My first big one!!

[stilldontlikeyou]

Ok, well I've been fishing this private pond on a farm the past couple weeks.  This labor day weekend, all in all I've caught about 20+ largemouth bass.  Most under a pound, a couple 1-2 pounders.  This past Friday night me and a buddy ran snuck out of the house (we were supposed to be moving furniture for the ladies )  ;D to sneak in about 15 mins.

Well, just as we were about to wrap it up, I cast one final time.  It was a green worm with pumpkin coloring t-rigged.  I'm reeling it in, about 8 feet from reading the shoreline, when I felt a bite.  So I set the hook, then BAM!!!    Holy cow, this guy took off and was taking my line with him.  So the battle began.  In my mind I was thinking, "Wow, I think I finally got a big one!!!".  After about 45 seconds, I get him into shallow water and reach to grab him.  He was fighting the whole time.

I stood there with my heart pounding, adrenaline pumping, and I am just awed by the size compared to those other little fish.  While holding him, I got the hook out then all of a sudden he started fighting again and it startled me, and he slipped from my hands and back into the water he went.    My friend estimated he was between 6-7 pounds.  Figures neither of us had a camera or cell phone.  Now we have just a story to tell.  But, I finally caught my first  nice big largemouth bass and it was amazing.  It was such a rush!!!

Sunday, I gut hooked a nice two pounder on a artificial minnow bait, and had no choice but to leave it in, so I cut the line.  So I had that as a first too, and I felt pretty bad about it.  :'(  But other than that I had a great weekend of fishing.  Just wanted to share my story.

[Jimzee]

Catching a big one sure feels good doesn't it?  Gut hooked fish happen sometimes to everyone.  I usually get about two or three in a year and I feel just as bad as you do.  Seems like to me,  all of mine happen on smaller fish.

[Fisherman]

Congrats on your PB!

[Sam]

Super story.

And if the fish is over 4 pounds I have been told it is probably a lady.

I think your blood pressure took a good hit when fighting her which makes the struggle even more exciting.

I have actually been out of breath and have had to sit down to calm down when I caught my first 6 pounder.  I can still feel my heart beating in my chest from that experience.

Congrats on your new PB.  Now go out there and improve on it!

[eastkybass]

Congrats on the PB.  stinks not having the camera, that always seems to be the case when something good happens.

[roadwarrior]

Congratulations!

Regarding the the gut hook: This is going to happen occasionally, but you need to remove hooks and especially lures. Needle-nose pliers are an important tool. Selective harvest is also an important aspect of fishing even for those of us that are almost strictly C & R.  

Good story to go along with a great catch.

[fishingfourfun]

Congrats!

[stilldontlikeyou]

Congratulations!

Regarding the the gut hook: This is going to happen occasionally, but you need to remove hooks and especially lures. Needle-nose pliers are an important tool. Selective harvest is also an important aspect of fishing even for those of us that are almost strictly C & R.  

Good story to go along with a great catch.

Yeah I had my needle nose with me, but the putting the needlenose in and pushing back to the tail, the barb was catching the insides and it looked like I was going to gut him.  Rookie mistake and I panicked cause I didn't have my fishing buddy with me, I realize now I should of just kept him instead of putting him back to suffer  :-/   Oh well, I had a great weekend

[Lightninrod]

Great Virginia Bass young man!

Dan