Landed My First Big Bass Thanks To Bassresource.com

[FishHard247]

I just want to say thanks to all you guys. Ive read and read and read and while Ive fished on and off my whole life, I never went to the pond to catch "the one". I would stop and get some worms, load up the kids and throw the bobbers in and sit and wait it out. Then run back and forth getting all the bluegills off the lines and re-worming them for the kids. Well, I don't know what happened. I caught a few bass and then started buying more lures and most importantly, I googled and found 2 things that made it happen. This site and BassResource on youtube. I have scoured these forums and watched all of the videos and I have learned a ton. From Color selection to water temps to even how to fish a certain lure.
 
I fished this farm pond yesterday that's old and all grown up. With the owners permission, I slid my boat in and started fishing at 8 am on the nose. I caught one baby bass and 2 nice crappie but at 11 am I had thrown everything I had. The water was medium to heavy stained (as all these farm ponds are) and about 2.5 acres. Water temp was 64. Deepest part was 9 feet. So at 11 am I had been throwing a 1/2 ounce black and blue Jig. Had a few nibbles but nothing concrete. Then, I remembered somebody saying " cast your jig, let it land in the shallows then let it set there long enough for the skirt to flare out and then give it 2 small, quick pulls.
 
As I rolled up to the North side of the pond, it had heavy cover and lots of shade. The Sun was straight up and it was hot. I made one side arm cast in low under the tree limbs. My jig landed in about 3 inches of water. I let it set for about 3 seconds and gave it one small jerk which felt light. On the second jerk, it honestly felt like it was on a tree limb but there was no downed trees in there area so I said what the hey and set the hook. Immediately, the fish went nuts. He came toward the boat and I thought "this is gonna be a good one" and then as he got to the boat, he tried to go back under the trees and that's when I felt his wrath. I have never felt anything like that in my life. He was pulling the boat towards the bank!!!
 
So I got him to the boat and he calmed down and I noticed that he was hooked good but I still couldn't focus but it was all too fast and at the same time, I couldn't believe what was happening! By way, He started pulling the star drag and so I turned it until he couldn't pull it. Probably a rookie mistake but I didn't want him to find a downed tree underwater. He didn't pull anymore drag (remember what I said about the drag for later). So buy the time I was ready to pull him up, I swear I had about 3 rods all tangled up from his thrashing so I literally threw my baitcaster to the bottom of the boat and wrapped the line around my hand about 3 times.
 
I finally pulled this joker and and he was freaking huge! I could put my entire fist in his mouth! I took selfies, videos, measured him etc. and then I threw him back. I wanted to make sure he was out and back in quick. I had no scale. You guys can decide. When I got home, I found an unopened bag of 5 lb. Sugar and he was heavier than that but Who cares, he was 5 times bigger then any other bass Ive ever caught in my 42 years. As for that star drag story I told you to remember? After I pulled out to the middle of the pond and got my wheels back under me, I remembered about a big fight possibly setting off a biting frenzy so I trolled right back over, untangled my rods and re casted back in the same spot. And nothing. Once more, nothing. and then BOOM! another hit, same place but HARDER! remember that star drag? It was still locked all the way down. This next joker took off. He never came toward the boat and went straight left and down. My drag was peeling off so hard that the line was digging down into the spool and the drag was STILL spinning!!!
 
Now I know all about fish lies but you guys have to believe me on this one. That fish snapped the line and I never saw him again. I untangled my spool, put about 20 more casts in there and nothing. I was exhausted and headed home. It was truly an Epic day so heres some pics! Thanks again to everyone! You guys rock!
 
C

[deep]

Nice fish!

 

Try this when your nerves are calmer.

http://www.bassresource.com/bassfishing/fishcalculator.html

 

(sorry, someone had to do it.)

[FishHard247]

ha! Its human nature for a male to pee on anothers campfire, its ok, Im thick skinned! still an Epic fish (for me) lol

[fishballer06]

Nice fish. I'm glad to see people are learning from the website and enjoying their time on the water more. For future reference, a larger bass like that is supposed to take some drag. You should never winch down the drag to where it can't be pulled. A general rule of thumb for me is if I can pull on it firmly and it peels off slowly (but still smoothly), it's probably set about right. Remember, you don't want it set so loose that your drag is slipping while you're setting the hook. 

 

And like deep said, your 16.5" bass wasn't ~6 pounds. A bass that size is likely in the 2.5-3 pound range. Still a quality fish though. Once you start getting up into the 20-23" range, you'll start seeing 6 pounders! Keep up the researching and fishing, you'll trump your new personal best in no time. 

