I just caught this beauty 15 min ago, and my heart is pounding and my hands are still shaking. She came in at 7lbs 1oz. I was walking the bank this afternoon with no luck until I came across an area that looked great for a bed. Lo and behold I see a shadow on the out skirts of the bed. Since its so windy the water was a bit murky and the water was casting the shadows off the bank. For a second I thought it was a grass carp and then she tilted to the side and it was confirmed. I stuck with this fish for over an hour on the same spot. She striked once and I set to early and missed. My HEART was pounding!!! I thought I missed my chance. I shook it off and kept at it. She starting to get aggravated when another nice bass swam around her and at the same time my little zoom french fry dropped in front of her and she inhaled it. GAME ON!!! I fought with her for a while until she tired out, meanwhile I had to find a location to land her. There was no way to lift her, my rod would have broke in half. I extended my body and leaned against the bank until I dragged her to me and .... Game Over.  Took her weight, snapped a pic, walked her back to the water and off she went. She will live to fight another day.

Nice fish, fish are in spawn in FL, what a difference a few hundred miles make..

Nice fish, fish are in spawn in FL, what a difference a few hundred miles make..

The have been spawing sense for a few months. I think I started seeing beds around Christmas.

great fish.  cool you released it.

Nice fish man