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I caught my first Double Digit Large-mouth Bass today. It was 10 Lbs 1 Oz, 24.5" Long and 22.5" in Girth.
Caught a good one today.
- Thread starter tklongball
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oldnotdead
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You got me by one ounce!! There was a tiny pond that was no more than 5 ft deep at it's deepest. But it was overhung by a lot of trees providing shade and cover. How small was the pond? If I stood and did a normal overhand cast, I'd overshoot by several feet. It was a place where horseback riders would water their horse by simply having them stand in the pond. I was 12 and on my way to the larger flood control impound lake about a 1/4 mile further downstream. The pond was formed during rainy seasons and fed by an intermittent flow of water draining into the main lake. The water flowing into the lake was less than a foot wide and only a couple of inches deep.
I was walking by the pond when I spooked a garter snake on the bank and it started swimming across the pond. It was about 2 ft long or so. It got midway when a huge splash occurred and the snake was gone. It was early on a spring morning (I was on spring break) and was on my way to fish the main impound. I immediately flipped a frog surface lure into the pond. On my 4th or 5th cast the bass took it with a loud slap of the water. Another guy was passing by and saw me land the bass. It looked exactly like yours only and ounce lighter LOL.
I put him in my bucket with water and took him to the main lake and released him.
When I was in my 40's I lived in Laguna Beach and used to fish Laguna Nigel Lake. I caught a small bass that swallowed my crappie jig. So I took it home and threw him in my 200 gal fish tank. I had him for years and he grew to be 15 lbs. I learned how really smart the bass is. By watching him I became a better fisherman. I've been catch and release most of my life. My real passion has always been fly trout fishing on streams and rivers.
I was walking by the pond when I spooked a garter snake on the bank and it started swimming across the pond. It was about 2 ft long or so. It got midway when a huge splash occurred and the snake was gone. It was early on a spring morning (I was on spring break) and was on my way to fish the main impound. I immediately flipped a frog surface lure into the pond. On my 4th or 5th cast the bass took it with a loud slap of the water. Another guy was passing by and saw me land the bass. It looked exactly like yours only and ounce lighter LOL.
I put him in my bucket with water and took him to the main lake and released him.
When I was in my 40's I lived in Laguna Beach and used to fish Laguna Nigel Lake. I caught a small bass that swallowed my crappie jig. So I took it home and threw him in my 200 gal fish tank. I had him for years and he grew to be 15 lbs. I learned how really smart the bass is. By watching him I became a better fisherman. I've been catch and release most of my life. My real passion has always been fly trout fishing on streams and rivers.
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I caught him on a Rapala Shad Rap (SR07) in Helsinki Shad Color. My Previous best was 9 Lbs 3 Oz.
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- Burger man
Awesome stuff.
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- Haole
Nice fish Brudda! Catching a double digit bass is something many fishermen never get to check the box on. Sweet.
I'm guessing that you were in GA when you caught it? That kinda makes it even more impressive if so, especially if you were in the Northern part of GA. Looking at that fish... I notice subtle differences compared to the bass down here in FL.
It's also very cool that you nabbed him on an artificial... that's not as easy as using a live bait. My twins catch bass in our lake fishing out of their kayaks. They'll usually cast net some big shiners and brim to use for live bait. They'll have one rod out with a big live bait on while they throw artificials. Those big boys have a weakness for big brim... my twins swear by using big brim (bluegill) for the lunkers. It took them years to finally catch a 10+ pounder.
They discovered a secret lake down here where you can literally catch a giant on your 1st cast from the bank. I'm talking about 12 - 15 pound fish too. It's a good thing that you can catch them on the 1st cast too, because you usually only get a very limited time to fish this place before the security guards run you off.
One of their friends lives on the Bay Hill golf course. This tiny lake is located right in the middle of this course. Fishing is not allowed LOL. So what they do... they have access to the course from their friend's backyard. They sneak out to the lake after dark with a rod with ANY kind of artificial tied up. They usually have about 30 minutes of fishing time before the 5-0 roll up to run them off. That's totally enough time though... they catch a fish on every single cast. The bass in this lake act like piranha, and they are all massive. They've had several rods broken by the big fish there.
Fish stories are constantly told and relived in our house... the later it gets... the bigger the fish.
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Yea, I am north of Atlanta. Next on the list, a Teen Bass. That will be tough. LOL
oldnotdead
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I used to live on the hill behind La costa Resort in Carlsbad. On foggy nights my neighbor and I used to sneak down and fish the main lake on the golf course. We used to catch and release a lot of 1-3 lb bass. Most people don't realize that the course normally plant fish to eat mosquito larve, but also plant blue gill, and bass to balance out the population. Those lakes only get fished occasionally by employees if that.
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The golf course lakes and ponds almost never get fished. Especially the really famous ones like Bay Hill. They have security that is almost unbelievable. So they really never get fished. That's why those monsters live out there and are so hungry to eat ANYTHING that hits the surface.
When my boys were younger... they'd pull up Google Earth and actually look for tiny pounds that were located out in wooded areas around us. They would fish some very tiny ponds and find them loaded with fish. There are bodies of water everywhere here in FL. Some of the smallest hold very big fish.