[kingmotorboat]

Congrats man. I learned a ton from this forum and from fluke. Met some pretty great people also. This site and fluke led my to my pb this spring of 5 lbs. Hope to break it eventually but so far this year I've caught quite a few 3 and fours

[WPCfishing]

Way to go!  It's not everyday that you catch a lunker.. You finally had yours. Congrats.

[Dave Jakes]

Nice fish man! I've been fishing my whole life, never caught anything over 3 lbs. About a year ago I began to really start getting into the sport seriously. I started following this board and watching Glenn's videos. This past month I hauled in a new PB of 11lbs 2oz. Keep it up and keep learning! Without this community here I'm sure my 11 pounder never would have happened.

[BassinLou]

Nice fish. Congrats. FishBaller gave you some good advice about utilizing drag correctly. 

[DocNsanE]

Great story and congratulations on your PB!

 

I also owe everything to this site coupled with Fluke's videos. Before that, fishing seemed so random to me. I didn't have the equipment so I would always borrow from a friend. When I asked which lure I should try, he just said pick one from my box. When I asked how to fish it, there wasn't any thought to it either. A few years ago a buddy proposed that the guys get together 1 week every year to do something now that we have families. Fishing came up as our target activity so this is when I decided to finally buy some equipment. I didn't know where to begin and the help I got from this site allowed me to select a good general purpose rod for a first year.

 

I told my buddy (that I used to borrow from) that I was reading up online and watching videos and he laughed and said man you can't learn about fishing that way, you need experience. Well he's true that experience is a huge factor, but let me tell you: after I shared some of the knowledge I gained from these resources, he's reading a hell of a lot and watching hours of videos as well, and he admits he's a much better fisherman because of it.

 

I went fishing with my uncle last year who's been fishing for some 35-40 years and he was asking me for advice. I really owe it all to this fine community and of course Gene's wonderful videos.

[FishHard247]

Lesson learned. Don't trust the hand measure lol. I just went to Walmart to pic up a scale and beside the scale was a measuring device. It was 22" long in length. I didn't buy it but just to see I held it up and I know that fish would have took most of it out lol. Yea fish tales, we all have them but let's just say I have a scale now. I know that sucker was a 5.

[Darren.]

Awesome! Well done!

[Senko lover]

Best story I've heard in a while. Well done. I too have watched every vid Fluke has put out. I'm a big fan. BR has been huge as well. 

[Topwaterspook]

Congratulations on that fish. You've just opened up your own "Pandora's Box". Now you'll keep trying to increase that personal best. The very best of luck to you. Coupled with BR, I'm sure you'll accomplish that quickly.

[HoosierHawgs]

Nice fish. As for the drag.. I usually tie my line to a tee and pull until my rod is fully loaded. I want my drag to slip there because something has too give. I'd rather it be my drag instead of my line popping, my rod busting, or ripping the hook from the fish.

[FishHard247]

I think I ripped his mouth because my jig stayed on. I just panicked and locked it down on fish number one. I'll know now. Thanks!!

[Ozark_Basser]

You can lock your drag down when frog fishing. I would recommend it.

[massrob]

Congrats on the pb. That looks like a 5 lber to me. I've got a similar story to you except I never fished before last year. I wouldn't know a single thing about bass fishing without BR. This place has taught me more than I could've ever imagined. In the last year I've been lucky enough to have caught 6 fish over 5lbs. None of this would've been possible without all the great people on these forums that will answer any questions you could come up with. If the world was filled with the people on bass resource I think there would be world peace. Haha but seriously thanks to everyone on here you've made my life alot more enjoyable.

[Gotfishyfingers?]

Nice job on a PB! Glad the forum helped make an "angler" out of ya!!!

[BooyahMan]

There's nothing like catching a PB bass, especially one so much bigger than anything you've caught in the past. Congrats dude! May there by many more to come.

 

Also, maybe I'm blind but I don't see a measurement in your original post. Did you get a measurement on the fish? 

[FishHard247]

I did but with the "hand method" but later went to pick up a scale which I did and beside the scale was a nice aluminum "fish sizer" on the rack beside it. I bought the scale but passed on the fish sizer as I have a tape measure now. The fish sizer went to 22" and I now it's after that fact but my PB would have taken up most of it. I'd say 20 inches. My first guess was 16.5 by hand and I got few saying if it was 16.5 it would be in the 2.5 lb. range. Well there's no way. I've had many to look and say minimum 5. I got a scale and tape measure now. I ain't playing no more LOL. I just hope I can't get a chance to even come close again.

[*Hank]

Nice fish!

[garvin]

Congrats! There's not much better in this world than crossin' the eyes of a biggun!

[Tim Cianciola]

Congrats man. The big Ones are always fun.

[danno054]

You'll be just as pumped about the next big one. It's an addiction.

[Felix77]

Congrats! Still recall mine 4 years later.