It was a gorgeous day out in the boat. The sun was shining, it wasn't too cold or too hot, the breeze was perfect and it was adding a nice chop to the water. It had been my first year chasing muskies, and little did I know that it would be my best day yet as far as my own personal records went.

My better half, who goes by the name of Adam, and I were making the usual runs and decided to head a little off of our usual beaten path. The day had been quite productive for us already, but it was my turn at the rods when one went off. You know that sweet screech, the one that's like music to your ears. ZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!! Adam threw the boat into neutral while I ran to the rod. I grabbed it out of the holder and started to fight the fish. I could feel the strength coming from the other end of my line, and I knew I'd hooked into a big one. "Does it feel like a good one?" asked Adam. "Oh yeah!" was my excited response. Being the great partner that he is, he was patiently waiting by my side with the net and release tools ready. When I finally got the great beast to the side of the boat, we looked at each other and knew that we had just gotten our biggest fish from this particular body of water. What a rush!

We worked away at unhooking her in the net in the water at the side of the boat and getting the camera ready, totally oblivious to what was going on around us. I got the beauty held up for a few snapshots, and then she went back into the crisp blue water as I held her tail while she rejuvenated. We then realized that there are a few boats right in around the area we were fishing. Upon looking around we are able to determine that they were fishing for bass. "Was it a big one?" yelled one of the fellows from one of the little tinny boats. "Sure was!" yelled Adam. "How big?" he hollered next. "Forty-nine inches, she's a beaut!" says Adam. Now what I am about to tell you next might be quite possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard escape a fisherman's lips, and believe me, I've heard some really dumb things! Are you ready for this? In response to Adam's 49-incher comment… you might want to sit down for this… comes, "Bass?"

Yes you damn dolt, it's a 49-inch bass! We have just caught the biggest bass ever in the history of fishing, a complete freak of nature fish from this tiny little lake and we're putting it back into the water without showing any of the people directly within our speaking distance, without throwing it in the livewell to at least to go prove it to someone, without screaming and carrying on. I mean, COME ON!

To this very day I wonder if that guy ever acknowledged the stupidity of his question, or whether he didn't even think twice about it. Perhaps it was a totally logical question, and Adam and I were totally unaware that 49-inch bass run rampant in our little gem of a lake. Not knowing the answer to that question, perhaps I should pack my bassin' gear for our next visit there!