Marsha & Anthony's Keeper!

Marsha & Anthony Schrader, lifelong North Wildwood summer residents, caught this Striper while surf fishing at 10th St. beach.

Marsha and I tried fishing Sat. night on the beach, only to find the ‘Hot Spot’ taken by about 20 guys. We watched as they hauled in Striper after Striper but could not get close enough to the spot. Some of the guys had several sand spikes w/ rods that weren’t even in the water. Needless to say, we devised a plan to beat them there Sunday when the beach closed.

We were an hour and a half early before the lifeguards left and it was ‘game on.’ The same group of guys found us smack dab in the middle of their spot. Marsha and I fished and fished and watched everyone around catching fish.

Marsha wondered what we were doing wrong. I told her to be patient, that we will get one. So Marsha wadded up some clam and we tossed them in again. I was in the water casting and didn’t know what was going on behind me.

As I waded backwards towards the beach I heard screaming and yelling. I turn around and didn’t see Marsha. I looked down the beach and there she was- rod bent, straight down and the reel was screaming. Later I found out the fish had pulled the rod and sand spike right out of the sand and the rod was going through the water. Marsha searched around, found the rod, and stepped on the butt of the rod to keep from losing it. She was hanging on for dear life and tried to get me to take the pole. I told her ‘no way!’, you hooked it and you’re going to land this fish. I and another guy coached her on what to do to bring the fish in. Another fisherman walked in the water and gave her a thumbs up. He was waste deep and followed the fish in behind. When the fish was in about a foot of water, he reached down and lifted it up and the beach erupted in cheers and clapping. I thought I was going to die when I watched as the head came out of the water. All I could think was ‘Dear Lord look at the size of this fish!’

Marsha got high-fived by so many people and congratulated by everyone. It took us 1 hour to walk 3 blocks home since everyone we passed wanted to see the fish and hear the story. Most thought I was the one who caught the fish, and when I said no and pointed to Marsha they all went nuts. The fish measure 48" and weighed 50 lbs. The bait shop was closed so I stood on a bathroom scale(I weighed 200lbs the last time I checked, the scale read 198lbs. WooHoo! I lost 2 lbs.) I held the fish and stepped back on the scale and it wobbled and settled on 248lbs. Marsha’s still on cloud nine!!!!!!!!!