My "other" hobby

I had a good day fishing Monday. We had a state holiday Monday, and me and my buddy hit my lake for the first time this year. I caught a bass over 10 pounds but don't know exactly how heavy because I left my scale in the garage. Also caught a 8 pounder and 5 pounder, and many many other 2 and 3 pounders. Here is a little confirmation.

Oh yeah, everything was catch and release. Already have a 12 pounder on the wall, so maybe someday this hawg will be 15 pounds+!

I have a 10 and a 12 mounted over my desk at work. About 15 years ago, we cleaned out the lake and restocked with Florida Strain Largmouth Bass and bream. It is a 8 acre lake and no one fishes it on a regular basis other than me. Since 2007 we have caught probably 20 fish 8 pounds or better, with half of those being catch and release. I am lucky. Most fishermen will never catch a 10 pound or better bass.
It gets real exciting when you are bream fishing and a couple of these big mommas start trying to eat the bream you are catching. What a show!

Here is the 12 I have mounted.

I have not been able to fish as much the past 3 years since the twins were born, but I love it, and is so therapeutic to me. My oldest son (11) is just getting where he can fish with me, other than cane poles and live bait. We went fishing last night and a nice fish broke his line, now I can see the fever in his eyes.

I guess I am a natural fisherman, I can go bass fishing with most people, anywhere and out catch them by a bunch. My favorite technique is a Texas rigged worm. All of my big ones have been caught with that set up, other than a 10 pounder caught on a tiny torpedo top water bait.

Jags said:

At a show put on by Bill Dance...these words stuck in my head.
"Never underestimate the power of a 6" culprit on a texas rig"

My personal largest bass(9.5 pound northern strain bass) was caught on just that setup.

Click to expand...

It was a Zoom june bug colored worm with a 3/0 hook and quarter ounce weight. 50 pound test spider wire helped landing her also.

I was trying hecticly to give it some drag as I was fighting with her. I usually don't run any drag, but boy I was trying hard to give her some, cause she still had that spider wire singing like a violin.

She frayed the line almost in half after it was all said and done. Had to retie after that one.

I have had so many big fish break me off over the years, and since texas rigged worm fishing doesn't require too much finesse, I just put the big braided 50 lb line on with the diameter of 10 lb test. I would rather lose a fish from a not so good hook set than a break off.

It took my breath away when she made her first leap out of the water. I knew it was big when I set the hook because the fish did not move. She put on a good show. My adrenaline had me shaking for 30 minutes.