re: Bass fishing and hooked up to this monster

That's an incredible fish! A few weeks ago, I foul hooked a catfish near its tail with a 5XD crankbait. I was in a kayak using 12 lb test Big Game and a Medium action rod. After about 20 minutes, he came to the surface, saw me, and headed back for the bottom. He was huge but smaller than your giant. After about 15 more minutes, the hooks pulled out and he was gone. Congrats on landing your monster.