12.02# LM Caught Jan 1, 2010

[MagikSmallie]

Caught this Jan 1, 2010 what a way to start the new year (decade)!!!

Caught on lake Hatchineha on the Kissimmee Chain using a Stanley Ribbits topwater frog. It was raining hard and temps were falling and mixed in was a 10-20 MPH wind....Defenantly a Fish of a lifetime I'll always remember! I released her like any good sportsman would do, I'm going to get a replica of her though!

[DJD]

WOW! Thats awesome! Great job, were you shaking after the catch?

[MagikSmallie]

Was I shaking after the catch?.....It was more like an uncontrollable vibrating all over...lol....I was in total shock and disbelief but I tell you the best feeling honest to God was watchin her swim away after i got measurements and a few photos...BTW she measured 26" Long and 18" Girth!

[DJD]

She looked pretty clean. Did she have any bad spots on her from previous catches or bugs crawling on her? We would catch some that had some sort of lice on them once in awhile especially on their head.

[bassnyde]

Nice fish!!

[Bonefish]

Magik, congratulations. That is one nice fish. I respect your release on such a fish. You are a true sportsman.

[Shimano4Life]

That is a TOAD! Way to go!

[MagikSmallie]

Thanks guys I appreciate it....Yeah she was really clean not a blemish on her anywhere, no parasites that I could see, no marks, nothing she was absolutly clean!...

[kybasshunter]

Beautiful fish!!!!!!!! I hope to be able to fish down there some day....congrats!!!!!!!!!!

[Chubminnow]

Heck of a fish! Considering how old this fish is...did it give a decent fight? I've always felt the older fish don't have the fight in them that the smaller fish do...Or if they do they don't fight as long.

I love these catch verses release discussions...I'll keep a trophy fish in a heartbeat and won't have any guilty feelings about it either way. In my opinion a true sportsman follows all rules set forth by the Fish and Wildlife.

[davidsa]

Great fish! Nice to see a big one caught in Florida on something other then shinners.
I know your heart was pounding. That is a monster even by Florida standards.


I caught a little 9.1 down near Lake Okeechobee in April on a C-Rig and was shaking so bad I had to put her in the livewell so I could settle down and get a measurement.

I envisioned a big fish like that feeling like a log and to my surprise my little girl jumped completely out of the water twice and gave my loomis heavy rod all it wanted!

You got me wanting to leave for Florida right now but I can't go till end of Feb

[JUSTINHALL]

Nice catch!

I love the lower lip on a big bass, that one has a huge lower lip. Nothing looks more impresive than a 12-15lb bass.