Those Pet Fish We’ve Caught Multiple Times

The monster bass in this photo was recently caught by Sean Swank in Texas’ Caddo Lake. The fish weighed in at 16.07-pounds. But it wasn’t the size that led to this story on Petethomasoutdoors.com. Texas Parks & Wildlife had implanted this fish with a microchip and learned that it was the same largemouth landed by angler Keith Burns around the same time last year.

A microchip is a good way to figure out if a fish has been caught multiple times, but there are lots of big fish out there with unique characteristics fishermen note, allowing them to track how many times they’ve landed “Bertha” or “Lieutenant Shiny Sides” or whatever name these local denizens earn.

Years ago I frequented a little irrigation pond for pickerel in the spring, and every April like clockwork, I’d hook the same massive, egg-laden fish in one of three spots. I knew it was the same fish because she had a wicked scar behind her left gill plate. Four years straight I hooked “Big Betty,” then suddenly she disappeared. Either she got too smart or someone else caught and pickled her. Any of you have a similar fish that’s found your hook more than once?