Veteran B.A.S.S. pro Rick Clunn said at the 2006 Bassmaster Classic that the 10-pound bass he caught left him shaking. This comment in a recent video on Bassmaster.com generated a conversation on the B.A.S.S. Facebook page, where numerous fans say they shake when they catch hawgs.
Some anglers, like Rob Barch and Brian Sellers, shake every time they set the hook. And Jason Malo said he used to get all shook up just seeing the bass in the water, but now that he has more experience, he’s less inclined to do so.
But others have some stories about monster fish that made their heads spin! Read on:
B.A.S.S. Facebook fan Mark McDowell has been a serious angler for 45 years, and only one time has he really shook. “I hooked and played to the boat a real monster of a bass,” said McDowell. “She had to be 14 pounds plus! My single worm hook was stuck just under the skin in the corner of this huge bass’ mouth. I got her to within 4 feet of the boat and she made one more flop and it was over with. I’ll never forget it as long as I live.”
Darren James Carpenter was struggling in a club tournament on Oneida Lake, with one hour to go and only 8 pounds to show. He had one spurt of good luck with four 3- to 4-pounders in four casts. Ten minutes later, on his last cast, he said, “I hooked and boated a smallmouth that weighed 5.86 pounds, my biggest ever. I drop the fish three times trying to put it in the well I was shaking so bad. I won the tourney and got my biggest smallie ever and my only 20-pound bag yet.”
Gary Rothweiler shook for 15 minutes after landing an 8-pound, 1-ounce bass. “That’s pretty darn big for Pennsylvania!” he added. “She looked liked she weighed twice as much when she tried to come up out of the water. I first started shaking because I was nervous and didn’t want to lose her, and then I shook like crazy after I got her in from all the excitement.”
Last January, Chad Baker was fishing a tournament and caught a 7-pounder. “I was already shaking, but as I was admiring her, I threw my jig right back out. When I finally stood up, I noticed my line moving off, set the hook and had a 5-pound smallmouth! Back-to-back casts! I shook the rest of the day,” Baker said. He went on to finish second in the tournament with only four bass.
Perhaps Nick Counts said it best: If you don’t get shaken up or haven’t gotten shaken up yet while fishing, “find a new hobby.”
Have you had a bass fishing experience that left you shaking? Tell us here! And join the conversation on Facebook.