Video summary
The video captures the chaotic and exhilarating finale of a striped bass fishing tournament, where three anglers face off in an intense battle against massive fish as daylight fades into night. The atmosphere is defined by high-stakes competition and camaraderie, with the fishermen frequently finding themselves "doubled up" or even "tripled up," meaning multiple boats are hooked simultaneously on large catches. A recurring theme throughout the footage is the sheer size of the striped bass being landed; several anglers land fish measuring around 40 inches in length and weighing approximately 30 to 42 pounds, with one angler proudly claiming a personal best that pushes his total weight into the high 170s. The struggle against these powerful "beasts" is often described as physically exhausting, requiring significant effort just to lift them out of the water or maneuver them onto the boat without losing their lines.
As the night progresses, the fishing conditions shift dramatically due to a depletion in bait availability, specifically mackerel, which changes the dynamic from an abundance of bites to selective strikes on remaining resources like eels and dead fish. Despite running low on fresh bait, the team manages to land several more impressive specimens, including another 40-inch bass that one angler notes looks older due to a lack of fat reserves, comparing its condition to an aging human losing weight. The anglers express relief at redeeming themselves after a difficult previous night, noting how quickly their fortunes turned once they adapted to the changing conditions and utilized semi-alive eels as bait. This resilience highlights not only their skill but also their ability to maintain excitement even when resources are dwindling.
The conclusion of the video sees the group returning to their hotel around 1:30 in the morning after a grueling day that started at 4:30 AM, reflecting on whether they can continue competing until noon the next day or if it is time to call it quits for good measure. They acknowledge that while they have successfully caught enough big fish to secure strong positions in their side bets and overall standings—landing multiple keepers over 40 inches—they feel unable to add significantly more weight before the tournament ends. The final moments are filled with exhaustion, humor about being "grubbed" from fighting so many heavy fish, and a mutual agreement that while they could have slept later, the unique challenge of the day made it an unforgettable experience worth every minute of effort.
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40 incher. Can't use it.
>> [laughter]
>> Man down.
>> How come I'm doing all the work and
y'all getting to play and I'm just just
>> It's whoever hooks up first.
>> [laughter]
>> Oh my aching Look at this thing.
Oh my god, this is mad.
>> Get him.
>> Get him this way, Joe.
>> I can't Not yet.
>> I got stuck. Oh, gosh, Joe, you going to
have to lift it up. Big cat.
>> Another 40 incher. 40 on the [music]
nose. Going back. It's a beast.
>> Come on home, my god. This is a long
way.
>> Get down there. Get down there. GET DOWN
THERE.
>> [laughter]
>> THAT'S A LONG ONE, JOE.
>> JOE,
>> JOE, JOE, JOE.
>> [laughter]
>> I can't even lift him up.
>> Yes. Yes. Yes, we got one. We needed it.
>> We're triple up.
>> Oh my god, that's a nice one, Joe.
>> Oh my god, that's a 30 pounder.
>> Yeah.
Yeah.
>> Cody's got one on. Cody's got one on.
We're triple up.
>> Pretty sure it's
>> Not one that just smoked mine.
>> He's close.
>> Close?
>> Yeah.
He's not that big, but
he thinks he's big.
I don't know. How big is that fish,
Cody?
>> 30s.
>> Yeah.
>> How's it going with Dudley?
>> Yeah, little
It's the one I need.
>> This is the one I need. Thanks, buddy.
Appreciate it.
>> Thank you, Dudley.
>> That's another 20 pounder.
Got another one, guys.
Got another one. Dudley is
putting us on them like Donkey Kong
them.
All right, we're hooked up again, guys.
This one feels like
At least we're doubled up. I don't know
if you can see Dudley in the background,
but Dudley just hooked up.
>> Yes.
>> Oh, he's leaning into it, too. He's got
a good one.
I got a long one, I think.
>> This guy is about played out.
Dude, that one sounds big.
>> Yeah.
This looks long. Yours Yours looks
pretty good, too.
>> Watch my phone on your left. Under your
left foot.
>> Go, go. Give me the GoPro.
