't help but have a little trip down memory lane as I came upon these mid 1990's era Brazos River striper pics of me and a client.

These photos represent the fledgling years of my career as a licensed Texas Fishing Guide and rank among my most memorable achievements individually and professionally, to date.

The striped bass in this photo was the first certified striper catch over 40 pounds ever documented from the Brazos River. At the time, it was the Brazos River Water Body Record and my largest striped bass catch for me, personally.

At 40.4 lbs., this fish ranks #13 on the Texas Top 50 Striped Bass of all time -





This next photo is of Skeet Hooks and his record breaking 42.66 lb. striped bass from the Brazos River.

Skeet's catch represents one of my most satisfying accomplishments as a Professional Fisherman. His fish would go on to replace my own previous Brazos Water Record Striped Bass of 40.4 lbs..

Skeet's fish currently ranks #8 on the Texas Top 50 Striped Bass of all-time and is the largest certified striper catch ever recorded while under the care of a licensed Texas Fishing Guide.





The next photo is of me holding what still ranks as a Personal Best striper for me, to date.

A 41.8 lb. pre-spawn giant that has left me scrambling for a opportunity to one-up myself for the last 15 years.





Until next time...

Enjoy!

Those days that size probably long gone. Hope not

Those are some fat @ss stripers!

Nice HOGS. Good job.

Most of all the reported catches of big stripers were caught in the 90s. I know there are big ones still out there.

Yep, Shane and I released a monster 42" and a 36" on June of 2009 back to the Brazos!

Howdy Shane!! Wow, incredible stripper striper !! Thanks for sharing!!

The 1980s & 1990s at PK were chok full of Stripers. Catching 10 fish to ten pounds was a common occurrence. The lake would boil with stripers around Costello Isl. and north. Literally acres on top water in the fall and the dead of winter. Straightened hooks and torn up tackle was normal. Oh well what the #@ll, that was then and now is now. It still is good to have experienced it.

Shane I was jealous back then and I'm still jealous today

GREAT FISH

Stripers were introduced to Texas sometime in the 70's, I think, so it possibly took 20 years for them to reach that size. Then the sport got popular and the big fish were fish out.
To get big fish back, we need new regulations. Like all fish over say 25" must be released unless you have a tag like they have for a red fish, so you can only keep one per season also the manditory use of circle hooks for the bait fishermen would be helpful. Anyone know a good Texas congressman or lobbiest? I don't know any other way to get them back.

Brian

Brian actually my best friends dad is a Senator. PM your suggestions and I will forward them to him.

I'm not sure how much good that would do because of the high mortality rate of stripers caught in the warmer months. I guess a 10% chance of one surviving is better than a 0% chance.

Quote......To get big fish back, we need new regulations. Like all fish over say 25" must be released unless you have a tag like they have for a red fish, so you can only keep one per season also the manditory use of circle hooks for the bait fishermen would be helpful. Anyone know a good Texas congressman or lobbiest? I don't know any other way to get them back.

Brian I am not picking at you but.......

More regulations are not the answer on the Brazos and I have serious doubts that they are the answer on Texoma.

We never had a proplem catching big fish anywhere on the Brazos until Golden Alga. PK, Granbury, and Whitney were big fish factorys before the kills.If we are going to call our congressman then contact them about GA. It is the largest threat to fishing in Texas.I will remind those of you at Texoma that Golden Alga is at your door step. If it ever makes progress past the upper ends of Texoma it going to be a huge mess. Trying to make fish bigger won't be the issue at Texoma any more.

Shane those are photoshopped right? Please tell me they are photoshopped! Those are HHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGEEEEEEEEE!

(I know they are not Photoshopped, It just makes me feel better thinking they are.I'll never catch one that size.)

WOW! I could only imagine!