.......like this one, to make it an awesome trip :-)

Actually, I caught two fish today. The first was a nice little 7 lb'er that was actually relating to a bed ! Probably dumped its eggs 6 or 8 weeks ago, but it was up, and going through the motions. After I stuck that one, it had two more from 8 to 10 lbs chasing it around as I fought it in.

So, about an hour after that, I was just blind casting the Hud..... when WHACK ! I get drilled ! I set the hook and this pig comes straight out of the water shaking its head ! It then hits the water and makes one good, hard, 30 ft run. Apparently it was big enough to be able to close its mouth all the way around my swimbait, and poor on the gas :-) Then another jump. A few seconds later, I lip her...... "and then, I come unglued" :-) LOL I'm sure they heard me Whooo Hooo'ing at the other end of the lake :-)

I then put her in the livewell, and ran over to the concession area.... and who do I run into ? Our very own "SuperMatt" :-) Perfect ! Not only do I get to show her off to a guy who can really appreciate a big bass, but also, I had a good camera man :-) Oh..... plus I had a witness to the weighing on my certified scale....... She went 15.60 lbs :-)

Anyway, this is my biggest bass since my 18.4 PB that I caught on 4/10/03, and my biggest on the Hud "ever" ! Interestingly, I caught this one about 25 feet from where I caught that 14.40, and I was really thinking it might be the same fish, that had just had some time to fatten back up after the spawn. However, upon comparing photos, this was not the same fish.... which is also kind of cool, as now I know there are at least "two big pigs" that frequent that area of the lake.

The release....

Still very energetic after her photo session :-)

Typical afternoon fog rolling in over the hills. The Pacific ocean is only about 10 miles beyond those hills. The water temp at most of our Nor Cal lakes is pushing 80 degreees right now. While here, it's only 70 degrees ! Then, in the Winter when other lakes hit the low 40's, this lake rarely goes below 50 ! IMPO, this is a large part of the equasion for why this place grows giants !

Peace,

Fish

PS, Thanks Matt ! The photos came out great :-)

That is an awsome looking fish Congrats on a great catch.  I don't know if I could keep from falling in the lake if a caught something like that.

Congratulations Chris that bass is AWE-INSPIRING!

I'm very happy for you Chris, your perseverance has surely paid off...Big Time!

You never cease to amaze us

Roger

What a thick fat pig! That has to be one of the coolest 2 pics I have ever seen with you holding the fish in the water and then her soaking you. It is my goal to copy you now! Congrats FC on true monster and it was kinda late in the season.

Good GAWWWWWWWDDDDD!!!!! :o That thing is an absolute TOAD! Those are som awesome pictures of the release.

All I can say is WOW! :o :o

holy cow i mean bass ;D great fish!

So how are you feeling,...still "messed up"???

Way to go Fish, nice assist on the documentation Matt, nice pics.

Almost speechless...Whooo Hooo!!!

Speachless!  

What an incredible story, and INCREDIBLE pics.  Perfect lookin bass, awesome realease pic, and then her super soakin you.  Also, I love how you get your sponsors in your pic.  It's perfect.  I hope one day I can get photos of fish as well as you.

Congrats again!  

Oh and $10 that we'll be seeing that release pic on a t-shirt in 6 months  ;D

dude, that thing could eat my PB for lunch!!  nice fish, way to go!

Cliff

I know some people might ask, if catching this many decent fish "doesn't do it for you, then why do still fish" ?

See answer above  

Mike who?    

I think the big Cali Bass Hunters should include Fish Chris on the top of the list.  Proof is in the pictures.

Messed Up!    If that was me, there would be a mess, just not gonna mention where.

Another beautiful toad.

Hookem

Matt

AWESOME JOB! I guess you posted that "messed up" thread a little too soon huh?

Once again folks, there goes "Farmer Chris" holding one of his prized hogs...

Nice Fish if  Hannon is the Professor you definitley heading for a PHD in big bass, I am in awe of your capabilities  8-)

and once again, I just have to say, anybody here, throwing a big swimbait at that time and place, would have caught that same fish ! I just feel incredibly blessed with the opportunities I have had.

And yea, about my "messed up" thread..... Do you see what I'm saying now ? It's really hard for me to go to Clear Lk. and stick a 4 or 5 lb'er (even a whole bunch of them) .... heck, even 7 or 8 lb'ers, and get really whacked out excited, especially if I catch one like this, even every once in a great while.

Anyway, I'm going Shad fishing this evening. Never done this before. And I thought I was going to go to a different trophy bass pond tomorrow (a place everybody has kind of forgot about) and try to flip the script on them ;-) .......but it would be hard "NOT" to go right back to the place I caught this pig ! I'm sure you guys can understand that :-)

Peace,

Fish

Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!!!

I say it every time, but I love those release pics.  Not only for what it stands for, but I think it just flat out looks cool.  You can really get perspective of just how big those girls are.

Congrats!!

I went fishing the other day and a beaver swam underneath the boat.  It looked smaller than that bass.  Nice Fish Sir!

Very nice fish and Great job!

It would be a Great trophy fish if it was a true FL Strain bass instead of a farm bred super strain export. Non-native species have no place in any kind of record books the same as an African lion shot in Texas....

just my .02

Awsome catch Chris, and great pics! Congrats!

holy crap that thing is a monster

hey BadHabit, I totally respect your opinion.

Here's mine; I've always felt exactly the same way about hatchery trout, which spend their whole lives in a concrete swimming pool, only to finally be dumped in a pond one day, and pulled out the next.

However, the difference between hatchery trout, and Cali trophy bass, is that our giant green girls have no help "other than" a great food source. They still raise themselves from an egg, and only 1 out of 10's of thousands, ever gets this big.

Another personal opinion of mine, is that regardless of species, a "fat one" always looks better to me, than a long, skinny, big headed one. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to go catch a 32", 15 lb'er from Florida, but I'd much rather stick a 28", 18 lb'er right here in Cali....... not only because its 3 lbs heavier, but because, again, IMPO, it looks cooler.

To me, in this case, I feel like the grass is greenest, right here in my own yard :-) .....and I thank the Lord for it every day :-)

Great fishing to all,

Fish

Regardless, the fish is gorgeous, and GIGANTIC!! I'd take that any day!

Many people live and die wishing they had a 15lb personal best, and you have the ability to say it's not even your PB. That's just crazy.

Congrats on yet another monster.

I'm sending all my gear to Cali to have Chris bless it ;D.