>> I think it's a big
Isn't it?
>> It's a good one.
>> Come on, Homer. God, this is a long one.
>> Get that net. Get that net. Get that
net.
>> I THINK IT'S ABOUT TO LOSE IT.
>> [laughter]
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
>> AH, YOU'RE ALL RIGHT. DROP in that. Drop
>> I got a fish.
>> He got a fish. Here. Give me that net.
Give me that net.
>> Yeah, let me catch that fish for you.
>> Give me that net.
>> I I I Give me that net.
>> Dude, that's a long one, Joe.
>> Dude, that one
>> Joe Joe Joe
>> [laughter]
>> I can't even lift him up. Yes. Yes. Yes.
We got one we needed.
>> I can't even lift him up, Joe.
>> tripled up. Oh my god, dude, that's a
nice one. He's long.
Oh my freaking giant.
>> 30 pounder.
>> No, yeah.
>> 30 pounder.
Yes. Yes.
Dudley's got one on. Cody's got one on.
We're tripled up. I had an eel out. The
eels The eels just got rocked.
>> 42 and a half. This one went.
That's That's going to get us in
in the money, guys.
Get a picture, fool.
Cody's looking at
39 and a half, I think.
Do you need a hand, Cody?
>> Yeah, you want to take that picture for
me, fool?
>> That was a 39. Cody's was a
39 and
39 and a half.
I got lucky with a 42 and a half.
And we're still on these fish. Stay
tuned, guys. It's pandemonium. We're
almost out of bait.
Oh, was that a bite?
Cody?
>> No, I don't
>> He just got mad I called him small. I'm
going to tell you that right now.
He looked He looked 40.
You need that one?
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah?
>> He ate that [ __ ] I got
>> I think I think I got another 40, I
think. I need another 40.
I only got a quick look at him.
>> I'm going to horse him a little bit.
>> Oh my gosh.
>> Don't hit Don't hit the trolling motor.
>> Is it behind us?
>> Yep.
>> I'm up over the seal.
>> Dude, this guy wants to play. Never had
that.
>> 40 pounder?
>> Yeah, I'm just
I think I got a good one.
>> Yeah.
>> It's a shark. I got a good one.
>> Okay.
You want to come up, buddy? I'm I'm
about played out here. Or at least one
of us is.
>> Oh.
>> Hey, there's some screws.
He just won't let me lift him. I've
never had one like that. Maybe he's
hooked weird or something.
No, he's he's good.
What's he?
Is he as good as I thought? Yeah, he's
40 in.
They're giving me ass.
They're giving me ass. He kicked my
butt, I'm not going to lie.
Maybe I'm maybe I'm being a little too
gingerly. I don't know. He looks 40 to
me.
You don't fit in the net that good.
Oh my god, look look look at this hook.
Look, that's why he fights so hard.
Wasn't even in there.
>> Did you lose yours?
>> Yeah.
Another 40-incher. 40 on the nose. Going
back. It's a beast.
Riding it on.
So, I'm still
still like 12 inches behind the leader,
but we'll take whatever we can get,
right?
We're in the one.
>> Doubled up?
>> Huh?
>> Doubled up?
>> Nice.
He will not give up. He will not
Dudley's No Cody's Cody's on. We're
about to have a triple. Dudley's about
to
All right, this guy might finally be
starting to get a little bit tired.
I don't know if he
I don't know who is going to get tired
first,
this fish or me.
This is a good one.
Oh, no. Which way are you? Over me or
under me?
>> I'm under you.
>> Uh no, I'm over you.
Still on.
>> Yep.
>> All right, yours is headed to the ocean
line 10 to the boat.
We're looking pretty.
Dudley might need a net job.
Might. I haven't got eyes on him yet,
buddy.
This guy's been kicking my butt.
Definitely the hardest fight I think
I've ever had.
I hope it's a keeper.
I mean, how long have I been
>> Long enough to get you in that motor.
>> Oh, it's a pig.
>> Is it? Oh my god.
Is it a big?
>> It's It's It's the biggest I've ever
had.
Coming around.
He's He's on the boat. He's on the back
right now.
