January Walleye is in the Boat !

[Hammer time]

Stockton, best ever on Table rock just over 7 on a rooster tail way up the Kings almost to 39 bridge crappie fishing. In either 00 or 01 had biggest eye on ever hooked in my life, right at dusk on point of Umberland cove, Stockton with a wart in mid March, played it for over 20 minutes, did everything right, loosened drag, trolling motored out to deeper water, stayed calm, then I seen the fish and it was longer than my leg and fat. I thought I had her played out and went to net the huge girl and fish could barely fit in net, almost had her and wart hooked the inside of my net she shook her head threw the hook and slowly swam away. I did everything right, but panicked at the most crucial moment and lost a eye of a lifetime!

[Johnsfolly]

8 hours ago, dan hufferd said:

Thanks, What do you think about this?

 I figure that there is a possibility of catching a large female full of eggs, maybe a wall hanger. For me that would be a fish near 30 inches, and 8 lbs + rare for Stockton but possible. So what does a guy do? Make a replica, and return the old mother to her home or just hang her on the wall? 

After a few years it seems like real wall mounts look bad, and video and pictures seem like a great way to remember. I am leaning toward C&R, but I feel like I would be letting a 30 point buck go by.

Dan

Personally I would look into a replica mount and let her go. I love taxidermy so it wouldn't be a hard decision except for actually making the payments. Pictures are great and you will need good ones to get a replica anyways. I really want some fish on my walls to go with my deer and turkey taxidermy. I have set 7 lbs and 6 lbs as the minimum weights for a bass or trout mount in MO. Now if I catch a bass in FL or TX it would have to exceed 10 lbs.

Hopefully we could all have problems like what to do with a trophy fish.

Good Luck.

[Ham]

5 hours ago, dan hufferd said:

Thank you that sounds very agreeable to me. I guess wondering what to do with a big fish is a good problem to have. I do not have to worry about it yet, but just in case I wanted to be ready.

Have you caught many over 26 around here lately? 

I've caught a couple >26 at Bull Shoals. One of which I saw eat my jerkbait. Pretty crazy. 

[Ham]

5 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

. Now if I catch a bass in FL or TX it would have to exceed 10 lbs.

Or Louisiana.

[Johnsfolly]

Ham

I agree just hadn't thought about bass fishing in LA. Been bass fishing in TX and FL. Of course that's for a LMB. A smallmouth would be different as well. 

[Ham]

Toledo Bend gives you a tremendous opportunity at a BIG largemouth bass right now. All my BIG bass are from Louisiana, but I did fish there a fair amount. 

[dprice]

This is a great thread.     You guys sure enjoy those walleye .   To me they seem very hard to catch 

[dan hufferd]

3 hours ago, dprice said:

This is a great thread.     You guys sure enjoy those walleye .   To me they seem very hard to catch 

That is why I like them, and they taste good. Either that or I will have to start eating bass.

I drove through Billings today, The bill boards look good ! I told my wife I almost know that guy, but he won't go fishing with me, maybe someday.

[dan hufferd]

8 hours ago, Hammer time said:

eye of a lifetime

I would have been sick for sure ! I probably would have went in after it !

[Hammer time]

51 minutes ago, dan hufferd said:

I would have been sick for sure ! I probably would have went in after it !

Almost did, just watched her swim away with disbelief that I just lost a fish of a lifetime! Stayed there for a few minutes contemplating the whole ordeal and slowly went to Mutton Creek, loaded up and sulked all the way home! So vivid in my mind, seems like yesterday!