Ramie’s Florida Freak

11-pound bass ties for third heaviest in Walmart FLW Tour history

If you want to catch a double-digit bass, Florida is probably the best state to do it east of California. The Sunshine State churns out some of the biggest bass, on the most consistent basis, of any state in the nation. Heck, its namesake strain of fish is, literally, genetically programed to grow to massive proportions.

That’s part of the reason why pros like Ramie Colson Jr. have been coming back here for so many years to compete. Many of them have cracked the 10-pound mark, but few have done it during actual competition hours. Colson had never done it until yesterday, the second day of competition at the Walmart FLW Tour event on Lake Toho presented by Mercury.

Shortly after noon, Colson set the hook into what he thought was an alligator. The beast immediately swam out toward the open lake and towed Colson’s bass boat with it. When Colson finally managed to turn it, the fish rolled up on the surface and revealed that it was, in fact, a bass.

At weigh-in, anglers, staff and media buzzed about Colson’s catch. Some thought it would be the biggest fish ever caught in Tour competition – 13 or 14 pounds, they said. Photographers elbowed for position near the weigh-in stage for the best angle at the fish.

With hands quivering, an obviously shaken Colson climbed the weigh-in stage steps and unveiled the big girl to the crowd.

When the hawg settled in the weigh-in tub, the scale read 11 pounds even.

Officially, Colson’s fish is tied as the third heaviest of all time in Walmart FLW Tour competition. It’s his personal best bass and his first ever to crack the 10-pound mark.

Check out more photos of Ramie Colson's giant bass.