He's in the motor.
Which side, Joe? He's like
on the right on the right on the right.
Look at the head on this thing.
Get him.
>> Get him this way, Joe.
>> That's my biggest.
That's my biggest.
>> I can't Not yet.
>> And that's not big enough.
>> Oh, you got to go.
>> [laughter]
>> I got to go, bro.
>> I was like
>> I got to go. Oh gosh, Joe. You going to
have to lift it up.
>> Big cat.
>> Oh my god. He's too heavy. He's too
heavy.
>> Oh my god.
>> [laughter]
>> This thing is heavy.
>> That's my PB.
That is That's 40 lb.
>> Oh my gosh. That's a tank, Joe.
>> He might not be long, but he is giant.
>> I got Bob doing all the work. Y'all get
to play, and I'm just just
>> It's whoever hooks up first.
So my aching Look at this thing.
How do I
How do I get up front?
>> Where's my
Oh my gosh. This is mad.
>> Is that a giant, Cody?
>> That's a keeper.
44 and 1/2.
>> You got him?
It gets me in the 170 territory.
>> Why can't I break 40?
>> You'll get there, buddy.
You're going to go right from 40 to 50.
I got faith in you.
>> Cody.
>> Doubled up?
>> Oh man. Who was that? Is that Joe?
>> No.
>> He was probably trying to bite the hit
anchor lost on that.
>> How you get out of taking picture?
>> Okay. Joe, put the number. 40.
>> Yeah.
He knocked him out.
>> Is that what you need now, it's 41?
>> Over 41.
>> Cody, I'll self-net it if you just throw
me that net.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> Double up.
>> Oh, crap.
That was it, John.
>> I got it. I got it.
>> Holy crap.
>> He just blew up on somebody's net.
>> Look at them things attacking.
>> He got my net.
He got the last light back.
>> I don't think I can use this. It's 40 in
It's 40 in trip.
Can't use it.
>> [laughter]
>> Man down.
>> 40 in.
I don't know what to tell you guys. 40
in. [snorts]
Can't use it.
Dudley's hooked up?
>> I'm hooked up.
>> You're both hooked up?
>> This was like a giant mackerel.
Hey, Cody, where where are you?
>> left.
>> You're You're good?
>> Mine was an eel.
>> Are you hooked up on an eel?
>> Yep.
>> Nice.
>> Dude, I had the
>> Oh, [ __ ]
>> Got it?
>> Yep.
I had the biggest mackerel in there.
>> Dudley's getting nervous, guys. This is
I think this is a good fish.
I think this is a good fish. Dudley's
getting nervous. He's hugging Cody
already.
>> Are we pissed off? We are pissed off.
>> I'm back over here.
>> I can't see him.
>> Yeah, healthy as hell.
>> It might be bigger than
>> Oh, that's a pig.
He's short, but fat.
Ah, that's over for
You lost it.
My back's [laughter] starting to get
sore from these fish. Hold and show that
to the camera.
It's waiting to
Oh, yeah, that's fatty.
Gubly?
Giant?
Let's go back fish in the
Tell me when we're netting.
Got him, you giant. I've never seen you
get your bucket like this.
Oh, it's a different rod and reel for
you.
Hey, that's my rod and reel.
Baby?
>> What?
>> Baby?
He's 40, right?
I got I still got a 39er.
Here we go.
Yeah.
It's shocking.
Did it get you?
>> Yes.
>> I didn't even feel it.
I didn't even feel that either.
>> He's tapping it.
>> Yeah, he did deposit it first.
Careful.
Okay. Okay. Okay.
All right, the boys are doubled up. I
don't know if you can see them or not,
but they're doubled up on eels.
>> Yeah, it's sturdy.
My phone's ringing.
Go.
Oh.
Hey, Joe.
What?
>> What's he got there?
>> What's he got?
>> We got
>> Joe, you got
>> Joe, you got one.
>> Oh. Here. You ready to fish?
>> Yep.
>> All right, we're triple up.
>> It's too far.
>> There's a light right under your left
foot.
Dang.
He's a blessing.
>> Dang.