Elmgrovegnome
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Sweet. The longest I have caught was 23” on a rubber worm. I’ve caught some big ones trolling a deep diving Bagleys crank bait in crawfish pattern. I let it bounce along the bottom. Pretty consistent producer if you don’t mind trolling a little.
Otherwise I use Rapala’s on the Susquehanna River for smallmouth. They get big up here because nobody will eat anything from the river.
Otherwise I use Rapala’s on the Susquehanna River for smallmouth. They get big up here because nobody will eat anything from the river.
oldnotdead
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Some of my best memories was as a young man fly fishing the west fork of the San Gabriel River. I loved reading the water, and the moment the trout takes the fly. It's not as scenic but I've caught some really beautiful brown trout on the Owen's River north of Bishop below the dam. Biggest one I caught was a 5 lb monster. My most favorite spot was the Trinity River in NorCal. I've caught huge trout there but mostly using a nymph. (yeah I used to fish up there on our annual bigfoot hunt!!)
My dad used to wake me up early in the morning before sunrise and take me surf fishing with him in Oxnard. I was only 8 or 9 then and I was the only one of the 5 kids that ever wanted to go. Just him and I and we would talk sometimes, but other times just enjoy the moment in silence. It made me feel special and I know there were things he told me on those trips he never spoke of to anyone.
I suppose it's why fishing will always be important and special to me. It's never been about the fish I catch because I almost always catch and release (except for crappie....I love to eat crappie!!), it's more the act of fishing, outsmarting them, getting outdoors and it's something I can do with friends or by myself.
The biggest fish I've caught was a 170 lbs. My buddy had a 20 ft boston whaler we would take out of Oceanside harbor. We usually fished kelp beds for bass, but during the summer we fished kelp patties for yellowtail (one of the few fish I will catch and keep). On our way home we saw what looked like a mako shark on the surface. So on impulse we used the last of our bait (we caught our own mackerel that morning) and ran a small chum line to draw him in. We drifted for quite a while and talked about just heading home. At that moment my line started to furiously peel off the reel.
I put the harness on and set the rod but in the holder on the harness. My buddy started the engine and swung the bow around so I was on the bow. When we were ready I set the hook hard. We were both astonished when a blue marlin jumped about 150 yds off the bow. We weren't rigged or set for a fish that size. I had maybe 50 lb test line on the reel. (we used lighter tackle for the yellows) So we chased the fish. He ran all over the place, I couldn't just muscle him in because of the light line. We were chasing him so I could take up line. This went on and on and my arms were about to fall off. Finally we got him close then he ran directly for the engine as he came directly at the stern. It was very clear he was trying to cut the line in the prop!! My buddy pivoted the boat on it's bow keeping the prop away and I was straining to turn the fish. Finally the fish turned and then exhausted it was alongside. But suddenly it started to regurgitate violently, due to the build up of lactic acid inside it. Not a good sign. We decided there was no way we could release the fish so we decided to lash it to the side and head in. The fish was too big to bring on board.
That was the first marlin I've eaten and it was wonderful. Marinated lightly then put on the grill....outstanding with grilled asparagus and new potatoes.
My dad used to wake me up early in the morning before sunrise and take me surf fishing with him in Oxnard. I was only 8 or 9 then and I was the only one of the 5 kids that ever wanted to go. Just him and I and we would talk sometimes, but other times just enjoy the moment in silence. It made me feel special and I know there were things he told me on those trips he never spoke of to anyone.
I suppose it's why fishing will always be important and special to me. It's never been about the fish I catch because I almost always catch and release (except for crappie....I love to eat crappie!!), it's more the act of fishing, outsmarting them, getting outdoors and it's something I can do with friends or by myself.
The biggest fish I've caught was a 170 lbs. My buddy had a 20 ft boston whaler we would take out of Oceanside harbor. We usually fished kelp beds for bass, but during the summer we fished kelp patties for yellowtail (one of the few fish I will catch and keep). On our way home we saw what looked like a mako shark on the surface. So on impulse we used the last of our bait (we caught our own mackerel that morning) and ran a small chum line to draw him in. We drifted for quite a while and talked about just heading home. At that moment my line started to furiously peel off the reel.
I put the harness on and set the rod but in the holder on the harness. My buddy started the engine and swung the bow around so I was on the bow. When we were ready I set the hook hard. We were both astonished when a blue marlin jumped about 150 yds off the bow. We weren't rigged or set for a fish that size. I had maybe 50 lb test line on the reel. (we used lighter tackle for the yellows) So we chased the fish. He ran all over the place, I couldn't just muscle him in because of the light line. We were chasing him so I could take up line. This went on and on and my arms were about to fall off. Finally we got him close then he ran directly for the engine as he came directly at the stern. It was very clear he was trying to cut the line in the prop!! My buddy pivoted the boat on it's bow keeping the prop away and I was straining to turn the fish. Finally the fish turned and then exhausted it was alongside. But suddenly it started to regurgitate violently, due to the build up of lactic acid inside it. Not a good sign. We decided there was no way we could release the fish so we decided to lash it to the side and head in. The fish was too big to bring on board.
That was the first marlin I've eaten and it was wonderful. Marinated lightly then put on the grill....outstanding with grilled asparagus and new potatoes.