15lbs 12oz VARNER MONSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Randall]

OK , You guys here get to see it first. ;D Got the pic just a little while ago. I had a few more but my camera broke on the wrong day. The fish was 15lbs 12oz and around 31 or 32 inches long. It was caught on a Mattlures Bluegill just below the surface in twelve feet of water. After looking at the tail I am guessing she is spawned out and maybe a post spawn fish. We were fishing in the AM and only catching a few smaller fish and the wind came up to over twenty MPH with gusts to over forty mph. So I tell the guy I am with who's name is Benny Shiver that since its nasty out and tough to catch fish I will teach him how I target bigger fish and even if we don't catch anymore he will learn something about the habits of bigger fish and what kind of structure to find them on as we go back toward the ramp before it gets real bad. We stop at what I call one of my ten pounder holes and Benny is casting a rattletrap and I am casting Matt's Bluegill. I am actually having to cast the bait and judge the wind to get any accuracy with it since the flat sides are catching plenty of wind. Benny's rod loads up with a big fish on his first cast but the hooks pull free. On about my third cast I see a shadow coming just below the waves and it takes the bluegill about five feet from the boat. I set the hook hard and hit the thumb bar on the reel to release the spool so the fish don't rip off as it dives under the boat. With some slack in the line I put the rod tip down to get the line under the boat and under the trolling motor and turn to the other side to tighten up on the fish and it's still there so I start reeling  and it jumps one time. I see the bait in the mouth of the fish deep so I bring the fish to the boat before it can jump again. Benny nets the fish perfectly. Thanks Benny. We put the fish in the live well and regain control of the boat. The fish will not fit in my livewell since the back of the fish is higher than the water. I call Doghouse and tell him something like, "I don't know how big it is but it's at least 13lbs but could be 15lbs". We pull up to the most protected place we can find in the lake to get at least out of the waves and weigh the fish. The scale was bouncing as high as 16lbs but finally settled on 15lbs 12oz. We measured with an eighteen inch golden rule and decided it was over 31 inches long. I thought about having it certified since it would beat the certified lake record of 15lbs 8oz but my livewell wasn't big enough to keep the fish alive for sure and I weighed a 16lb 8oz bass for a guy there a few years ago so even though it would be the certified lake record I would still know it wasn't really the biggest fish ever caught out of the lake. I had a witness and photos and thats enough for me so I released the fish to be caught again. I look at the pic and it don't do the fish justice. This fish was thick as well as long and I still can't get over how big the eyes were. Thank's to Benny for the job with the net and taking the photos. Also thanks to Matt for making a great bait. In a week and a few days I have caught two eleven pounders, and eight pounder, and a this monster all on Matt's bluegills.

[Doghouse.]

Thats HUGE grats brother ;D

[SCarter]

That is a HAWG. Way to go Randall. And like Chris said, I remember the same comment about getting a new camera last fall. You are a dedicated trooper to fish today. I bitched about even having to take the garbage out.

[Cigarlover 1]

Wow!! Not much to say other than a huge congrats on getting her in the boat and that's a beautiful fish! Is this your PB?

How does it stack up to the state record?

Sorry I had to say it.  ;D

Seriously though great job. If I caught a fish that big I'd probably be shaking so bad I'd end up dropping it back in the water. lol

[Supermat]

What a terrific fish! She has got a gnarly, beaten down, old fish look to her that is great! Randall, you seem to stick a lot of absolute toads so you know exactly how rare a 31+ inch fish is, that is WAY more impressive than her actual weight because a frame like that has the ability to support 15-25 lbs, depending on location, the particular fish, the time of year, and the food supply. You truly landed a MONSTER, regardless of what she weighed.

[bassmasta7]

Whoa!!! That guy is huge. He is one of the longest fish i have seen. And those eyes are the biggest i have seen!!!! Congrats man!!! Who needs Cali!?!?

[Gatorbassman]

Right on Randall. I am so excited for you. It couldn't have happend to a nicer guy and a great guide to boot. You made my day.

Thank you Matt for making such an outstanding lure.

[New 2 Bass]

Way to go!!! Great fish!!!  

Al

[Crabcakes]

Randall if you ever need to advertise for your guiding service all you need to do is link them to this forum section.

Congratulations

[J@k3 01s3n]

Now thats a bass!!

[fourbizz]

That is awesome man! What an incredibly LONG fish! Still weighing 15-12 POST SPAWN makes her a freakin donkey!!! Congrats!

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Icredible!!!!!

Congrats!!!!!

Looks like those eyes are about to POP

[patbfishing123]

What a monster!!! nice job... send that one into the bassmaster magazine ill bet you that they would put your picture in there.

[5bass]

Thats a HAWG right there! Way to go Randall ! What are the odds that Varner holds the next World Record?

[roper500]

HUGE is not big enough,  I havent been on the site in a while, I had to see this !!  Awsome fish Randall, way to go! Now when can you get me on a 10plus fish? hopefully before Fluke! HA!

[Triton_Mike]

Randall!!!  Congrats on a GREAT FISH man!!  We need to get you to invest in a good camera for these fish of a lifetime that you are catching!!  Great great accomplishment!!  Still no hotdog for you tho LOL

Mike

[SneakySnook]

WTG! Now that's a hawg!

[Laineisbosshog]

great fish, makes my 7.2 i caught today look like bait  

[Claude]

I wonder if we could transport some CA bass to here in NYS, heat the lake, and give them constant soure of wee little trouts for them....

Anyways, awesome fish bro

[Gatorbassman]

I wonder if we could transport some CA bass to here in NYS, heat the lake, and give them constant soure of wee little trouts for them....

Anyways, awesome fish bro

That's a Georgia bass.

[Claude]

I wonder if we could transport some CA bass to here in NYS, heat the lake, and give them constant soure of wee little trouts for them....

Anyways, awesome fish bro

That's a Georgia bass.

Woops, sorry bro, lol.

[Dan:]

NICE HAWG!! I agree about the eyes, that's definitely the first thing you see when you look at the picture--they're HUGE!

[Pa Angler]

OOOOOOH MY GOD!!!!!!! What a Hawg congrats on the awesome catch that's the kind of catch most people dream about.    

[Jimzee]

Well done!!!  Can't imagine how stoked you are.  

[Mattlures]

Randall you are my new best friend!   Dont worry Adam I like you to. Man you guys are on fire. Its guys like you that make it worth all the work to make baits. You made my week. Thank you.

I definatly apreciate you posting all these big fish you two kkep catching on my gills. I am going to send out a couple( I only have a couple) of my Mattshads for you guys to play with. The colors arent perfect yet but they are close.

CONGRATS  on an absolute monster

OH YEAH I JUST YESTERDAY PREDICTED THAT YOU WOULD GET YOUR 15LBER. HOLY CRAP I THINK I NEED TO GO BUY A LOTTERY TICKET !!!!!!!!!!!!