How'd you get you PB?

[otaymichael]

Mine was on a Spro popper frog, about 8 years back, and she slurped it in, no explosion. Big ones don't need to explode on it, they just swim under it, open up the gills, flush a gallon of water in and anything in it, and swim off with a swagger. AKA a toilet flush. You know she's big at that point, question is, how big. Then I set the hook, fought her for a few seconds, then watched as she tried to expel the bait with a jump that got her half out of the water. Lunkers are like that, with all the weight. At that point I yelled 'GET THE NET' to the whole lake, but I really didn't expect anyone to do that, as I was fishing solo. But I had to yell as I just saw/realized what I had, a mouth that looked like it could hold a gallon can in it, and most of her giant belly, looked like she'd just eaten a 5 pounder.

I've lost a few DD's, never landing them, my best to this point was a 9.96, on a whopper plopper at the Calif. Delta. Lost a 13 plus easily, also on a W.P., El Capitan Lake in San Diego, on the first jump a year or two earlier. I realized that night after playing the video of her massive head shake, also only 1/2 way out, and larger than the one I was now fighting. I'd forgot I'd been throwing it barbless, at a lake that required it, just before heading off to Cuba to make art for a month- should of changed the hooks back).

So I was super nervous about this one, and she went down and then back up shaking her head again, giving me another heart attack, and after a few more moments and another jump I got her into the net!!! YIPPEE, my first DD, and not only that, I skipped a 10'rs and went directly to an 11! A 11.6 to be exact.

Funny, the dock workers never come around, but a few minutes later he came up taking a survey. He asked how I'd done, and I reported my catch. He didn't believe it, but I brought her out of the livewell and had him take a video of her. Ran to the dock, weighed her and went back to release her. She probably had a nest there. She was in 3', next to a 10' drop off. This was at my home lake, Otay, in east Chula Vista (dad was border patrol, would take us kids there, drop us off, and after work come pick us up, 10 miles from home, and 10 miles from the border).

Thank U Lord.

[VinnyBass]

I will always remember that day when you posted on the old Sdfish and I saw that giant bass you got.
The fact that you got it on a top water bait to me was amazing! And you catch bass year-round on top water baits which is amazing also. A testimonial to a one heck of a great bass fisherman. Thanks for sharing that special day with us all again.
Tight lines always Michael.