He Thought It Was a Log: The Story Behind a SE Minnesota Teen’s Near-Record Bass Caught in Rochester
Rochester, MN (Rochester Now) -- Sometimes you go fishing hoping to catch a few fish. And sometimes you end up with a fish that you're going to be talking about for a very, very long time.
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That's what happened to 14-year-old Luke Mulholland of Zumbrota on the morning of October 3.
A Nearly Record-Breaking Catch
Luke was fishing from the bank of a public pond in Rochester around 10:30 a.m. when he hooked a largemouth bass that weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces.
For some perspective, the Minnesota state record (certified weight) largemouth bass weighs 8 pounds, 15 ounces. So Luke came within FIVE OUNCES of the state record.
And there's an even crazier part to the story.
The Timing Couldn't Have Been Better
The current Minnesota state record largemouth bass was caught at Auburn Lake on October 3, 2005.
Luke caught his bass on October 3, 2026, exactly 21 years to the day later.
Luke's fish measured 23.5 inches long, exactly the same length as the state-record fish. His bass actually had a larger girth, measuring 18.5 inches, which is a full inch thicker around than the record fish.
But Luke didn't know any of that when he was standing on the bank fighting the fish.
When the bass first hit, Luke says he thought he'd snagged a log or maybe even a snapping turtle, but it didn't take long for him to realize he'd hooked something much more interesting.
Once he got a look at the fish, Luke knew it was a big one and that it might be close to the state record.
Luke's mom, Alicia Smith, told KROC News he has been fishing since he was 3 years old, so catching big fish isn't exactly a new hobby for him.
He's had a pretty impressive year, too.
This summer, Luke set personal bests for rock bass, bluegill, brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, bigmouth buffalo, northern pike and smallmouth bass.
Then came this largemouth.
He caught the fish on a 6-inch Bucca Baits Trick Shad, and after realizing just how big it was, Luke had it weighed on a certified scale.
While it may be just shy of a state record, that's still one heck of a way to cap off a summer of fishing.
Alicia says Luke is having the bass mounted, so he'll have a pretty impressive reminder of the catch hanging on the wall.
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Gallery Credit: Samm Adams
