Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

Jiggin!! I saw where an absolute toad of a bass was recently caught at Hensley Lake! 17lber!! I think it was caught off the bank, too? Was thinking of you when I read about it! Hope all is well!

If true that would be the biggest LMB caught this year!
Tom

WRB wrote: ↑Sun Mar 16, 2025 4:42 pm If true that would be the biggest LMB caught this year!
Tom

Tom,

I am pretty sure it's legit! I can't find it right now, but it was a nice fish!

Nothing is confirmed yet but here are two pictures. The background area does look like a steep drop off that is at Hensley lake. I'm saying 27 1/2" to 28' bass with at least 24' girth. He said it was released

Those are the 2 pics I saw the other day! Jiggin! Did you find out what he caught it on? I also believe he released it too!

Hard to value date the length and no girth from the photo laying on the ground. Length is measured mouth closed. The numbers=15.1 lbs. and the bass looks like it.
Nice bass regardless
Tom

If I would guess he a swimbait guy By the background that area as a steep drop off straight off in front the bank
With one of the points it has some nice rock on it and the other point is long and drop off on lake side with 100 yard stretch between both points. The has like a horseshoe effect.

WRB how are you doing
Well without being confirmed yet it hard to tell I have some legit people on it. But there no more info as yet.

Get well soon jiggin! I’m going to yell at you on the water soon

Ya there going to be 40 boat on that spot saturday. And it's going to be my fault I posted the pictures

Wow, is it just me or does that fish's eyes and body style suggest that there is still more to grow? I am going to guess it has found a trout / Kok buffett all day line. Very cool catch

Hensley lake is a large mouth bass only lake with bluegill perch crappie catfish and seasonal trout plants from Nov through end of April.
Eastman lake which is north east 12 miles from Hensley lake. Eastman lake both have largemouth and Florida strain bass in the lake along with bluegill perch crappie and catfish and seasonal trout plants from Nov through end of april. Florida strain bass were introduced in 1980 by DFG and Madera bass club with the club working with army corp and doing habit work.
Currently Hensley lake at 37% and coming up
Currently Eastman lake at 58% and coming up
Ranger station info for both lakes
Hensley 559 673-5151
Eastman 559 689-3255

The bass was confirmed 17.1 lbs it was caught at Hensley lake. Now it is most certainly a new lake record.

jiggin4bass wrote: ↑Thu Mar 20, 2025 2:03 pm The bass was confirmed 17.1 lbs it was caught at Hensley lake. Now it is most certainly a new lake record.

Wowser! Jiggin! We need to to put that record on your bucket list to BREAK!! Did you find out what it was caught on??

Knowing the fisherman somewhat a good guess would have been a swim bait. Alot of good bank fisherman throw swim baits spinner baits and chatter baits this time of year. Some of those guys are skill anglers.

Over at Eastman the traffic is going to get heavy because of the bigger bass starting to show up it fairly common for 5 fish limit to go between 25 and 30 pounds and with FFS it make it much easier to do. I fish from 5 to 50 feet of water it make no difference for me. The areas i fish are always holding good bass. For Hensley just go 8 to 40 feet same vertical jigging pick your structure the bass will be there. Alot of finesse jigging 1/8 oz 3/16 oz 1/4 oz jigs on 6 or 8 lb mono.

The Hensley 17.1 pounder was caught and released by Mike Vang. Haven't seen a pic yet.

Wasn't hard to fined you just have to look and yes he's a very good angler. I don't post there names out of respect for them.

Don’t recall a 17+ lb LMB caught in the past years!
Congratulations!
Tom

Hensley lake record was 15.9 now it's 17.1 lbs LMB
Eastman lake record is 16.9 it the current lake record. It also was a Florida strain largemouth

The angler's name is public. He's named many places, fishing reports, digital newspapers, lake info etc.

Again I know of him I've seen what he can do and what he done but I still don't mention names. Catching big fish or mention lakes is fine but I just don't put there names in public eye.
You know I did the Fresno bee fishing reports when Bruce Farris was reporting then Roger George took over now Dave Hurley reports now and Roger still write a column i did alot of reporting on both Hensley and Eastman and on here in the report section. Now it's a new era the Fresno bee still as good info but videos have taken over in place of word of mouth reports.
I still catch a lot of fish at both Eastman and hensley lakes year around like I said there my home lakes.