Ok, well I've been fishing this private pond on a farm the past couple weeks.  This labor day weekend, all in all I've caught about 20+ largemouth bass.  Most under a pound, a couple 1-2 pounders.  This past Friday night me and a buddy ran snuck out of the house (we were supposed to be moving furniture for the ladies )  ;D to sneak in about 15 mins.

Well, just as we were about to wrap it up, I cast one final time.  It was a green worm with pumpkin coloring t-rigged.  I'm reeling it in, about 8 feet from reading the shoreline, when I felt a bite.  So I set the hook, then BAM!!!    Holy cow, this guy took off and was taking my line with him.  So the battle began.  In my mind I was thinking, "Wow, I think I finally got a big one!!!".  After about 45 seconds, I get him into shallow water and reach to grab him.  He was fighting the whole time.

I stood there with my heart pounding, adrenaline pumping, and I am just awed by the size compared to those other little fish.  While holding him, I got the hook out then all of a sudden he started fighting again and it startled me, and he slipped from my hands and back into the water he went.    My friend estimated he was between 6-7 pounds.  Figures neither of us had a camera or cell phone.  Now we have just a story to tell.  But, I finally caught my first  nice big largemouth bass and it was amazing.  It was such a rush!!!

Sunday, I gut hooked a nice two pounder on a artificial minnow bait, and had no choice but to leave it in, so I cut the line.  So I had that as a first too, and I felt pretty bad about it.  :'(  But other than that I had a great weekend of fishing.  Just wanted to share my story.

Catching a big one sure feels good doesn't it?  Gut hooked fish happen sometimes to everyone.  I usually get about two or three in a year and I feel just as bad as you do.  Seems like to me,  all of mine happen on smaller fish.

Congrats on your PB!

Super story.

And if the fish is over 4 pounds I have been told it is probably a lady.

I think your blood pressure took a good hit when fighting her which makes the struggle even more exciting.

I have actually been out of breath and have had to sit down to calm down when I caught my first 6 pounder.  I can still feel my heart beating in my chest from that experience.

Congrats on your new PB.  Now go out there and improve on it!

Congrats on the PB.  stinks not having the camera, that always seems to be the case when something good happens.

Congratulations!

Regarding the the gut hook: This is going to happen occasionally, but you need to remove hooks and especially lures. Needle-nose pliers are an important tool. Selective harvest is also an important aspect of fishing even for those of us that are almost strictly C & R.  

Good story to go along with a great catch.

Congrats!

Congratulations!

Regarding the the gut hook: This is going to happen occasionally, but you need to remove hooks and especially lures. Needle-nose pliers are an important tool. Selective harvest is also an important aspect of fishing even for those of us that are almost strictly C & R.  

Good story to go along with a great catch.

Yeah I had my needle nose with me, but the putting the needlenose in and pushing back to the tail, the barb was catching the insides and it looked like I was going to gut him.  Rookie mistake and I panicked cause I didn't have my fishing buddy with me, I realize now I should of just kept him instead of putting him back to suffer  :-/   Oh well, I had a great weekend

Great Virginia Bass young man!

Dan