Since it appears I was the only one on here who was actually there I will give an update as of this afternoon of the progress on this issue. I fish Alan Henry alot with the angler catching the fish and we are good friends. I was at the lake this past weekend when he caught the fish. He called me Friday evening about dark indicating he had caught a large fish with all the apperances of a spotted bass : jawbone extending only to the eye, tooth patch and very evident lateral spots on its lower belly and exagerated facial markings. I suggested he take it to Brenda's to be weight on certified scales. Just so happens that a TPWD Game Warden was at the fire station adjacent to Brenda's and he witnesses and assisted in the weighing and measuring of the fish. The scales were last certified in 2007 I think but as long as they are recertified (if they need to be)in the next 30 days the record will stand.

There were no less than 7-8 photographers taking pictures of the whole event. When Bruce called me, I took my Nikon film camera I carry in the boat to use since small digital cameras sometimes don't have the resolution required for accurate photos. I burned a 24 exposure roll detailing appearance of the fish including in mouth photos to show the tooth patches. The film is due out of processing Thursday.

I would have thought flicks would have been posted by now due to the number of people filming the weigh in. But maybe they aren't interested enough to post here. In any case, the fish looked more like a spot than anything I've run into of that size and I think I can say I know what a spot looks like since I have fished Lake O' the Pines since it was dammed up and Allan Henry since it's inception.

I talked to Bruce this afternoon and he told me that the biologist who obtained the tissue sample only commented that it looked like a largemouth but that it would take 2-3 weeks for positive ID. Unfortunately the fish died and is currently frozen awaiting confirmation. And before the flames start, let me say that we ( Bruce , John , Marty and myself) worked until about 4 AM trying to keep that fish alive with a 150 gallon tank with chilled well water, catch and release, rock salt, aeration and bilge pumps but to no avail. Coming from deep water and too much handling (how do you avoid it?) plus being freshly spawned out, I guess it was just too much. But I handled her and spent hours with her and I believe it to be a spotted bass. Hopefully the pictures will show it as well.

I haven't responded until now because some of us have to run businesses or have more important things in our lives than monitoring this site. I am leaving Friday on an international consulting trip of over two weeks and as much as I would like to monitor this discussion I know how this trip goes and there will be very little free time until I return. By that time the verdict should be in and hopefully Bruce will have a new state record spot in the books. 'spoon

Uh..thanks...I guess?

How much did it weigh?

still want to see a picture...

Others that wernt there are only posting what they know while NOT seeing a picture and getting further info from TPWD because witnesses until now have given no further information.



No one denied that it might be a spotted bass or look like one or have certain identifiers of a spot.



No one questioned anyones ability to identify a fish either.



I personally think it is great that you all took such good care of the fish to try and keep it alive. You are to be commended for that. Pictures may show that it looks like a spotted bass, but it is also possible that it is a largemouth or not a pure spotted bass. Other post that you started simply searched reliable sources for answers to this. It was relayed that the TPWD biologist is the one that called it a largemouth. Not us.



Okay, and some of have jobs that we are at the computer for certain portions of the day and have the a site that we enjoy reading up in the backround. Unfortunatly we were not blessed with lives as important as yours.


As of now there is still no picture, and still no record, and still no evidence from a reliable source that the record will fall in the near future. Until then we can only go by what we have gathered. I wish the best for Bruce and hope the sample comes back with him holding the new state record. Congrats again on what is no matter what, a good fish.

Lighten up Francis!

It's a shame she died, but it sounds like a good effort was made to revive her. I look forward to some pics so I can judge for myself what she looks like to me. Not that it matters. Just for my own curiosity.

I never did see how much the fish weighed.. anynody know?

6.81 pounds is what I have seen

Talked to Marty Richter last night and in his opinion he is absolutly positive that the fish was a spot. I dont know if there is a more reliable sorce for truthful information, or on large spotted bass in Alanhenry than Marty, so I would be competly surprised if the fish turns out to be a largemouth.

i agree. well said jace.