Was this a mistake? Big Bass

[Steve]

I was fishing Takenich lake today in the middle of a thunderstorm when I got a hit that I thought was a lightning strike, landed a LM that stretched the tape 24" I guess around 7 to 8# if I was going to have her mounted should I have kept her? I really didn't want to kill her so back in w/o picture... 1/2 oz. Chrome / Met. Blue Rattle trap. How big would I expect to catch.

[Striper Club]

With a couple of decent pictures and a length/girth measurement, that would be plenty for an accurate replica to be made. These days, there is really no reason to kill a fish just for taxidermy purposes.

In my opinion, you did right by releasing the fish. Certainly a pig, but you did right by letting it go back to grow.

[Sturgeonbait]

Nice fish, and way to go. You did the right thing. You should always release a biggin like that. You said pics, can you post them?

[rebell]

You did the right thing.

Thank you for releasing her. :applause: :applause: :applause:

[BassBuster]

Yout got my vote Steve...wya to go :applause:

Stefan Z

[Steve]

Thanks, for the congrats. Are there bigger ones in there? What dimensions would they run?

[Dave Smith]

Steve- yup- you did fine. If you would've kept her, you would have probably ended up with a skin mount, or, what most people do, is still having her in your freezer when your kids grow up and head to college.
Her size now depends so much on how girthy she was. Once fish in Tak make it to that length, they really don't add much more, only in girth so she could be anywhere from around 6-14 to 10-12. Assuming that she has already spawned, she is most likely right around the low to mid sevens- great fish! If the mouth was closed and it went honestly to 24, you could be looking closer to 8!

[Steve]

A flat 24" her belly was soft. Just an impression that she had already spawned, would have liked to have a shot at her in March. Tak is a lake that I fished 40 years ago, and caught a ton of Bluegill and Crappie, I like micro fishing for the Gills and crappie. 2# test and micro jigs, haven't found the schools. Any Idea where I can take some grandkids on the lake that is consistant?

[cutbank]

Let me apoligize in advance For being out of region in response Steve. In the early sixties I read an article in Field and Stream about Pelican Lake utah. Never thinking I'd ever live in Utah I allways hoped someday I'd get a chance to fish it.Ive fished it three times in the last 2 years. It is flat crazy!!It gets minimal pressure and the bluegill are huge! no dinks! The limit was raised this year to 20. It was worth driving the four hours from Ogden to take 10. My son Frankie was 6 last year. It was that "cant miss"fishing trip that hooks a kid on fishing forever. After 4 or 5 fish in 15 minutes it was like "Dad, You dont have to tell me when to reel!"

The Lake is about 25 miles out of Vernal. It's edged in tules and is not really deep. You need a boat to fish it. Try a google search.

[Steve]

Thanks guy, this is the type of fishing I need, these kids need grandpa's fine hand, dad is too busy and the kids don't have anything to do but play da videos... rots a kids brains...

[Sandz]

AINT NOTHING WRONG WITH VIDEOS!!! well as long as they are fishin videos :wink:

[Snagged]

Thank you for not killing a hog of a fish like that. They dont get that big very fast in this part of the world.