Grandson's Huge Largemouth

[mike234]

5 y/o grandson and I fishing this afternoon when he hooked a large fish. Fought fish to boat and she came up and looked out of corner of my eye while getting the net and I thought he has hooked a rock fish(striper). She went back down and when she came up again I realized it was a LM not a striper.
Netted the fish for him, put in livewell and took off for dock. Got her to scales and she weighed over 8 lbs. Took a bunch of photos, returned fish to livewell and loaded boat and took off for certifed scales.
Fish weighed 8 lbs 5 oz on certified scales. We returned to dock, took more photos and released the fish unharmed as she was full of roe and looked ready to go on nest. Have plenty of photos when get camera chip download.
So proud of him. He had a Cumara 6'8" MH rod with Symetre Reel. Reel was spooled with 8# P-Line CXX Xtra strength and was using Rapala DT-10 crankbait. He played fish perfect and thank God P-Line held. Picture will be in Tn Sportsman Mag next month. Will probably get 20 copies of it.