Dr. Purdy breaks Lake Graham record with mighty bass

Dr. Aaron Purdy of Olney Hamilton Hospital caught a whopper of a largemouth bass on Jan. 2 that appears to have broken a Graham Lake record that stood for a decade.

Texas Game Warden Josh Espinoza confirmed that Dr. Purdy reeled in a bass that weighed 12.42 pounds on the state Parks & Wildlife-certified scale at United Supermarkets in Graham. Dr. Purdy submitted paperwork to certify that his monster bass is, in fact, the largest of its species to come out of Graham Lake, Mr.Espinoza said. The previous record holder was a 12.34-pound specimen caught by Les Norton on Feb. 2, 2013.

“That’s a pretty big fish,” Mr. Espinoza said. “It’s something to be proud of, especially if you just started fishing.”

Some area anglers were not as enthused about Dr. Purdy’s luck, as he reportedly began sport fishing last year and can be found at the lake only when his spouse allows.

“He’s from Muleshoe, Texas - I don’t think there is a lake within 100 miles,” griped one fisherman who asked not to be identified. “He just bought his boat three or four months ago.” Another sportsman recalled that Dr. Purdy also called in a huge bull elk on his first ever hunt, an accomplishment about which he has not stopped bragging. “How does he get so lucky?” he grumbled. “I know of a few tournaments he has coming up, so all eyes will be on the new record holder.”

“Was this a fluke,” said a third angler. “Or is he Young County’s new semipro outfitter?”) Mr. Espinoza said Dr. Purdy may have to wait a while for bragging rights for his latest feat – it took state biologists 33 days to certify the latest rod-andreel record-holder.