10 ½ pounds

[WB Staff]

BIG BASS ALERT!
Lake Hamilton has a reputation with Arkansas black bass anglers as being a destination for catching limits of small bass. However, on occasion it will turn out a “hawg” Largemouth Bass. During a recent Arkansas Bass Team Trail tournament, Curtis Priest made a trophy catch. The big bass was about 10 ½ pounds. A fin clip was collected by tournament organizers for subsequent genetic evaluation.
Lake Hamilton has received stockings of Florida Largemouth Bass for many years. Laboratory analysis of the fin clip will help us determine if this particular bass had some Florida genes in its family tree. Keep in mind, you cannot visually tell if a Largemouth Bass is a Florida Largemouth Bass.
In March 2010, an angler landed a 14 pound 12 ounce Largemouth Bass on Lake Hamilton. While Arkansas Game and Fish Commission does not keep individual lake records, this catch was most noteworthy and especially the manner in which it was caught. The giant bass was hooked and landed from a boat dock on a Shakespeare spin cast combo with 10-lb test line. The bait was a live night crawler on a trotline hook.