Thanks in part to this forum first Lunker Bass caught! Pics included!

[Simp]

Unfortunately it wasn't my lunker bass, but without the help of this forum and the articles I couldn't have put us at the right place at the right time. Even though I didn't catch it I take pride in knowing that I knew where to look and that I put us at the right spot. I consider myself a novice but certainly not a beginne angler. I'm been fishing all my life off and on but mostly for panfish and catfish. I consider myself one of the top fisherman around if you want to catch a mess of bluegill ect.

Then this year my sisters long time boyfriend started to get into the idea of becoming a fisherman. He has some friends who are into it and has now been in Southern IL long enough to start to catch the fishing bug . So this year he started looking for a boat and motor, and found what he wanted for a good price. So this was our 4th trip our on his boat (he supplies the boat and I the truck). I'd been doing allot of research on trying to decipher fishing patterns for spring bass. I took the knowledge that bass were moving from deeper water into shallow watter to heart and looked for drop offs ect..

I got my lake map out and planed where it was best to hit today. I was using a large Strike King spinner and he had a crankbait plus several other lures. I always make fun of him for switching baits every 15 min. Today that paid off for him though! After hitting out first spot with no luck I went to the next location I had wanted to make sure to hit. The second spot was a area with allot of stumps and trees in about 10-15ft of watter. I was working my spinerbait as deep as I could and was wanting to move to something like a jig but thought I needed to use a "search" bait for a while longer. While my partner went to a jig and pig lure. It was funny because he just got his first bait caster and it was a fairly light jig. So I'm sure you get the idea of what it was like for him until he adjusted. He didn't jig long and he hooked a good 2-3 pound bass. I told him that was really a good bass. Then not 15 min later I hear him should "I got one and he's bigger then the other". I said to myself I doubt that! The other one was fairly big. I asked " are you sure your not hung again..." ;D I mean it sure looked like it was with the way he was tugging and the pole bending. He didn't even need to answer because the next thing I know the thing made a bee line for the boat. At this point I started becoming the "back seat" fisherman. We had one of my extra polls with the smartcast depthfinder on it and it started to get tangled with him. I was pleading for him to "watch out don't get tangled!". I wasn't concerned about the smartcast but him losing the fish. It continued it's run underneath the boat and he started trying to tug it back and I yelled "no!!! Go around the motor ,go around the motor!". He did and was then able to get the fish to the side of the boat and I stretched out and grabbed it by it's mouth. I lost a monster catfish (well over 40 pounds) once because I hesitated trying to get it in the boat because of it's size and I wasn't going to let his bass get away. So here is his bass. It measured just over 20 inches and the scale I had was horrible and I couldn't get a good reading. Any thoughts on the poundage? I think it was between 5-6pds mayeb even 7...????

Note on the second pic I brought the brightness down because the flash went off and the fish was super white. I think it helped provide a better view of the bass.

[-HAWK-]

I would say that fish looks to be between 4 and 5 pounds. Im no expert, i could be way off.

[Simp]

I guess the only think I could add  that the pics don't show is it was very fat. It may have been full of eggs.

[-HAWK-]

Im sure others will chime in soon with a more accurate estimate.

[roadwarrior]

Great story and a fine fish!

8-)

[basser89]

Good fish and good story!

I'm with JHAWK on the weight guestimation. somewhere between 4 & 5lbs. My largest one so far this year is a 19 3/4" largemouth that was just under 4lbs. It's hard to tell for sure from a pic, again, just a guess. To be safe, carry at least an analog scale, then there is less room for doubt!  

Again, good fish and good story! Congrats!  

[Grey Wolf]

Nice fish!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 LBS.

[Simp]

Do you guys have any good suggestions for a scale/clamps. The one I have has a very thin metal hook that couldn't really grab. I would be interested in something that could be used to bring in a very large fish into the boat and weigh them. When I lost that HUGE catfish years ago it was only because we (my father and I) couldn't figure where to grab. We agreed it's mouth would not have been fun but it seemed to big to grab by the gills. Any suggestions?

[IneedAnewScreenName9886691]

GREAT FISH AND STORY!  THANKS FOR SHARING!

[Bassnbrett101]

Between four and five pounds.  I caught a couple last week around that size and they were anywhere from 3 lbs 15 oz. to 4 lbs 12 oz.  I carry a scale with me now lol, its nice to have around.  I think I'm getting better at wieght guesstimation too because of it too  8-)

[Mrs. Matstone]

Congratulations! Awesome fish  ;D

[HesterIsGod]

Nice fish!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 LBS.

x2

[LCpointerKILLA]

Good job with that fish and keep it up!

[paul.]

really nice fish man.  i know that felt good.  

[miked62]

Great story & pics

[jhoffman]

Do you guys have any good suggestions for a scale/clamps. The one I have has a very thin metal hook that couldn't really grab. I would be interested in something that could be used to bring in a very large fish into the boat and weigh them. When I lost that HUGE catfish years ago it was only because we (my father and I) couldn't figure where to grab. We agreed it's mouth would not have been fun but it seemed to big to grab by the gills. Any suggestions?

Boga Grip