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A surprising — and happy — catch

Islander Luke Lowell-Liszanckie was out early fishing on the morning of June 2, going for striped bass. “I can’t say what spot on the Island,” he said, careful to protect a place where he had one of his best days.

He hooked a 33-inch weakfish from the surf, which, as everyone who’s ever battled one knows, their name is a misnomer, because they punch way above their weight.

Luke was surprised when he landed the fish on a buck tail lure, because he thought he had a striper. “It’s the biggest weakfish I‘ve caught, or even seen,” Luke said.

He took the fish to WeGo Bait and Tackle in Southold to have it weighed, which came to just under 12 pounds. “The owner said it was well over 12 when I caught it because I bled the fish before weighing it, which was my mistake,” Luke said.

According to the Saltwater Sportsman magazine, the record for weakfish is 19 pounds 12 ounces, caught off Staten Island in 2008.

Congratulations, Luke, and many more days of good luck and happy battles.