Took my family, nieces, etc to Melody Acres.  Patty & Isauro are very nice and the kids loved the animals.  Kids & brother-in-law Doug caught countless panfish at the dock and brush piles.

Now to the real report:  My 11 yr old son & I were the only ones consistently bass fishing; Doug is new to it & was with us for some of the action.  Bite was very slow Sat am, only 1 fish in the boat.  Good news is it was the bass of a lifetime…10.2lb monster!!!  Water was glass-smooth, fishing a red shad brush hog on brush pile.  I saw a slight vibration (not surface action) at a tree top/stump about 30 yards to my right, guessing about 8ft depth.  Dropped the hog on it, and BAM, hit like a locomotive.  For a moment I thought I was wrapped, but was able to steer him to open water (maybe the bass had more say in that decision than me).  I was alone in the buster boat, and he actually towed me for a bit.  It was an amazing fight, but I really take pride in that it wasn’t just a ‘lucky cast’.

Numbers picked up the rest of the weekend, we ended up with 30 bass, 17 above the slot limit (many 2 to 3.5lbs).  My boy did great, number-wise he outfished me.