BY MIKE STEVENS
LAKE HAVASU CITY – A new lake-record largemouth bass was caught in Lake Havasu on January 16 putting an end to the 17-year-run previous-record bucketmouth that held the top spot since 2008. The fish that moved into the top spot tipped the certified scale at Bass Tackle Master in Lake Havasu City at 11.34 pounds beating old record of 10.52 pounds.
Angler Brad Miller is a 72-year-old retiree who splits time between Lake Havasu City and Florence, Oregon, and he told Western Outdoor News he fishes above four days a week in either location. He caught the record-breaking fish on a white swimjig in the river area to the north where the lake starts.
“I was fishing up the river toward Blankenship Bend in the Colorado River current,” said Miller. “It was a windy day, and I caught the fish on 30-pound line, so I was not afraid of it breaking off, but it kept trying to get into the tules. I had no net, so I lipped it. It weighed 11.35 on my scale, so it was only .01 off of John’s scale, but I knew it was over 11 and was pretty sure it was the lake record.”
He was referring to John Galbraith of Bass Tackle Master who has a certified scale that has seen numerous record fish including a string of record redear sunfish. Miller called Galbraith (who was at home) from his boat, and Galbraith met him at the dock. The fish was weighed, measured, photographed, and it was not only released but Miller ran the fish back up to where it was caught and released it there.
“I let her go back into the same tules, and she swam right in and never showed any stress,” said Miller, who caught three bass that morning before connecting to the biggie.
Miller’s fish had a length of 25 inches, a girth of 19.5 inches, and it was caught in water he estimates at about 7 feet deep near the tules.
The previous lake-record largemouth was caught by Stan Culling near London Bridge.
