Rare Finds

Ray Raines with his prize 12 lb. bass he caught in Lake Wimico.

Ask just about any guide around here that you want to hire them so you can catch a bass over 10 pounds and a snook, and you’ll probably get a funny look and a chuckle from them. Bass over 10 pounds are hard to come by, and as a rule, snook just don’t come this far north. Well, it would appear that some snook ignore the rules and some anglers are just persistent and talented enough to break that double-digit bass mark.

Ray Raines with the snook he also caught in Lake Wimico.

Ray Raines of Panama City is that angler. He recently caught and released this snook while competing in a bass tournament on Lake Wimico. The snook hit a jerk bait fished around the eel grass and according to Ray, put up an epic battle. He and his partner Allen Courtney were amazed, to say the least, when they realized what type of fish was tugging Ray’s line.

Ray has been fishing and competing in tournaments for many years now and his goal of catching a bass over 10 pounds has eluded him just as it has for so many. A dedicated sportsman, he has been determined to catch his prize fish using an artificial lure and not live bait. Recently, Ray caught this 12 pounder on a swimjig and far exceeded his goal. This giant came out of a private lake and while Ray would have preferred it come from public waters like Lakes Seminole or Talquin, he’s still very pleased to have caught and released her unharmed.

Both of these catches are rare for anyone fishing in this area, but somehow Ray managed two rare finds this year. He must be livin right!

~ Capt. Randy Cnota