Take a close look at this 1.25# coppernose bluegill and tell me how big do you think the bass was that had it in its mouth. It was still alive when I scooped it up but just barely. Me and a buddy were fishing at Camelot Bell and saw a large commotion in the water about 40 yards away.

I moved the boat down to where we had seen the swirl and planted the Powerpoles. A few minutes later this thing came up right next to my boat doing a little death spiral on the surface. keep in mind there are no catfish, crappie, or rough fish in this highly-managed private lake.

Why would you finesse on a private pond/lake anyway?

I wouldn't... It was a rhetorical statement.

What size rod do you think I'd need for a 20oz swim bait?

6-7 lbs bass will eat that. An 18lber ate a crappie minnow on fork so it goes both ways.

Maybe so James but I have a theory on the 18# state record caught on a "crappie minnow"

I believe a crappie had bit the minnow and the 18 pounder bit the crappie.

I quizzed Barry St.Clair shortly after he caught the fish and he was tending 8 rods all in rod holders on his boat that day. The crappie bite was on that day in January. He was unhooking a crappie on one rod and turned around to see one of his other rods bent over double.

When he pulled the rod out of the holder he thought he had a big catfish until she surfaced. Did the current state record bite a crappie minnow? Maybe.... My gut tells me differently.

Way too many stories of crappie fishermen at Fork catching giant bass on a hooked crappie.

Them minnows are tasty treats. I catch several big bass every year crappie fishing on fork and I'm pretty sure they ate the minnow.

Not to start a debate but let's be clear that an 18# bass is not just a big bass. It is a Flipping Freak of Nature.

Good post Ken. Remember the two tails that were sticking up by the reeds when we were there. They were over a foot across. Don't have a clue what they were doing almost side by side, standing on their heads. I guess they were Thumbing us. Thanks for sharing. There are some in there.

Yes sir! I will always remember those two we saw by the dam!

Dang, you get to take your boat.

For enough $$$ you can too

I also think when the crappie get fired up on a pile it gets a reaction from the bass and they move in to eat anything in sight. I know lots of people who catch 10lbers on minnows regularly after catching a few crappie

If were me I would just finish what the other fish started. Two slices of bread please.