Hardcore Bassing: 13-year-old Vestavia Hills youngster lands The Big One

HENRY COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - The City of Eufaula calls itself The Big Bass Capital of The World. Just south of that Barbour County fishing mecca, there’s a small pond in Henry county where 13-year-old Emory Carver landed The Big One last Friday, a Monster Large Mouth Bass to rival anything being reeled in from Lake Eufaula, or anywhere else.

Emory's day went like this. His grandmother who lives in Dothan dropped him off at a family friend's pond where he immediately started doing what he's been doing "practically my whole life."

Around 7 a.m., Emory felt what he described as “a huge bump.” Knowing he had a big fish on the line, he started reeling and, thinking he had at least a 10-pounder, started “freaking out.” He was wrong. What Emory had hooked was a 15-pound-4-ounce Large Mouth Bass. He said it took him “about a minute” to bring the fish to the bank, but then came a near disaster.

“He flipped out of my hand and back toward the water. Fortunately the hook was still in his mouth so I was able to pick him back up,” Emory said.

Still not quite realizing what he had, Emory weighed the fish on his portable scale and when he saw the weight, "I was in shock!"

Emory then said, “I sat down thinking for about 10 minutes then started texting everyone.”

It sounded like a Fish Story, but Emory had documented the whole thing with the Go-Pro Camera strapped to his chest. Then, he set up his tripod, mounted his cell phone, turned on the timer and started taking pictures.

So what next?

"I turned him loose. Catch and release 'cause I want somebody else to catch him."

Since his grandmother wasn’t due back for awhile, Emory did what fishermen do. He got back to fishing. Caught two more bass before his ride came, but said they were smaller.

Emory isn’t really so surprised he landed The Big Bass except, he said, “I was fishing with the wrong rig.” He normally uses a left-handed reel, but this was a right-hand crank.

Finally, the inevitable question from fishermen everywhere, "What did you catch him on?"

“Yamamoto Six-Inch Senko,” Emory answered.

The state record for Large Mouth Bass is 16-pounds-8-ounces, but Emory says, “That doesn’t bother me.” He adds, “You know, that’s probably the biggest fish I’ll ever catch in my life.”

But it probably won't stop him from trying since he and his dad spend a lot of time fishing on Lake Eufaula.

“Most of the time we’re catching catfish,” Emory continued.

That might change.

For a look at The Young Man and The Big Fish, go to Emory’s YouTube Channel.

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