# I lost Walter!



## richg99 (May 12, 2018)

If you saw the movie "On Golden Pond" you will remember that all of the boating/fishing time was spent trying to catch "Walter", the biggest fish in the lake. 

The bass of this story was probably not the biggest fish in the lake, but close. There have been a few 8 and 9 lbrs caught near the spot of my adventure. It is, however, rare to catch or even see such large fish given the structure and lack of fertility of this tiny body of water.

The other day I was working a wind-swept shoreline. Having thrown numerous other lures; spinners and traps to no avail, I tied on a Senko. 

Previously, I hadn't used an O ring, but I had just purchased some a day or two before. The O ring was a bit too large for the worm, and I couldn't find the Weedless Wacky Circle style hooks that I had also bought two days before. I chose to use a lightweight open J hook that I had to modify by cutting off the keeper. 

You can tell that I am more of a crank and wind type of fisherman. Fishing a Senko can be slow and aggravating for a hyper guy like me.

Nonetheless, when I caught a 1 lb bass on my second cast, and then followed with a 2.5 (or so) bass ten casts later, I figured I had the right bait for the conditions.

As the wind whipped my 16 ft tinny around a bend, I let the Senko fly a long way down the bank. It barely hit the water when Walter grabbed it. 

She was the biggest bass that I have ever had on my line. She stuck her massive head and 2/3rds of her body straight up out of the water. Of course, she shook her head and threw the skinny, inadequate hook back at me. She even left the Senko slide up the line a bit, all the while embarrassing me for using a toy hook.

I can't tell any of my fishing buddies here much of the story since we all fish the same lake later in the year in a tournament. They all know the stories of the large bass that have been caught in my spot.

I can only share the occurrence here and hope you all do better when Walter strikes.

regards, Rich


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## Jim (May 14, 2018)

oh man, thats the worst. At least you have an idea where Walter lives. Go back and get him.


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## LDUBS (May 15, 2018)

Um, hate to be one of "those" guys, but I'm pretty sure Walter on Golden Pond was a trout. :LOL2: :LOL2: :LOL2: 

You must have hooked into Dottie's cousin.


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## richg99 (May 15, 2018)

Trout...shmout.. Big fish. Doesn't matter what species. Every lake has one that all of the old fuddy-duddys want to catch. 

This "Walter" is mine (and everyone else that I know who fishes the same lake.)

Might get another chance to chase her this week.


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## LDUBS (May 16, 2018)

Haha, I like it. Keep us posted 

The guy who caught Dottie (25 lbs LMB) released her. I guess she had a spot near her gills so they called her Dottie. F&G folks found her floating dead a couple years later.


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## handyandy (May 22, 2018)

LDUBS said:


> Haha, I like it. Keep us posted
> 
> The guy who caught Dottie (25 lbs LMB) released her. I guess she had a spot near her gills so they called her Dottie. F&G folks found her floating dead a couple years later.



Have to admit I couldn't bring myself to keep such a fish and would have let her go too. 25lb largmouth I can't even imagine it as to me a 5-6lb one is a biggin.


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## LDUBS (May 22, 2018)

I would be thrilled with a 5 lb LMB!

As the story goes, I guess Dottie was caught twice. First time she weighed in at 21 lbs. Second time was 25 lbs. This was on a lake down in Southern Ca. Crazy.


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