Allatoona Striper Breaks Record

On February 15,. 2002, Clint Hight of Adairsville set a new lake record for stripers on Lake Allatoona- his 42-lb. lineside beat Gary Sosebee’s 1995 record by 2 1/2 pounds.

Clint was bass fishing out of his Triton just below the mouth of Illinois Creek on the Etowah River arm when he got a strong hit on a firetiger Flat-A Bomber crankbait.

“I thought, ‘Man this is a good spot!’” said Clint. “After about the first five minutes of the fighting I knew he wasn’t a spot. After about 15 to 20 minutes of fighting, I still hadn’t seen him, and all this time I was just holding on. There wasn’t any reeling involved. He ran me between the bank and a rock, and luckily my line was brand new. It was 14-lb. Bass Pro Shops XL line.”

Clint said the line was so taut it was singing like a harp string, and his Bass Pro Shops rod-and-reel had a serious bend in it as the striper headed back out to open water.

“I’m just following him with my trolling  motor. I’m by myself, and my dip net’s in the truck. Finally, after about 20 or 25 minutes of running back and forth, he just floats up to the top and gives up.”

Clint grabbed the striper by the gill plate and brought it aboard.

At the Gatewood boat ramp, a loaned set of digital hand-scales registed 44 to 45 pounds. Clint later found certified scales at Taylor’s Farm Supply in Cartersville, where the 42-lb. weight was recorded.

In addition to a lake record, Clint has applied to the International Game Fish Association for a state line-class record. The 14-lb. line he was using falls into IGFA’s 20-lb. line category, and the 42-pounder is the heaviest Georgia striper on record in that class.