Record catch on White Bear Lake Sunday 6.22

[polarsusd81]

So I was out with a buddy (Troy McLure) on White Bear Lake yesterday fishing for skies and eventually switching to bass. We had a couple fish follow up to the boat and Rob missed one on a figure 8. We switched it up to bass to take a little break and the big one hit. I was tossing a Strike King Red Eye Shad lipless crank over some weeds in about 4 feet of water. I was using my 6'-6" Diawa Heartland-X rod, my favorite of course mated up with a Shimano Curado 200B spooled with 30lb Spiderwire. When the fish hit, she immediately dove into the weeds and the fight was on. After a few minutes playing tug of war, she finally gave up and came to the boat covered in weeds. After I cleared all the weeds from the fish, I was absolutely blown away by the size of the fish. Check out the photo below.

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She weighed in at a little under an ounce and stretched the tape to about an inch.

[Craig Plummer]

Truly amazing, are your arms tired?

[polarsusd81]

Craig, you wouldn't believe it. I had to take a nap after the battle, it wore me out.

[joeyquicksand*]

You better not have kept that... someone should have called TIP on you.

[Jim Almquist]

I personally would have kept it because those small one's eat so much better then the big one's but that is a personal choice and I would respect your choice to release it.

[Eskimoman]

You putting that beast above the fireplace?

[MOBY RICHARD*]

For White Bear Lake that is a Dandy alright...that's about the most you can expect from those waters...

[polarsusd81]

She was released to be caught another day. It was hard to decide though, between the skin mount, a quick gulp, or the release, but I always told myself a record fish would be released no matter what. After a short revival, she swam away, giving me that familar shower as she kicked her tail off into the deep.

[croixflats]

I dont think It would be wise to keep it I doesnt look like it was caught by the mouth

[BoxMN]

Good thing you had sharp hooks! I guess the secret to WBL is out now...

[polarsusd81]

I dont think It would be wise to keep it I doesnt look like it was caught by the mouth

That was one of the biggest factors for the release. I knew I would catch flack for not hooking it in the mouth, kinda like the guys who caught Dottie in Dixon Lake Cali. Foul hooked can't qualify for a record, so I was alright with the release.

[Central Bassman]

WOW... Congrats to you. I sent an email to the outdoor news about this new record and they are soooooo pumped to contact you about it...

[matthothand]

Those sexy shads are HOT! Don't get in their way!

[Sandmannd]

I can't see the pic, Tom you wanna email it to me?

[hugonian1]

I'm not trying to start anything here but he is clearly holding that thing way out in front of him to distort the size in the pic.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Polar,

I am glad to see you are practicing CPR. You have some truly amazing pics of that beast. I know a few really good taxidermists who do some very good replica's. Let me know if you need a few phone numbers! LOL

Windy

[Lisa Almquist]

I sure could use some tips on how to land a monster.... ....especially after this past weekend....

[muc33]

What disgusts me the most is that you guys go and get on a good fish like this, and rather than enjoy this lake and what it can produce like I do, you come on these boards and tell the whole world!!! Heck, lets make it even better you even show the lure! I can even get the gps coordiants from that one ripple in the water behind you. Don't you guys realize that now everyone is gonna flock here, as if this lake doesn't get enough pressure. Now you have done it. I guess I will have to wait another 5 years to have a chance at a treasure like that. Thanks buddy, thanks alot.

[echotrail]

Is there any chance you could post the gps coordinates so more of us could have a chance to land something like that.

[Jameson]

No way that things real. The pic must have been photoshopped.

[Ebiz]

If I had a nickel for everytime I've seen that picture! It's been e-mailed to me at least 20 times in the last few years, same fish different story - everything from LOW to Mille Lacs to Bennett Lake in Roseville. FOR THE RECORD: this fish was actually caught in a remote mountain lake in Norway by my friend John Johnson in 1986.

[SkunkedAgain]

Yup, I agree. If you look closely enough at the picture you can clearly see that it's two different pictures married together to make it "look" like he caught that beast.

[Sandmannd]

Where do you get those Raps? I know I want to go after beasts like that. Is there a way I can get out fishing with you soon so I can get on fish like that?

[joeyquicksand*]

mount it on a baseball cap.

[fishgutz77]

You must have had a [PoorWordUsage] of a net man.