Hunter DePonceau, 28, of Jamestown proudly displays a striper fish he caught at Apache Peir, S.C. last Friday. DePonceau stated “It was a fight” with this 17 pounds 35 inches long striper fish. Submitted photo

‘It was a fight.’

Throughout the annals of history, anglers have been known to embellish the size of their catch.

The weight, length, and the ensuing “battles” to reel in one’s own “Moby Dick” have become things of which legends are made.

However, for one local angler, while vacationing at Myrtle Beach, S.C. recently, his “fisherman’s tale” became a thing of fact.

“It started out with about five casts of my pole, and then I landed a small puffer fish,” said Hunter DePonceau, 28, resident of Jamestown. “However, my wife suggested we move spots and within the next few casts, I knew I landed something big.”

Unbeknownst to DePonceau, on the end of his line was a “huge” fish, one not seen or caught very often at Apache Pier.

“It was a fight. This fish fought for about five minutes before I could get it up in the air, near the pier,” he said. “Because this fish was so heavy my pole was almost bent in half, and we had to use a peer net to bring it in the rest of the way. When we got the fish on the pier it was identified as a striper fish and it weighed 17 pounds and was 35 inches long.”.

A longtime pier employee pointed out to DePonceau how unique his catch was.

“A pier employee who has worked here for seven years – had only seen one other striper fish caught here,” he added. “Not only that, but the striper which I caught was way bigger than the previous one caught.”