Let me preface this story by saying that I almost don't want to tell this story because it is simply so unbelievable. If you don't believe it, I don't blame you because I barely believe it myself!

This winter I was on a pretty good bite at one of the trophy lakes that I fish. I had a trip where I caught 43.8lbs for 5 in about 3 hours all off of one spot. It was dumping rain and miserable and the fish were just pounding the bait. The best two fish were 10.95lbs on a swimbait and 10.20lbs on the Assalt King Kobra jig.

A few days later I hit the spot again and blanked, it was like all the fish had just up and disappeared. Then 9 days after that first trip, I got into them again. I had 39.8lbs for 4 fish that trip and all of the fish bit in a 30 minute flurry. The best two fish were 10.90lbs and 10.30lbs. And the most amazing thing is, the 10.30 was the 10.20 from the trip before and the 10.90 was the 10.95 from the trip before. This time I caught them both on swimbaits.

I am absolutely 100% certain that these were the same bass. They had hook holes in their lips in the same places and their markings matched exactly. Check out these comparison pics and you'll believe it. The second round pics have a blue overtone due to a problem with my camera but I'll point out the similarities and the hookholes so you can see.

Just another phenomenal testament to catch and release. If you let a double digit go, you just might get the thrill of catching it again and trust me it was just as fun the second go round :)

--------------10.20 / 10.30-----------------

first time around
http://calfishing.com/albums/bass/10_2.jpg

the red mark is where the fish was hooked on the jig
http://calfishing.com/albums/coolpix/10_2_caught.jpg

second time around
http://calfishing.com/albums/bass/10_3lbs.jpg

note the hook hole in the lip where the fish had been hooked on the jig the first trip. It looks like it got irritated or infected a little bit although the fish gained .10 of a pound in those 9 days
http://www.calfishing.com/images/daily_reports/2_25_05_rob_10.3_4.jpg

--------------10.95 / 10.90-----------------

first time around (note the blotchy mark to the left of my hand)
http://calfishing.com/albums/bass/10_95.jpg

second time around
http://calfishing.com/albums/bass/10_90lbs.jpg

here is another pic showing the side of the fish on the second trip
http://www.calfishing.com/images/daily_reports/2_25_05_rob_10.95.jpg