Yeah she was 25 pounds. Had been caught and released before, and I believe the last time was 21 something. Mac Weakley caught her when she was over 25. Seems like the story I remember, he was trying to catch her off a bed at 25-30 ft I think. Could be wrong, but I think he was using a white jig, and saw her turn on it and the jig disappear so he set the hook and foul hooked her. Let her loose since it wouldn’t have been the world record. She was found floating 2-3 years later. Lake Dixon I believe.

You're not wrong brother....it takes some luck always

This
Caught on a minnow in deep open water.
Wonder what # test he was using?

Talking big bass and hoping to see to see TX on this list... But as I stumbled across this list I noticed how old the dates are on most of the catches..

No. Weight Angler Location Date
1 22 pounds, 5 ounces Manabu Kurita Biwa Lake - Japan July, 2009
2 22 pounds, 4 ounces George Perry Montgomery Lake - Georgia June 2, 1932
3 22 pounds, .5 ounce Bob Crupi Castaic Lake - California March 12, 1991
4 21 pounds, 12 ounces Mike Arujo Castaic Lake - California March 5, 1991
5 21 pounds, 11.2 ounces Jed Dickerson Dixon Lake - California May 31, 2003
6 21 pounds, 3.5 ounces Raymond Easley Casitas Lake - California March 4, 1980
7 21 pounds, .5 ounce Bob Crupi Castaic Lake - California March 9, 1990
8 20 pounds, 15 ounces David Zimmerlee Miramar Lake - California June 23, 1973
9 20 pounds, 14 ounces Leo Torres Castaic Lake - California February 4, 1990
10 20 pounds, 12 ounces Mike Long Dixon Lake - California April 27, 2001
11 20 pounds, 4 ounces Johnny Garduno Miramar Lake - California March 25, 1990
12 20 pounds, 4 ounces Gene Dupras Hodges Lake - California May 30, 1985
13 20 pounds, 2 ounces Fritz Friebel Big Fish Lake - Florida May, 1923
14 19 pounds, 10 ounces George Coniglio Lake Mission Viejo - California March 21, 2006
15 19 pounds, 8 ounces Mac Weakley Dixon Lake - California May, 2003
16 19 pounds, 8 ounces Randy Crabtree Casitas Lake - California April 9, 2002
17 19 pounds, 8 ounces Mark Balloid Castaic Lake - California May 28, 1990
18 19 pounds, 8 ounces Keith Gunsauls Miramar Lake - California March 7, 1988
19 19 pounds, 4 ounces Chris Brandt Miramar Lake - California March 22, 1998
20 19 pounds, 3 ounces Ardon Hanline Morena Lake - California February 17, 1987
21 19 pounds, 3 ounces Steve Beasley Lake Wohlford - California February 3, 1986
22 19 pounds, 2 ounces Kazuya Shimada Lake Ikehara - Japan April 22, 2003
23 19 pounds, 1 ounce Bruce Knutsen Lake Baccarac - Mexico January 17 1993
24 19 pounds, 1 ounce Sandy DeFresco Miramar Lake - California March 14, 1988
25 19 pounds, .5 ounce Dan Kadota Castaic Lake - California January 8, 1989

Man, I can just imagine how exciting that was to do, and then to do it twice. Awesome.

That is a mighty impressive list!

14# test and it was prolly 15 yrs old

Regarding that list. Does anyone think that the lakes with multiple entries might be the same fish? If so should her weight count every time or just the heaviest? For example Lake Dixon where Dottie was caught. There are at least three entries, does anyone think that is three different fish or is it Dottie three times? Dixon is only 70 acres or so. Is that big enough to be home to multiple bass of this size? Castaic also had multiple entries but it is a giant lake.

I believe that a few SALs have been caught multiple times. If I caught a giant fair and square, I'd dang sure want her counted whether she had been caught before.