New York angler boats 55-pound striper from Hudson River

Catskill, N.Y. — May 2 is a day Zach Schubert is not likely to forget. Schubert, 37, of Earlton, N.Y., is an avid fisherman. He was able to accomplish his “catch of a lifetime,” hauling in a 55-pound Hudson River striped bass that measured 50¾ inches.

Getting on the Hudson right after work that day, Schubert anchored his center console boat in approximately 20 feet of water in Catskill. Using a live herring, he hooked and landed the biggest striper to come out of those local waters that many can recall, and just five pounds shy of the state record. That fish was also pulled from the Hudson near Poughkeepsie in 2014, and that bass measured 53.4-inches, weighing 60 pounds.

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Schubert said he’s been fishing for stripers on the Hudson since he was a teenager but this is the first time he’s hooked into one this big. He fought the huge “cow” for 30 minutes, but contrary to Zach’s past experience fighting big stripers, the monster linesider didn’t swim straight down or simply head for the channel.

“This one ripped lots of line, seven times during the half-hour fight,” he said.

A conscientious fisherman, Schubert was concerned for the big spawner’s survival. He spent time reviving the egg-laden female before its release so it had an excellent chance to live to spawn again. Schubert was confident he was successful in that effort.

“I took a lot of time to revive it and it swam away strong,” he said.