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I dragged this hawg out of a submerged tree: 7lbs 4oz. Was pulling a Rapala DT6 through structure when I paused to adjust the rudder on my Native Mariner (turned out to be a good, if inadvertent, strategy!). Felt a tap on the line, and quickly tightened up to find I was hooked up with a very angry bass. Longest LMB fight I can recall - felt like it took a full 5min to get her to the boat. Inhaled the lure w/both trebles embedded, but hooks came out easily. Fish swam off in good health.
Caught/missed several fish early on a buzzbait, so hoped it was gonna be a buzzbait kinda day. but once sun came out, that bite was pretty slow and no big fish. Eventually realized there were fish in shallow water right up against the bank in the shade line, and I caught numerous fish by finding relatively deep water close to the shaded bank. That's how I caught the big fish -- ca. 2:30pm with bright sun still overhead. I'd cast/flip the DT6 as close to the bank as I could -- the tighter I placed the lure to cover/bank, the greater my odds of getting a hit.
That first big fish (7lbs 4oz) jumped three times -- came completely out of the water. Fish had more energy than any big bass I've caught in a long time. Just would not come to boat. My Mariner Propel was critical in landing this fish -- just started pedaling backwards to get fish out of submerged timber. Otherwise, the fish was just pulling me into the structure. At first fish wouldn't budge, and peeled out a lot of line trying to fight way back. Once fish turned and headed toward open water, I knew i had her if the hooks held. She inhaled the lure on a pause -- really worried she was gonna be seriously injured, but hooks popped right out. big mouth helped, was able to stick my whole hand in her mouth to access the hooks.
I lost the DT6 about 30min later when a big fish wrapped me up on submerged timber. lure glanced off a limb, and fish hit it immediately afterwards. Started peeling out line against a stiff drag (had tightened it up after that first big fish). But it happened so quickly I didn't have time to lock the drag down quickly enough. The line tightened up, saw a huge boil in the water, then 20lb leader snapped above the knot. The fishing gods give and they away take away. Just grateful i got the first big one to the boat.
FYI -- joel

Caught/missed several fish early on a buzzbait, so hoped it was gonna be a buzzbait kinda day. but once sun came out, that bite was pretty slow and no big fish. Eventually realized there were fish in shallow water right up against the bank in the shade line, and I caught numerous fish by finding relatively deep water close to the shaded bank. That's how I caught the big fish -- ca. 2:30pm with bright sun still overhead. I'd cast/flip the DT6 as close to the bank as I could -- the tighter I placed the lure to cover/bank, the greater my odds of getting a hit.
That first big fish (7lbs 4oz) jumped three times -- came completely out of the water. Fish had more energy than any big bass I've caught in a long time. Just would not come to boat. My Mariner Propel was critical in landing this fish -- just started pedaling backwards to get fish out of submerged timber. Otherwise, the fish was just pulling me into the structure. At first fish wouldn't budge, and peeled out a lot of line trying to fight way back. Once fish turned and headed toward open water, I knew i had her if the hooks held. She inhaled the lure on a pause -- really worried she was gonna be seriously injured, but hooks popped right out. big mouth helped, was able to stick my whole hand in her mouth to access the hooks.
I lost the DT6 about 30min later when a big fish wrapped me up on submerged timber. lure glanced off a limb, and fish hit it immediately afterwards. Started peeling out line against a stiff drag (had tightened it up after that first big fish). But it happened so quickly I didn't have time to lock the drag down quickly enough. The line tightened up, saw a huge boil in the water, then 20lb leader snapped above the knot. The fishing gods give and they away take away. Just grateful i got the first big one to the boat.
FYI -- joel