Buddies it was just incredible ! Today was my last day this year on San Pablo (they close this Sunday) and after the 11.7 lb'er yesterday (following the best year of trophy bass fishing of my life), It was hard for me to expect much more.

Anyway, I started at my recent hotspot flipping wads of nightcrawlers on the micro-light rod, specifically with trophy bass in mind. First I stick a small Carp, then the trout start pestering me. About 1 1/2 hours goes by and I get a ... Tick.... then my line starts steadily moving out. Wham ! I set the hook. At first it felt like a log, but when it finally got moving, boy did it get moving ! It ran straight down a steep slope and just kept running and running ! By this point I was thinking "catfish".It had to have gotten down to at least 80 feet of depth, at which point it either got tired, or ran out of oxygen. I then short pumped it all the way back up to the surface. It was a kitty alright, but a hog indeed ! She ended up going 23.1 lbs..... My biggest from San Pablo to date.
After photos and weighing on the shore (with the help of some trout anglers) I release this beautiful kitty so she can grow up, and fight me again whenever she thinks she can handle me :-)

So, I bait up again. First cast after the cat..... Tick.... Wham ! Fish on ! .... and this one feels like bass for sure..... which it in fact was, but only a 7.4 lb'er.

After that it was pretty tough until about noon, at which point, even the hatchery trout shut off. So I decide to go on and leave early to get some chores done. On the way back towards the ramp, I pass by the concession area. I decide to swing in and wish everybody a good holiday season..... and to "warn" them that they will be putting up with me a bunch next year :-) I get out of my boat onto the dock and walk about 20 feet. I then stop and turn around, realizing that I have left my big trout lure rod in the boat. Hmmmm.... should I even bother to grab it ??? Ahhhh.... what the heck.... may as well chuck the trout in front of the concession area just a few times.
As I come around the bend, I see about 15 trout anglers lining the shore, many with two rods each. I quietly walk down the bank behind them and a guy who sees my Castaic trout lure turns around and ask about it.... "Do you catch some big bass on that thing" ??? I reply, "Yes, I have been hammering them on it all year". So the guy replies, "Oh yea ? Well check this out ! See that guy right there ? A little while ago he was reeling in a trout and a giant bass grabbed it, but then it jumped and spit it out" ! At that point the old guy turns around and starts collaborating with his story. He tells me, "it was huge" ! Showing me with his arms stretched wide. So I ask, "how long ago was that" ? About 30 minutes ago. OK, so now they have my attention ! What to do ??? I politely ask the old guy if he would mind if I took 2 or 3 casts with my trout lure out in front of him, and I explained that it was a shallow runner, so I was sure I would not hit his lines.... "Sure, go ahead" he says ! "In fact" he says, I would like to see you catch that big ol' thing, just to see it up close" ! Yea' buddies ! Talk about an envite !
So I make one long cast out to the left..... meanwhile I am telling these guys that the first time it passes her, she will either eat it, or not, and if not, then 500 more casts won't help. I also tell them that if I do get her, it will be in 3 casts or less.
Second cast.... right down the center with a lot of distance..... "Yes", they both say "right there"..... I take about 4 cranks with my reel..... WHAM !!!!! I get absolutely freight-trained ! "FISH ON" I yell.... I'm quite sure all 15 or 20 of the guys behind me, heard me, as no sooner had they all looked up, and this MONSTER BASS erupts into the air with her mouth looking as big as a 5 lb coffee can, stretched wide open and shaking side to side ! Immediate and complete applause erupted ! Buddies my heart was in my throat ! She fought fairly hard, but did not take any really big runs. Just a lot of headshaking and 2 more half jumps. I short pump her to the shore in about 2 minutes, and when I lipped her, I just knew she was my new PB ! Just huge in every direction !
From there I ran around the point to my boat, which was parked at the marina docks, dipping her along the way to catch her breath.... but honestly, I had to be more out of breath than she was ! I placed her in my portable live well (a 70 qt icebox), and then started digging for both of my cameras and my tape measure.
From there we carried her (plus a bunch of water) back up the hill to the marina for a certified weighing.......
Drumroll please..... 16.50 lbs !!! Also, she measured 26 inches in length, and 24 inches in girth. Yea buddies ! I'm still estatic !

What more can I say..... not only was this my last day on Pablo this year, but definately my last few casts of the trip..... and I almost didn't even bother to make those !

Is this the coooolest sport on the planet or what ??? :-)

Thank you Lord, for another incredible day on the water !

Fish Chris

PS, On the way out of the house this morning, I told my Landlord, "If that 11.7 lb bass from yesterday turns out to be my last big bass from Pablo this year, I sure couldn't complain"..... but then I had to add, "On the other hand, fishing is fishing, and you just never know...... Heck, I might just go out and get the biggest bass of my life today" (and those, my friends, were honestly my last words while leaving the house !)

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Fish Chris,

Do you realize that this is like pointing to the fence in the 9th inning, game 7 of the world series down by 3 and the bases loaded? To actually connect on something like that and call it is absolutely amazing with a crowd of people to witness this accomplishment!

Vince
vince@theblankslate.com

well i think this story tells it all....you are not human are you?! I read your reports alot and it blows my mind that your biggest fish is almost 17 pounds and mine is just under 7. i cant imagine what it would be like to catch a bass that large......Good Goin

Save a wave, Ride a surfer.

Like I've said in previous postings...Fish Chris...You are the MAN!!!! I'm just so impressed! I can't wait to be able to post of my own personal best! My largest LM was 8lbs on a dad back in the early 90's at Castaic. It was a great fish but nothing compared to the year that you've had! I'm still throwin the big wood...swimbaits...and all the other trout imitations that I can get my hands on but I still have yet to get one on it. I'll be investing hours on the water getting this stuff down but I know it's gonna take time.

I'd love to know what your count ends up being on December 31, 2002. Please be sure to post it. I'm sure that there are a lot of us on the board that are waiting to know where you end up! Take care Fish Chris! Count your many blessings. God has been good to you! Thanks for the great report and the photos!

Congrats!

Darin

if ya'll keep it up, I won't be able to go fishing anymore, because I won't be able to fit my head through the door ! :-)
Seriously though, I really apreciate all the kind words.

As I was just saying on another thread somewhere, my "luck" is not so much in the indiidual big catches, as it is in being able to fish as much as I do, in the places I do. Of course even that is not really luck, but rather, it's just the fact that I am so totally blessed it just blows me away ! And believe me, I never lose sight of that, and I thank the Lord for these blessing many times every day !!!

Wishing all of you guys some real monster bass !
Fish Chris

dude, you are a machine- huge props on that fish. And all of your fish. Very inspiring.

Your accomplishments this year are simply awesome! I never would have imagined *anybody* catching this many double-digit bass in Northern California in one 12-month period -- and just think about the others you 'just missed'! Where do you go from here, in the years to follow -- *50*??? (and where does that put you for this year? You're at, like, 27 or something?)

You've definitely raised the bar for us all here (and might just be setting yourself up as some sort of LEGEND here in the Bay Area -- but of course, let's not get ahead of ourselves here)!


Thanks, Chris, for all the info, assistance, and INSPIRATION to us all in our common pursuit of this awesome species!

- jeff

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Every day Congress convenes, we lose a little more of our LIBERTY!!!

(-- Mark Levin, radio-show host/KSFO 3-6pm)

Good job Chris, Im jealous. Keep it up and you'll have the Nor Cal record before long.....if Rob and Nico dont beat you to it first!!!hehehe..Mike