On May 5, around 4:30 PM, Mike Storie of Pittsfield was enjoying the nice weather fishing with his brother-in-law Kevin Janis in Laurel Lake.  When he reeled his spinner-bait to about 3 – 4 feet from their boat, a large fish grabbed it and swam under the boat.  After a good battle, Kevin netted it.    It turned out to be a bass that weighed in at an even 10 lbs at the Onota Boat Livery in Pittsfield.  It was 25 ½ inches long with a girth of 18 ½ inches.  The folks from the Livery, said that it was the largest bass they can ever remember weighing in. 

For a while it was in the lead for the 2012 state gold pin (largest species taken for the year), but a 10 lb 5 oz bass was taken out of Mary’s Pond in Rochester, MA a few days later.  Even so, Mike’s fish, which he will have mounted, will qualify him for a bronze pin and provide him with years of fond memories. *****