Wasn't planning on going out last night, wife wanted me to stay home one last night before going back to work tomorrow night. Friend called around 7, talked me into heading out. Didn't take much convincing...

Loaded up and met him at the lake. He hadn't fished the lake in 10-15 years, and then only for bluegill and trout. Headed across the lake (50 ac.) to fish the edges of a big flat. Got hung on a stump, got free, then let the boat drift down the bank while we fished.

This particular lake is overrun with coontail. The stuff literally chokes almost the entire lake in the summer. But the lake has a reputation for producing some big fish (know of a 11.5 that came out of there a couple of weeks ago).

So we're fishing down the bank, both of us throwing an Ol' Monster. Getting a few bites here and there. I throw to a shallow spot beside a huge rock. Let the worm sink and sit on the bottom for a bit, then go to lift it. Felt a little weight, so I set the hook. At first thought I had a huge wad of coontail.

Then I felt the head shake...

The fight was on. She didn't really wake up until I got her to the boat. I yelled for my buddy to get the net while I played the fish.

Got her into the net and the rest is history...

5 lbs. on the nose. No chance of her getting off as the Owner Cutting Point was buried in the gullet. I tried to remove the hook for a few seconds, then cut the line and threw her in the livewell so I could get the camera out. Hadn't been on the water for more than 30 minutes.

Needless to say, I was as happy as a pig in stuff for the rest of the night. Best bass I've ever caught. I've been getting frustrated over the last couple of weeks because I'd been giving the dinks all they could handle. This one is a shot in the arm.

Took out about an hour ago, only caught two more the rest of the night (both dink supremes). Fish really shut down after dark. But I didn't care.

Now if only I can catch 5 of those Saturday night at Cherokee.

That's definately not a dink but a great looking fish! Congrats on the PB! She looks like she hasn't spawned but that's not possible is it?

Nope, spawn was over up there almost 2 months ago.

Just eating well on bluegill and the stocker trout that are still in the lake.

So THAT'S what Burley looks like,lol...

Nice chunk

New I should have went up there like I had planned, but I let my wife keep me from going :-[.

Gonna be studyin these pics hard for any identifying features so I can pick this one out at the tourny saturday.  

Nice fish Burley,  something to be proud of.  Man, I got to start night fishing.  

Healthy lookn' bass

Great story and a  fine bass.

Congratulations!

8-)

NICE FISH! you gotta figure that the big ones wanna eat too, right?

Guys, I was just looking at the last pic a bit closer and noticed the markings on the head. Sure looks like a spotted bass or even a meanmouth.???

Hmm...

I suppose it could just be the lighting, but the markings on that fish look MUCH different than your typical largemouth.

RIGHT ON BURLEY!!!

I agree with rw, it almost looks "spotty"

Bark Camp Lake

Check out the gallery, there is another photo of a fish from the lake.

Bark Camp Lake

Check out the gallery, there is another photo of a fish from the lake.

The fish in the gallery is definately a LMB but the one you caught looks very different. Those markings on the head remind me of a smallie. Are there spotted or smallmouth bass in that lake?

Ok that is deffinitly not a dink. Great fish man. Id be happy with one fish like that and a bunch of dinks.

Bark Camp Lake

Check out the gallery, there is another photo of a fish from the lake.

The fish in the gallery is definately a LMB but the one you caught looks very different. Those markings on the head remind me of a smallie. Are there spotted or smallmouth bass in that lake?

Nope, nothing but nothern strain LMB.

Here's a smaller one I caught a couple of weeks ago.  Markings are similar.

To me the greenish markings look somewhat similar to the smallie that Fish CHris caught a couple months back.  I havent seen many largemouth that are that color with that sort of markings, but I am not fisheries biologist either.

Whatever it is nice fish.  Congratulations on the PB.

Whatever it is nice fish. Congratulations on the PB.

I agree!