Chong Yang, a 5-foot-4, 160-pound man from Fresno, had but one option when hooking into a Millerton Lake-record striper a week ago: "Hold on for dear life."
In a fantasy-like series of fish stories - only these in truth - Yang landed the 61.8-pound, 50 1/2-inch fish off shore after catching 41.6- and 49-pounders out of Millerton and the O'Neill Forebay at the San Luis Reservoir in the previous month.
The biggest of the lunkers broke the Millerton Lake striper record of 50.3 pounds by Roger George in 1998. And it made a run at the world freshwater record of 67.8 pounds, from San Luis.
Chong Yang doesn't see or hear them. But the 33-year-old Fresno man senses their presence much the same way he senses a monster fish lurking nearby during all those nights he spends standing in knee-deep water, cold wind and spray blowing in his face.
This is fishing, after all, where jealousy runs rampant, egos bruise easily and the truth often stretches like taffy.
Before it was even written, I knew last week's story on Fresno angler Chong Yang would generate a tremendous amount of response.
I just didn't realize how much of that response would be so negative, even hostile.
When someone catches five striped bass weighing more than 40 pounds in a span of six weeks -- including a record 62.8-pounder at Millerton Lake -- I figure that person deserves praise and congratulations. It takes extraordinary skill, patience and good fortune to pull off such a feat.
Compiled by Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, a central San Joaquin Valley native and local fishing expert.
BEST BETS
Roger George is joined by Chong Yang of Fresno to talk about his techniques and the trophy stripers he has caught in recent months.
Video: Big striper techniques
On June 15, I accompanied George and Yang to San Luis Reservoir and O'Neill Forebay. We had hoped to get footage of the guys catching some big stripers ... as I noted in my blog entry, things didn't go so well. But Yang did catch two small stripers ...
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my blog entry, things didn't go so well. But Yang did catch two small stripers ...
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Record-setting striper
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