Memories, my top 5 giant bass

[WRB]

 Coming up on February 9th the day I caught my 1st bass over 18 lbs at lake Casitas 1981.   

Like this week it was very windy but Monday light rain was forecasted, mental health day from work! I decided to fish from my 14’ Lund to park near shore and fish uphill all day using hair jigs. About 9:30 after trying a few spots arrived at a major lake point with a saddle, the light wind and rain to my back made a very long cast watching feeling the line and nothing when taking up slack to move the jig. Kept reeling faster until a head shake then sweeping the back as hard as possible. The rod loaded then nothing until the bass jumped completely out of the water. I am thinking maybe a DD but the fish was moving very fast unlike a big bass and right at the boat, then turned and lucky the drag wasn’t too tight. Now the bass acted like a big fish running deeper looking for anything to wrap the line in. The bass came up to the surface about 10’ away, my heart nearly stopped at the size of the bass. Backed the drag off slightly and managed to hand land the bass using both hands.

On my scale the bass weighed 18 lbs 11 oz. Put the bass in my cooler aerated “livewell” and run to the marina for an official weight. 3 weeks later Ray Easly catches a 21 lb 3 oz state record bass. 

Tom

PS, to be continued.

[roadwarrior]

 

 

                            

[Way north bass guy]

That’s a pretty cool story Tom, I love hearing stories like this about truly huge catches, especially when they’re a true story that’s been confirmed like yours are! Please add more to this, especially for us poor fellas up here where there’s a foot of ice and we’ll never, ever see a bass that big without at least going for a plane ride ?. 

[BrianMDTX]

Well I never…and likely will never. But man, oh, man! That had to be a blast and a half! Especially the “nothing” until it jumped. It could have been a 4 or 5 lb’er. Seeing that hawg jump must have raised the ol’ pulse level! 

[WRB]

The Easly 21 lb 3 oz Casitas is the 1st 20 lb+ Bass caught outside of San Diego lakes and stirs a lot of excitement.

Lake Isabella in north central California produces a 18 lb 13 oz and several other 18 lb class giants in 1984, fueling more excitement that California could break the world record standing since Perry’s 1932 record.

Wednesday January 27th 1988 is another light rainy day time for another mental heath time on the water. Castiac has been producing some giant bass for the live bait anglers Crupi. Kadota, Samson etc and I have dialed in a good jig bite.

The light wind is out of the NE with a drizzle. Every place I want to fish has a live bait angler anchored fishing crawdads.

So decide to try Sharons rest area points, but need to cast into the wind, try it anyway. There is a center point off the middle of the ledge area drops into very deep water. I make a cast into the using my jig and miss where I wanted it to land and loose line to pull out. Turn the reel once after taking up slack the jig doesn’t move. Getting ready to shake the jig free and feel movement. Drop the rod tip and reel fast with rod sweep, strong heavy bass runs into deeper water. All I need to do is fight this bass nothing to get into. The bass doesn’t jump but stays deep until I try to land it, then it makes a head shaking surface run. This bass lets me open it’s mouth and grab it by hand without any fuss. Weigh it 17.4 lbs on the digital scale. 2nd giant bass takes 7 years after the 1st.

Tom

PS, to be continued.

 

[roadwarrior]

 

 

                                                     

[Mike L]

You ARE Da Man!!

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Trox]

This feels like reading a chapter in Sowbelly minus the 15 pages of character building. Right to the action! Love it

[scaleface]

I can only imagine .

[WRB]

The 90’s at both lakes Casitas and especially Castiac starts the circus when Bassin Magazine offers 1 Million $ $$$ $$$ award for a new World Record LMB.

March 6th 1991 is a Wednesday and decide to go to Castiac early and get in line for the lake to open. Arriving there is a line up over a mile long at 4:30A. Disappointed because Castiac fishing has been good. The lake is with limited parking so decide to drive up to Casitas instead.

Haven’t been fishing Casitas that year and when I get there about 1/4 mile long line up is waiting to for lake opening. Casitas has 2 lanes, 1 for annual permits and the other day use. My tag is still good so get in right away. March Casitas Bass are in the spawn cycle, so decide to run up to the dam area cooler water hoping to find pre spawn bass and look for bed fish later in the day.

