Finally got'er! A nice, fat *11.5-lb* sow out of Coyote Reservoir in Gilroy -- my first double-digit bass, ever! It happened Saturday, at about 1:30 in the afternoon, on a BEAUTIFUL clear day, with only light breezes blowing throughout the day.

I had thought that seeing that *bald eagle* earlier in the morning might be a good omen! That, and taking a photo of another guy's 9-lb., 7-oz'er at the ramp just as I got there at around 10 am!

Caught mine on a split-shot ('brass-n-glass') 6" Aaron's Magic Zipper worm, on 8-lb. test line (had my bead pegged about a foot-&-a-half up the line). It was right off the bank, in no more than 6-8 feet of water, where the wake-wash had muddied things up a bit. She surfaced a half-dozen times on me, thrashing pretty severely each time, but that Owner J-hook was stuck solidly through her upper lip (thank God!!!)! Woo-HOO! The 5-minute-or-so battle was pretty exhilerating! As much as I enjoy flippin' big fish outta the timber, there's something to be said for 'lightening up' sometimes! There was no horsing THIS baby in!

Nice, healthy-looking fish -- take a look!:

http://www.calfishing.com/dcforum/User_files/3c83b2a50ca476a5.jpg