I went out this morning to hit the water for a couple hours. I caught a couple decent fish really quick and then pulled up by a pine tree that over hangs the water. I made a few casts under the over hang and out in front of it. Then on maybe my 6th or 7th cast my tip got heavy like I hit a patch of weeds but I knew better and set the hook. I got it next to the boat and it made a run for it and did 3 laps completely around the boat before I could grab it. It ended up going 8.11# and being a new PB for me. I started to head back for the ramp to get my phone for a pic but then hurricane winds picked up going in the other direction and I am holding this huge fish in my hand trying to fight the wind back to the ramp. I made it half way and just had to let it go. I didn't want to keep it out of the water even though I am sure it would of been ok and I was soooo close. It was such a huge fish I just couldn't take a chance knowing it could die or something. I caught it swimming a 3/8 black and blue jig with a berkley ripple shad for a trailer. I know its not 100% a swimbait cause of the jig part but I am going to give the nod to the trailer over the actual jig. Yet again swimbaits come through for me this year. If it involves swimbaits of any kind you can count me in for sure. I have caught so many fish on swimbaits this year I feel as if I could fill up my bath tub and catch a monster out of there on a swimbait.

You did the right thing. Congrats on the new PB.

excellent!!! congrats. the more i study on it, the more i am absolutely sure that swimbaits are THE tickets to new PB's. i know you're stoked.

Thx Dwight and Paul. It's a bummer I could not get a pic of it but I know I caught it and so does another boat with 2 guys on it. I think they were more excited about it then I was the way they were yelling about it. I totally agree with you Paul on the swimbaits. I think the key is natural looking slow moving baits. Not to say you can't slay them on other baits but if I was a bass I would choose a slow moving bait that actually mimics a fish over a trap or something that comes flying past making a ton of noise. There is a time and place for every bait but it appears lately its always the right time and place for some kind of swimbait.

Great Story. Congrats on the 8 plus. I just started using the Ripple Shad in Gold Shiner this year. One of my local holes produced a 5lber on that bait and the average fish on all other lures is much smaller.

So, I'm with you on the swimbait train.