>> [laughter]
>> Was he going to tag it as bait?
>> I don't think so.
>> All right.
>> Yep.
>> See you later.
>> All right, guys. It's uh 9:30
last night. Uh you can fish till noon
tomorrow, I guess.
>> All right.
>> I climbed up in the second. Dudley's in
What did we say? Fifth or fourth?
Fourth, and Cody's in sixth. So, as a
boat, we've been We had a nice little
turn on there. The boys just landed some
really nice ones. They're going to help
us out in our overall side bets on
boats.
Um I think we're all over 44s 43s now
for the top four out of the boat.
43 and 1/2, I think, is our smallest. Um
I got like a 41 and a quarter is my
smallest. So, I still got some room to
grow.
Somebody's knocking on my door pretty
hard right now. I'm at 171 and a
quarter. Somebody just hit 170. And
there a lot of guys are starting to
catch some big fish. It's turned on.
What a difference it is from today and
last night. It is crazy how hard the
fishing was last night and all day
today. And then, just like a light
switch. We're out of mackerel. We We do
have some dead mackerel that we can cut
up.
>> I just stowed one.
>> We're We're one less mackerel than we
were at the beginning of this sentence,
but we do have some eels that are
semi-alive. So, we we're still we're
still out here fishing.
>> Big head jigs.
>> Cody's hooked up. He's got some big head
jigs. There's another one.
Ooh, sounded good.
I got it.
>> Yeah.
It would have It would get rid of my
39 fatty.
>> Oh, yeah.
The boys just got me pretty good.
They saw my fish I was reeling in and
they said, "Nah, it's just a little one.
Don't worry about it.
It's just tiny. It's tiny. It's a
keeper, maybe."
We got like a 25-lb right here.
I tried to horse him the best I could.
They come in pretty green when you horse
them.
40.
Little bit little bit over 40, but
as big around as I've caught today.
That's a good fish.
Look at that guy.
Another 40-incher, guys.
Another 40-incher.
Man, is this fun or what?
All right, Dudley's calling it. He
thinks he's got a good one on.
He's pretty tight.
Cody's
Cody's looks pretty good, too.
>> God, man.
So pretty.
There we go, boys.
>> Nice fish.
Well,
what do you think, old boy?
>> It's a pretty good night.
>> Little bit different than the other
night, huh?
>> Yeah. We definitely redeemed ourselves
after last night.
>> Totally redeemed ourselves.
>> Say that. What, average fish size?
>> 40.
>> Yeah.
Yeah, they weren't much less than that.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah, quite a bit of fun.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah, but you knocked me out in fourth
place, you dick.
>> [laughter]
>> On the last fish.
>> Yeah.
>> He caught like a 40-year-old fish,
didn't he, Dudley?
>> He did. It was It was so old that he
didn't even have hardly any fat on him,
you know?
>> Yeah.
>> Just like a human when you get a little
older, you start losing weight. That
fish had lost all It was probably
>> It was definitely definitely turned
gray.
>> It was It wasn't 40, but it was It was
39 and 7 months old.
>> I definitely figured out who was the bad
luck last night.
>> [laughter]
>> And we we wrecked him tonight. So, I'm
sorry, bud, but
>> Yeah, he picked the wrong night to come
out, that poor guy.
But it was good for you It was good for
him.
>> Yeah.
>> Last night.
It was a really good night for him.
Barely keep the old man awake.
It's uh
It's about 1:30 in the morning.
Just getting back to the hotel. We left
here around 4:30
this morning.
Long day.
Long day. Turns out we could have just
slept in and not even gone
on the water till about 7:00 at night.
But we wouldn't have learned anything.
And we wouldn't have had the challenge
that we had, so it's pretty awesome.
Awesome day. But we don't think we can
add to the
tournament tomorrow. It'll go till noon,
so
I think that's going to be the best that
we can do right there. What do you
think, buddy?
>> I think so.
>> Yeah.
>> I think it's going to be lights out. How
long you think it'll take for I go to
sleep?
>> You're going to be like 30 seconds. I'm
getting a shower cuz I am grubbed.