Justin Atkins broke the MLF record after reeling in a 10-pound, 8-ounce largemouth bass in Lake Fork, Texas. “I caught it on a really light fishing tackle, and it took me probably two-and-a-half minutes to get the fish in. It seemed like an eternity because I knew how big it was. I knew that it was potentially the biggest fish ever caught in Major League Fishing history. But I just took my time with it and got it in. It was exhilarating.”
His previous personal record was 10 pounds and four ounces. “Ten pounds in largemouth bass, those get hard to come by. . . . I definitely thought it was a 15-pounder jumping, especially with as much money on the line as we had.”
Atkins, 30, battled the fish for roughly three minutes. He stayed patient throughout, ultimately getting the prize.