Tell us about the one that got away...

I was down here in central Florida to go to Bible college. Up to this date ,my best bass was a little over 2 pounds. I didn't have a boat so I fished off the shore. I learned fast that Saddle Creek was a decent place for shore fishermen.

I was equipped with a 6 1/2 foot Eagle Claw rod and cheap Diawa reel. I had on 10 pound test Trilene XL anda 1/4 ounce white Rooster Tail. I castacross this pit by the local shooting range. I generally count down to see how deep the water is.Th ewater was about 16 foot deep.It was in Octpber.I also fish the lure like that anyway. Once it's on the bottom I give a twitch and retrieve it just enough to turn the blade. CRAP! I thought.."I'm snagged !." All of a sudden the snag honestly felt like a telephone pole with strong fins. he began fighting like a huge northern carp..side ot side. Now, I had just recently caught a tilapia so I actually thought it was a tilapia.They fight just like that. They rarely hit a lure but occasionally they will.

Then, the fish was doing somethng stupid. It was racing toward the surface. My wife was there beside me. The fish was so fast coming to the surface that I now had slack in my line...SERIOUS lesson learned there![:@]

Next, Honestly..Time stood still and {God as my witness} the biggest bass I've ever seen ..torpedoed straight out of the water..Her tail was a good 5 inches out of the water. The Rooster Tail slung out of her bucketmouth mouth. ...my body is silently SICK from my head to my feet.. Her eyes were big as half dollars.The fish was fat and a good 30 inches long.

A few daysafterwards...a man with a little jon boat and shiners caught a nice bass in this spot. He showed me the picture.He released her. It weighed 12.6 pounds. I've lost many big fish in Florida but none ever completely jumped up out of the water.I always keep a tight line now..ALWAYS.