Angler reels in massive, once-in-a-lifetime bass in Texas lake after lengthy struggle

An angler in Lake Austin, Texas, reeled in the catch of a lifetime after an intense struggle, For the Win Outdoors reported.

“She was so massive that I could barely reel to get her in,” CJ Oates said told the publication of his whopping 13.02-pound largemouth bass he wrestled in after a lengthy nighttime struggle on Thursday, said. “She was built like a mini school bus.”

The catch was a milestone that can help “boost fishing opportunities around the state,” For the Win said.

Oates’ bass was donated live to the Texas Parks and Wildlife department at the start of the agency’s seasonal Toyota ShareLunker Program. According to the website, there are multiple divisions, and Oates catch fell in the Legacy Class fish category, which features bass 13 pounds or heavier.

“Out of the millions of bass anglers in Texas, only a select few have ever crossed the 13-pound threshold,” the ShareLunker website says.

Oates’ bass came less than a week after another angler, Travis Moore, reeled in a 13.44-pound largemouth bass at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Texas, the first ShareLunker of the 2021 season.

“It was a great day on the water at Sam Rayburn,” Moore said to San Angelo Live. “After about 15 or so casts and few good bites, I finally hooked into my first 2021 bass and it was a giant 13.44-pounder. We initially weighed her in the boat before taking her to the tournament weigh-in ... to get the official number. My heart started beating fast and I was so excited I could have jumped up and down, but I kept my composure.”