July 31, 1960

In the summer of 1960, (sixteen years old) I bought a 5 1/2 ft 3 1/4 ounce spinning rod with Garcia Mitchell 300 reel. My neighbor Gene Landurand told me I made a mistake. You should have gotten a plug casting rod with 17 pound test line - how are you going to land a big bass with that light rod. He was going on and on about my outfit. I told him if I hung on to a big bass I would worry about it, then.

I told him if he knew of a place where a big bass would stay. He told me of a spot in Big Bear Hole (East Taunton, now Massasoit State Park). Look for the tree stump about fifteen feet from shore.

On July 31, 1960, after fishing all day my dad and I had caught two two pound bass for the day. The sun had set, mosquitos were tough. I asked my father if we could try the stump area. About sixty feet from the stump I made a cast with my frog color Arbogast Jitterbug (5/8 oz size). The lure landed behind the stump, I let it rest then retrieved two feet at a time then rest, flipped over the stump brought it in. Next cast to the left of the stump. Next cast to the right - nothing.

I was thinking Mr. Landurand would not lie if he said there was a bass there. He had to be there. By the way Gene had the fish on several time but he managed to get away. My next cast landed in front of the stump. I let the ripples die down, then started retrieving when the fish hit.

After twenty minutes (fish never jumped) of a dog fight. I landed the fish. Very nice Largemouth bass. I was going to release the fish but dad said we were going to eat it. We got home 11:30 pm. Next morning my neighbor son said you got home late what did you get. I showed the fish. We went to Letender Market and had the fish weighed 9nine pounds, seven ounces.

Fast forward, 2011 some fifty one years since that date. I try to be on the pond fishing. This year I have to wait a day or two. I have been trying all my life to get a ten pound bass. I keep trying.