Jim Piascik holds the hybrid striped bass, weighing 17 pounds, 12 ounces, that he caught in Monksville Reservoir. It set a new state record. (Photo courtesy of New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife)
Jim Piascik set a new record with his catch of a hybrid striped bass in Monksville Reservoir in West Milford on Wednesday, May 24, according to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.
The fish weighed 17 pounds, 12 ounces, replacing John Vayda’s 16-pound, 10-ounce record from 2022. The old record stood for 227 days.
Piascik was fishing alone, casting a Storm Thunderstick lure for walleyes just after midnight when the fish hit.
He had just landed a 25-inch walleye and thought that was going to be the state record walleye.
He was prepared with a big net and managed to get the bass in the boat alone in the dark.