Willamsport 8/3/2014

[JDH8504]

Had a good afternoon on Shellcracker Lake today. Caught this big girl but I don't have a scale. Anybody care to guess how much she might weigh?

Also hooked into another big one like this but I got too excited and tried to pull her over the side of the boat by the line. Note to all: don't do that. She laid stunned there for a split second and I nearly dumped me and my girlfriend into the lake trying to scoop her up before she swam off.

Tight lines!

[Alphahawk]

Nice catch.

Regards

[MNfisher]

Huge fish!

[Travis C.]

Thats a big ole bass.

It is hard to guess looking at a photo but my first thought was around 8-9.

[jad2t]

That's a pig! I love those lakes and I like that they still don't get much fishing pressure despite the chances of catching bigger fish in there. I plan to head there on Saturday.

[Pinwheeled]

Dang that's a pig. Congrats!

[JDH8504]

Thanks to everybody for checking this out. Yesterday, Shellcracker had one other boat on it when we launched. Usually there is quite a few more out there but since it is no gas motors, it's still manageable to fish.

This lake is loaded with fish like this. The fact that I hooked into two this size in one afternoon tells you that! It sure isn't my superb angling prowess

[jad2t]

Several of us in here take our kayaks to those lakes and have caught 20+ inch bass and it's not a surprise. Sure, it's exciting, but not a surprise. I make the hour drive out there for a reason. Few boats, lots of big fish!

I would leave Shellcracker alone and drive on down to Blue Cat. Even fewer boats in that lake.

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by JDH8504

Thanks to everybody for checking this out. Yesterday, Shellcracker had one other boat on it when we launched. Usually there is quite a few more out there but since it is no gas motors, it's still manageable to fish.

This lake is loaded with fish like this. The fact that I hooked into two this size in one afternoon tells you that! It sure isn't my superb angling prowess

Yes it has plenty of those in there...as of now. Far too many are taken out. I fish those lakes a lot...though I am after different specie than you but I see lots of catches when fishing there....and on quite a few occasions one of those pigs like you caught tries to take a Gill from me....LOL. It is quite the commotion.


Regards

[JDH8504]

Originally Posted by jad2t

Several of us in here take our kayaks to those lakes and have caught 20+ inch bass and it's not a surprise. Sure, it's exciting, but not a surprise. I make the hour drive out there for a reason. Few boats, lots of big fish!

I would leave Shellcracker alone and drive on down to Blue Cat. Even fewer boats in that lake.

I don't post much, but I have been around the forums here for a couple of years. I have met a couple of guys from this forum at the launch at Shellcracker and seen some guys in 'yaks I recognize from pics I see here. We should all start wearing FishingTN.com T-Shirts so we can spot our own!

I have fished Bluecat a few times but have only caught a handful of small fish there. Any tips on fishing that lake?

[JDH8504]

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

Yes it has plenty of those in there...as of now. Far too many are taken out. I fish those lakes a lot...though I am after different specie than you but I see lots of catches when fishing there....and on quite a few occasions one of those pigs like you caught tries to take a Gill from me....LOL. It is quite the commotion.


Regards

That is a shame that people want to take big fish like this home for whatever reason. Don't get me wrong, this is the biggest Largemouth I have ever landed and the thought crossed my mind to mount it. But in reality I know that I have a chance to get another one like her in this lake and I would rather another fisherman get a chance to catch her some day.

I can't imagine the thoughts running through your head when a big bass takes a run at a gill you've hooked. You gotta be thinking "oh no no no" and "how awesome is that" at the same time! Gets the adrenaline flowing that's for sure!

[agelesssone]

Nice bass! My guess on the weight would be 6-7 lbs. But that is just a wild guess. A length would give us some direction.

[JDH8504]

Originally Posted by agelesssone

Nice bass! My guess on the weight would be 6-7 lbs. But that is just a wild guess. A length would give us some direction.

I did measure her length and she went a little over 23 inches. I didn't have a very good surface to lay her down and didn't want to hurt her slime coating so I measured with a tape.

[chaseasl]

great catch

[jad2t]

Over 23 inches is definitely in the 7-8 pound range for an average sized fish. Your fish is chunky, I'd say 8# easily.