I launched this evening at my pond to take my 2026 total over 1,000. I did, catching 22, giving me 1,019 for the year. I didn't reach 1,003 until August 3rd of last year, so my bass-catching pace is rabbit zippy. It was gray when I launched, making for perfect fishing:

Then the Sun slipped through, making for a perfect evening:

And then my pond surprised me. I thought I knew it better than anyone and I believed the bass topped out at four to five pounds, but I cast a T-rigged Senko with a tungsten bullet sinker into an opening in some mid-pond lily pads and I felt what might have been a hit. I swung on it just in case and I thought, "It's the bottom."

And I continued to feel that for about two seconds and then there was a little give. I had lily pad peril in all directions. She snagged one lily pad, but then popped free and this is who I saw in the bottom of my net:

If she were a house built by a little piggy, she'd be the brick one. She was as thick as a bog bass. I didn't get a measurement because I always want to return big bass to the water ASAP. I caught two more well-built bass by casting to openings in mid-pond lily pads beds:

Then I had another soft hit and I set the hook and I didn't have to wonder if this was a fish. She erupted out of the water. She was Krakatoa. She tail-walked along my canoe and then wallowed a sec on the surface. I reached for my net and then she plunged. There were weeds everywhere and I knew if she reached them, she'd free herself, so I applied maximum pressure and the line parted. I'm guessing she weighed more than six pounds. Maybe more than seven. When she jumped, I was close enough to touch her. She looked like a longer version of my thick bass. I didn't know that such a bass swam in my pond. @PhishLI has long believed such a bass did and he was right.

Here are some of the other bass I landed:

What beautiful waters to fish. I am jealous. And to have a chance at some big bass doesn't sting at all. Thanks for sharing those pics, and congrats on your season so far.