1st stop is the west end buoy line point and try my Huddleston wooden trout lure that been hot at Castaic and ready to go. Fish about hour catching 2 good bass. Move the east end of the buoy line make a casts and decide to try my hair jig casting over the buoy line parallel to the steep ledge wall where a tree is underwater. Make several casts trying to get the jig right next to the rocky wall and get a solid strike after retrieving about 10’, set the hook and pray the bass doesn’t run out into the tree. The bass comes up and stay up before diving back down but await from the tree. My 2nd 17.4 lb bass and 3rd giant.

Tom

PS, to be continued.

[Darren.]

The Legend of @WRB..."World Record Bass". The Man.

 

Amazing stuff........

[TnRiver46]

My fishing buddy David used to live out that way and fish all those lakes during that era, cool stories! 

[Bassin' Brad]

I love it. Keep it coming. 

[roadwarrior]

 

 

                                                         

[WRB]

March 4th 1992 is stormy rain and windy so I try Castiac knowing it’s a circus but the bad weather should keep the traffic down. Only about 30 boats in line but not opening do to wind. Some people leave! Around 8A they open the lake.

The NE wind puts white caps sideways to the main ramp and we get redirected to the west ramp, normally closed week days.

It’s around 9A before I get on the water. Decide to fish my favorite spot the “old folks home” up the ski arm. It’s a miserable day cold wind and rain and decide to detour into slalom bay to get out of the wind and regroup. Fishing is good in slalom and catch several good bass. Notice the wind sifted and white caps have laid down on the main lake. 

wet and cold decide to try the old folks home. 

I like to fish this spot up against a wall casting out into deeper water working the jig slightly up hill up and over big boulders.

Fish about 30 minutes losing 2 jigs and move around to the opposite side the wind has been blowing in and easier to detect strikes with the wind and rain against my back instead of face, plus I am cold.

Make a longer cast then planned do to the wind, reel in about 20’ of line and let the jig sink when slammed before hitting bottom. The problem now is the fish is on the other side of a rounded point in deeper water then me. Start reeling fast and on the TM to move out past the point and let the wind blow me down lake to fight this bass. It works and bass is away from the point in deep water. This bass isn’t coming up and making hard runs wearing it’s self out. Tried bass when I grab the mouth. 17.6 lbs, #4.

Tom

PS, PB is next.

 

[A-Jay]

@WRBHurry UP Tom  !!!!!!

I can't take it . . . 

j/k

 

This is being copied and added to a very special "Bass Fishing File" I keep.  

Clearly a slice of Lunker History right here.

Thank You Sir.

A-Jay

 

[DitchPanda]

This...is...epic. Fantastic stuff my friend.

[roadwarrior]

 

 

 

                                                        

[WRB]

March 3rd 1993 lake Castiac.

The Bassin Magazine circus isn’t at peak anymore but boat traffic is still high but not as crazy or anglers from every state with high expectations.

I am back in line and watching the early bird launch and run. Up the Fish Arm to old outhouse bay and Elizabeth Canyon where Crupi and Kodata fleet of baits are located.

The ski arm isn’t well know for giant bass, good for me?.

The weather is good, no wind overcast with light showers. A little wind would be nice and it will come later. I run to the old folks home and fish awhile but nobody is home. Try a few other areas with no success. Ponder joining the Fish arm crowd but decide against. 

Run up to the forebay buoy line and cast my swimbaits, the breeze starts up and catch a swimbait bass. Better jig weather then swimbaits and return to the old folks home and plan to stay. Start on the wall side, make a half hearted cast getting ready to settle in. Take up the slack and turn the reel handle a half turn and shake it. The line jumps slack, I know what that means and reel fast sweeping the rod back setting the hook. This bass runs and jumps a full body length length out of the water and Runs straight under the boat out the other side. I push the rod tip down below the TM prop and swing around to fight the bass going fast away from me. I never had a LMB a 100’ run before. It’s all deep water along the walls and just need to keep in control. This bass doesn’t want anything to do with the boat and must net this fish.

19.3 lbs, short of my life long goal to catch a 20+. So many giant bass being caught I am still confident The 20+ or WRB is possible back in 1993.

Tom

[Bassin' Brad]

Thanks for sharing! 

[Bird]

Enjoy reading, good stuff. 

Can't imagine " only 30 boats in line ".

 

[GaryH]

What a great read for a cold winter day. Thanks WRB. GREAT MEMORIES.

[roadwarrior]

 

 

                         

[PressuredFishing]

The real question is was this on your pink and black jig color+pork? Been playing around with it like you rsccomended and it's not bad, except for getting teased

[A-Jay]

And all without Forward Facing Sonar ~

A-Jay

 

"When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor."