Lea Anne Powell has won the title of being a women’s world record holder after catching a massive Largemouth Bass at a Texas lake in February.
Powell was fishing on O.H. Ivie Lake when she caught the 12-pounder, For the Win reported Wednesday.
This week, she confirmed officials with the International Game Fish Association said it is a 12-pound line-class world record for the women’s category.
An image posted February 28 shows Powell with a big smile on her face while holding the fish:
Powell said she submitted everything to the association in March and it was made official on June 23.
“I had been driving them insane by calling. I’ve been very anxious you know, I wanted it. Squeaky wheel gets the grease,” she said.
Lea Anne Powell recently submitted this impressive 5.53-kilogram (12-pound, 3-ounce) largemouth bass to potentially set…
Posted by IGFA on Saturday, April 22, 2023
Prior to the catch, the biggest Largemouth Bass she snagged weighed seven pounds, eight ounces, according to KETK:
She reeled in the bass on a 10-pound Seaguar Red Label Line that according to her “actually tests up to 12 pounds.”
Her fishing buddy on the big day was Dalton Smith of Dalton Smith Guide Service, and it was their third day of fishing, Outdoor Life reported Wednesday.
While using a Livescope to help find trophy fish, Powell noticed a giant largemouth near her soft plastic lure and knew something big was about to happen.
“We were both freaking out because it was hooked 45 feet from the boat and 15 feet down on 10-pound line with a spinning rod. Which, if anybody knows fishing at all, that’s a very hectic situation,” she explained.
They battled for 10 minutes before reeling it in and placing it inside a live well. The pair then went to find a certified scale at an RV park. After recording an official weight of 12 pounds and three ounces, they released the fish back into the water.
Smith shared a video of Powell talking about her catch which she called a “big girl. One of them F-1 basses.”
“Welcome to Jurassic Park,” she said the moment she held up the fish:
Other names for Largemouth bass are Black bass, Green trout, Bigmouth Bass, and Lineside Bass, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife, which describes them as the top predators in the aquatic ecosystem.
“Largemouth bass grow 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) during their first year, 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) in two years, 16 inches (40 cm) in three years,” the site read.