Ive been staring at huge Cali swimbait fish since I was 7 (Ill never forget Ray Easleys fish on the cover of BASS, that made a significant impact on me). The whole thing seemed like another world, something out of my reach. Well, I moved to Cali in 1996, but was not in a location to pursue big fish. When I moved a few years ago, all of a sudden the trophy potential was all around me. So, I got stubborn and decided I was going to commit to swimbaits, learn everything about them, no matter what the consequences. And believe me there were consequences (many lonely fishless days, nobody wants to fish with me cause they think Im nuts, etc, etc.).

Id been throwing big baits for several months with no love, but I knew what the fish were doing, and the stage of spawn they were in. The physical conditions came together one thursday morning. I sat in my office all day watching the weather, and I knew everything was lining up perfect. At 5 pm I announced I would be taking one of my vaction days on the next day, Friday.

Friday comes, Im on the lake. A co-worker was meeting me at 3 pm. Not much was going on, I was looking for bed fish. At 2:30 a front blew in, and I started throwing the big bait. First cast, bam 4 pounder, next cast bam 3 pounder. Sometimes when fish bite you just know you have the best bait, and the best presentation, and you just know you are gonna catch fish. I knew I was going to stick something good, there were no doubts.

Buddy arrives, I announce to him that they are on swimbaits, and off we go. 30 minutes go by, I stick a few more, none over 4. Then I make a very long cast, the bait gets 2 feet and a train hits it (topwater presentation). I knew it was a good fish, but when I saw its tail stick out of the water, I knew it was real good. I didnt have the right gear, and quite frankly Im amazed I got it to the boat. However, at the boat it surged and hung in deep, thick weeds. I really didnt think the fish was coming out, and I was using 65lb braid! 5 minutes go by, and Ive been right on top of the fish, and the whole mass of weeds dislodges. When the mess comes to the surface, I ask no questions, I just bear hug the weed clump and get it in the boat, fish intact. Goes 11.5, post spawn (how come all my big fish are post spawn?).

Ill never forget this fish for many reasons. It was my first over 10, it confirmed many uncertainties I had about swimbaits, it gave me the confidence to continue learning more about swimbaits, and it was a dream come true for a 7 year old kid daydreaming about a strange place where huge bass eat huge baits. For the first time I realized that the sky was the limit, with perserverence and an open mind. Ive caught bigger fish since, but they arent the same, not quite the same level of amazement or excitement. Ill never be able to recapture the emotions associated with this fish, never.

BTW, the guy I was fishing with was from Vermont, he lived on Lake Champlain and was a smallmouth nut. He used to laugh at me for throwing big baits, he had no idea that we were playing with fire. Two weeks prior, we took a pic for somebody of a gorgeous 11.5. Afer I caught this fish, I think he was more excited than me, and the only thing I remember him saying was "what the **** is up with this place". My response was I dont know, but I wish more lakes had the problem! To this day he says that I sat there holding the fish and the only thing was I was saying was "I cant believe it, I did it, I cant believe it, I did it".

Sorry for the long post.

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