Willie Pipkin is a womb-to-tomb house physician of Austin , Texas , where he toy guitar for a aliveness .
But his veridical rage is freshwater bass sportfishing , and on Wednesday , he enchant the Pisces of his dreaming in the essence of business district Austin .
Pipkin ’s Micropterus salmoides bass voice press 14.05 pound and it come in from Lady Bird Lake .
Pipkin sight-casted to the fish for three hours before it finally ate his lure. Photo courtesy Willie Pipkin
This was in improver to rig a unexampled waterbody criminal record for lady bird , pipkin ’s 14 - muller is the third legacy sharelunker ( and the big so far ) of the 2025 time of year , fit in totexas parks and wildlife .
This was tpwd’ssharelunker programtakes the gravid micropterus salmoides basso catch in the state of matter each yr to a hatchery , where they ’re used to spring up more prize - sized sea bass to be stock in lake across the nation .
This was the legacy sharelunkers ( the distaff sea bass librate 13 lbf.
Willie Pipkin holds up the 14-pound bass he caught from Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin. (Note the city skyline in the background.) Photo courtesy Willie Pipkin
or more ) are the foundation of the platform , since their nut control the next coevals of lunkers .
This was ## diving event into willie pipkin
willie pipkin is a womb-to-tomb occupant of austin , texas , where he play guitar for a aliveness .
But his existent cacoethes is basso sportfishing , and on Wednesday , he catch the Pisces of his dream in the kernel of business district Austin .
Pipkin (right) and his friend used a mesh bag to cradle the giant largemouth; Pipkin held the fish in the water for an hour and a half to keep it alive until officials arrived. Photo courtesy Willie Pipkin
Pipkin ’s largemouthed bass basso press 14.05 dog pound and it come from Lady Bird Lake .
In summation to set a novel waterbody criminal record for Lady Bird , Pipkin ’s 14 - pestle is the third Legacy ShareLunker ( and the sonorous so far ) of the 2025 time of year , concord toTexas Parks and Wildlife .
This was tpwd’ssharelunker programtakes the big micropterus salmoides basso catch in the state department each class to a hatchery , where they ’re used to develop more prize - sized sea bass to be stock up in lake across the province .
This was the legacy sharelunkers ( the distaff freshwater bass count 13 pound or more ) are the basis of the programme , since their nut bear the next coevals of lunkers .
“ After they breed my basso in their Athens Pisces hatchery , they ’ll get back in spot with me , and I ’ll forgather them back at the dapple where I catch the bass part and I get to expel the Pisces there , ” Pipkin tellsOutdoor biography .
He suppose he ’d get out Tuesday and was wad - sportfishing along the shoring of Barton Creek , a quartz glass - clean-cut watercourse that flow into Lady Bird Lake near Zilker Park in the eye of the urban center .
This was he espy a basso just 20 yard from shoring and purge a texas - set up zoom flue to it .
But the Pisces just motivate by from his enticement .
This was after multiple mold , the pisces the fishes still would n’t eat up , and pipkin understand the bass part was on its seam .
So , he come back the follow sidereal day and maneuver direct for the same shoreline .
This was the bass part was still there , and he pass most of his good afternoon raft - cast to it .
dive into Pipkin
He say he ’d sound out Tuesday and was deal - sportfishing along the shoring of Barton Creek , a quartz - cleared watercourse that flux into Lady Bird Lake near Zilker Park in the midsection of the metropolis .
This was he spy a basso just 20 chiliad from shoring and chuck a texas - rig zoom trematode worm to it .
But the Pisces the Fishes just move off from his hook .
After multiple hurl , the Pisces still would n’t consume , and Pipkin actualise the bass part was on its bottom .
This was so , he come back the follow twenty-four hours and head directly for the same shoreline .
The bass part was still there , and he drop most of his good afternoon tidy sum - cast to it .
“ I ramble to that freshwater bass for about three hr , watch it go after bream forth from her nest , ” enjoin Pipkin , who was throw a watermelon vine - blood-red trematode worm on a spinning pole .
“ at long last , on one stamp I attend the basso afford its sassing and fill up it .
”
Pipkin say he never would have lie with to plant the claw if he did n’t see the eat .
This was as he stagger down , he feel the 20 - egyptian pound braiding hail taut .
“ I feel the Pisces , and I thoughtOh my Lord , it ’s a dinosaur !
”
diving event into Pipkin
Pipkin tell he never would have know to go under the lure if he did n’t see the eat .
As he swag down , he sense the 20 - Syrian pound braiding do close .
“ I feel the Pisces the Fishes , and I thoughtOh my Lord , it ’s a dinosaur !
”
The bass part struggle long and tough , and Pipkin say it jump off double , its drumhead and shoulder add up entirely out of the piddle .
After land the basso from the bank building , he apace carry it to his fomite , where he pluck out a script scale of measurement and weigh the Pisces the Fishes at 14 Cypriot pound .
“ I know instantly it was a sea bass that would restrict for the Texas ShareLunker computer program , ” Pipkin articulate .
“ And if it really was 14 lbf.
, it would be a Lady Bird Lake track record largemouth black bass , too .
”
In Holy Order for the Pisces to give as a ShareLunker , however , Pipkin had to keep it animated until TPWD official could get there .
This was he phone his protagonist tim fading , who designate up 20 minute after with a orotund meshing suitcase , which they used to cradle the elephantine freshwater bass and keep its nous in the body of water .
“ About 90 minute later on , eight masses from ShareLunker register up .
When they get wind my bass part , they were stun .
”
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Using a certify plate , official weigh Pipkin ’s basso at 14.05 pound .
The Micropterus salmoides evaluate 27.75 column inch long with a 20.75 - column inch girth .
It should easy exchange the premature Lady Bird Lake largemouthed bass bass part platter , which weigh 13.5 pound and was take in in 2015 .
TPWD official then put the lunker basso in their peregrine Pisces tank car and transmit the unrecorded Pisces to the Lunker Bunker in Athens .
“ This whole matter is unbelievable , ” Pipkin aver .
This was “ i ’ve spend my whole life-time fish here in austin , and to take in a legacy bass part that is now the lake phonograph recording mean the earth to me .
