When I was young I used to stay the summer at my grandparents house, and fish with my papaw in my uncle's pond in the pasture behind the house. When I was five I caught a decent bass for a five year old (under 3 lbs). My papaw wanted to mount it for me, but I said, "No," because he helped me catch it.

About a week later we were fishing the same pond and I caught another bass about the same size. He didn't help, and that fish is still on the wall 30 years later.

Fast forward to when I was 9, papaw and I were going to go fishing in the same pond, but he didn't feel good. So, he just sat out in a lawn chair on the corner of the pasture the whole day.

He died the next day.

I can look at that fish, and I still remember where he was when I caught it, and remember how fast he got around that pond. I remember the Zebco and the texas rigged tequila sunrise worm. I remember looking down at the fish as I drug it up on the grass, and him walking up and standing over my shoulder. I remember how happy I was. And I remember how happy he was.

I also remember standing over his shoulder, looking out over the pasture at that same pond where we were supposed to go fishing--on his last day.

There's a lot of criteria that determines a trophy. Weight is just one.

My nostalgia notwithstanding, prob about 10 lb with no other factors (like above).

This post was edited on 6/2/15 at 4:07 pm

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Posted by bluemoons

the marsh

Member since Oct 2012

5583 posts

Posted on 6/2/15 at 4:56 pm to bendellee

quote:
When I was young I used to stay the summer at my grandparents house, and fish with my papaw in my uncle's pond in the pasture behind the house. When I was five I caught a decent bass for a five year old (under 3 lbs). My papaw wanted to mount it for me, but I said, "No," because he helped me catch it.

About a week later we were fishing the same pond and I caught another bass about the same size. He didn't help, and that fish is still on the wall 30 years later.

Fast forward to when I was 9, papaw and I were going to go fishing in the same pond, but he didn't feel good. So, he just sat out in a lawn chair on the corner of the pasture the whole day.

He died the next day.

I can look at that fish, and I still remember where he was when I caught it, and remember how fast he got around that pond. I remember the Zebco and the texas rigged tequila sunrise worm. I remember looking down at the fish as I drug it up on the grass, and him walking up and standing over my shoulder. I remember how happy I was. And I remember how happy he was.

I also remember standing over his shoulder, looking out over the pasture at that same pond where we were supposed to go fishing--on his last day.

There's a lot of criteria that determines a trophy. Weight is just one.

My nostalgia notwithstanding, prob about 10 lb with no other factors (like above).

Great post man, and I agree 100%. Mount what you're proud of and what's special to you. Who cares if someone else doesn't like it. Don't let their negativity ruin something special to you. The only bass I've ever mounted in my life was a 6.5lb pond bass, and the only reason I mounted it was because it was the biggest bass I'd caught in my life (at the time), my pops was with me when I caught it, and he caught a 10.5lb fish right before in the same spot. We got them mounted together on the same piece of wood.

I'll keep that mount until I die, and I've never caught another bass that meant enough to me to mount...even though I've caught bigger since.

This post was edited on 6/2/15 at 4:56 pm

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Posted by 007mag

Death Valley, Sec. 408

Member since Dec 2011

3877 posts

Posted on 6/2/15 at 5:06 pm to bendellee