A lifetime of trophy bass fishing now numbers 218 double-digit catches for an 80-year-old Texas angler, with a personal-best 14.66-pound largemouth at the top of the list. The total climbed to 218 on September 8 after two more bass over 10 pounds came from West Texas reservoir J.B. Thomas, one of the most consistent trophy lakes in the state.
Where the latest two came from
J.B. Thomas is a 1950s-era reservoir on the Colorado River, southwest of Snyder. Drought shrank the lake for years before a major rise brought it back. Florida-strain largemouth were stocked in 2015 and 2016, and the reservoir has since received hundreds of thousands of Florida bass fingerlings, mostly offspring of ShareLunker Bass. Today, it ranks among the hottest big-bass lakes in Texas.
The outing was run with Slaunched Guide Service, which focuses on trophy hunts for bass over 10 pounds. The service was started by a guide who began fishing J.B. Thomas in May 2023. The name comes from “slaunch,” a term popularized in bass fishing commentary for thick-shouldered, heavyweight bass.
Why the count keeps growing
Trophy bass do not grow in just any water. J.B. Thomas combines Florida-strain genetics with a forage-rich environment, and it has been managed to keep producing giants. A 2015 and 2016 round of stocking, followed by ongoing fingerling plants tied to the ShareLunker program, gave the lake a head start on producing heavy fish. The September 8 trip added two more from that same population, and the guide service keeps running trips that target bedding females on visible nests.
The bass wall at home
Every double-digit catch leaves a record. Mounted trophy largemouth line a wall in the angler’s home, a collection that most fishermen could only imagine. The display is not limited to largemouth. Smallmouth over 7 pounds are also on the wall, including one that weighed 8.53 pounds. The room tells the same story the number on the count does: decades of work, hundreds of trips, and a focus that never drifted to smaller waters.
The fish that broke a 48-year-old record
The angler’s biggest bass came in spring 2025, at age 79. He was sight-fishing for spawning bass from a four-foot platform on an unnamed West Texas lake. The day before the trip, he had already caught an 11.22-pounder, so confidence was high. Then he and his guide spotted a large bass sitting in the middle of a submerged mesquite tree. On the second cast, he was hooked up.
That fish weighed 13.22 pounds. He figured the day was over. His guide had other plans. About 30 to 40 minutes later, they found another giant bedding in roughly four feet of water. He was rigged with 80-pound braided line, a six-inch bait, and a fresh 8/0 hook.
The platform gave him a clear view of every move the bass made. On the first cast, the fish moved away, then circled back. On the next cast, she shifted slightly before settling back on the nest. Then she nosed down on the bait, tail waving straight up in the water. He knew she was going to bite.
The bass took the bait. He reeled down and set the hook hard. With 80-pound braid, there was little stretch or forgiveness, but the hook held. The big female launched into three jumps before the guide slid the net under her.
The bass that marked his new personal best measured 28.5 inches long with a 23-inch girth and weighed 14.66 pounds. It took 48 years to top a 14.25-pounder caught in Honduras in 1977.
What the run looks like now
The angler’s latest outing at J.B. Thomas shows the pattern is still adding up. Two more double-digits added to the lifetime count, and the count just keeps climbing. At an age when many anglers have stepped away from the water, he is still studying fish, still learning, and still getting the reaction when a giant one strikes.
FAQ
How many bass over 10 pounds has the 80-year-old angler caught?
He has caught 218 bass over 10 pounds, with the total reaching that number after two more double-digit bass were added on September 8 at J.B. Thomas reservoir in West Texas.
What is his personal best largemouth?
His personal best is a 14.66-pound largemouth caught in spring 2025 while sight-fishing from a four-foot platform on an unnamed West Texas lake. It replaced a 14.25-pounder caught in Honduras in 1977.
Why is J.B. Thomas producing so many trophy bass?
The reservoir received Florida-strain largemouth stockings in 2015 and 2016 and has since been planted with hundreds of thousands of Florida bass fingerlings, many of them offspring of ShareLunker Bass. Florida-strain genetics combined with the lake’s forage base have made it a consistent trophy producer.
This article summarizes reporting from wired2fish.com.