My bass measured 36 inches and had a girth just shy of 19 inches. Cheers and high-fives went all around the boat. Nearby crews must've thought we had a new world record on board. The striper was our biggest fish so far, and, given the poor conditions, one we thought might put us in contention to win the biggest-fish prize of the tournament. At the very least, Cermele and I knew the fish all but sealed a victory in our bout with Outdoor Life.