5lb largemouth

Went fishing with Tater on what he calls "the clear pond". I was catching a lot of small bass on a green pumkin tiny paca craw. Tater started catching some larger bass on a baby brush hog, so I changed over as well. He backed me into the corner of the pond at the end of the dam in his 16' jon (he could have easily fished this spot but he gave it to me). I threw out the green pumpkin baby brush hog on my new 7 coil Emmrod, twitched it a couple times and got a tap-tap. I set the hook, it was in some lily pads, so I thought I had a small fish that was just wrapped in the pads. Got her out of there and she ran along the front edge of the pads and that is when I saw what was really on the other end. I get some ribbing from Tater on this rod, so when I initially hooked up, I threw the rod back side to side a few times like I had a lunker and was fighting hard. We laughed and that is when I saw the fish. I see the rod bend like never before and I'm saying, "Tater, get the net, this IS a big one! Tater landed it in the net and we laughed so hard at how this played out; me joking at first, then the rod bending, and me yelling, "get the net"! And to think me goofing off could have lost this fish! After taking a couple of pictures, I took the hook out. Lo and behold, the hook was barely in; one good head shake and this fish would have thrown the hook! The good Lord was on my side!