Huge South Dakota Largemouth Bass for me!

[John Kelley]

***Let me preface this story by letting you New York friends of mine know that there is no closed game fish season in South Dakota, meaning we can fish for whatever we want whenever we want, aside from protected species like paddlefish and sturgeon.***

 

 Okay,

 So I am working in this little town called Edgemont, which is South and West of Rapid City by about 80 miles.  Edgemont has a couple of little 5 acre town ponds that are open to public fishing, and are well stocked with rainbow trout, panfish, and bass.  I had been down to this lake the past couple of nights with my coworker, catching a bunch of nice little rainbows for grilling at the hotel this weekend. Yesterday afternoon, as I was reeling my fourth rainbow right up to the dock I was fishing on, when this big old largemouth comes shooting out from under the dock and chases down my trout.  I pulled the trout out of the water as quick as I could, unhooked it, and grabbed my big fish ugly stick, spooled with 14 pound test, and hooked a firetiger RAT-L-Trap on it.  I started jigging the the lure up and down in the clear 3' of water at the end of the dock.  After about 10 pumps of the rod, I thought the bass was just not interested in my lure, but I pumped the lure upwards one more time.  This time the bass came cruising out from under the dock, and went straight for the lure, stopping about an inch away from it.  I stopped the lure in its tracks and just made it sit there and jiggle, shaking the rattles.  The big girl opened her mouth, inhaled the lure, and I struck immediately!  The fight was on, but I soon was hoisting up the biggest bass of my life. She taped out at 22.5 inches long, 18 inches around, and weighed in at 7.56 pounds.  I spent all day today driving the fish 230 miles to my taxidermist in Pierre, SD, and back to my hotel!!  Pretty satisfied, though!!  I hope you enjoy the pics.  Thanks.

Edited April 13, 2014 by John Kelley

[John Kelley]

Oh yeah,

and here is the lure I enticed her and caught her with.

[FX]

Very nice John! That's gonna look good on your wall of fame!

Shawn

[panfisher]

SSSsswwwwweeeeeeet! Nice deal, man!   I've watched big bass like that (and smaller) come out from under the docks in the fingerlakes. Particularly at the state launch in Woodville at the south end of Canandaigua lake in the middle of the night under the light of the nearby lamp. Spooked by my walking onto the steel dock. A 7.5lber is really nice, with that big ole mouth you can drive a truck into!! 

Edited April 15, 2014 by panfisher

[justtracytrolling]

Nice fish! Panfisher is spot on about fingerlakes bass at night...I spend a lot of time fishing for walleyes at night and we catch several each season from 22-25 inches. Its hard to get good pics at night, but Ill get some this year.

justin

[Fishmounter]

That's a stud right there!, congrats!

[Sk8man]

Looks like somebody hooked up an air hose to his belly John....he sure wasn't starving to death   Nice work!

[Giz9219]

Nice pig! You can always get a replica done of the fish too?thats what I had done and doesn't look fake!

[EsoxAC3]

Nice fish!! Great narrative too.... Congrats. Love to see the mount.

[earltwitty]

Nice, and I'm twiddling my thumbs in irondequoit (dead) bay

[Xxx]

OOOOYAAA that's a Hawg!! Man John that state never ceases to amaze me, I think mayb you also!! Congrats to your catch and and of course yourself!!