Valdosta woman sets record for Tired Creek Lake largemouth bass
Amanda Parker and her husband Clay and their 6-year-old daughter Ella Kate. Amanda Parker Photo
Cliff Mundinger outdoors editor
What was first thought as a snag, turned into a memory that will last forever.
Lady angler Amanda Parker not only set the new lake record on Tired Creek Lake in Cairo, Georgia last Saturday, but she caught the largest bass by a Georgia female in the last 50 years.
The monster female largemouth bass weighed 14.60 pounds, was 28 inches long and had an enormous girth of 25 inches. The previous record was set nearly two months ago by Timmy Manac when he caught a 13-lb., 10.56-oz. fish, according to Georgia Outdoor News.
Amanda, her husband Clay and their 6-year-old daughter Ella Kate live in Valdosta, Georgia. They headed out early Saturday morning, stopping for breakfast along the way. At the end of the blessing, Amanda said, “I humbly asked God to let me catch a big fish.”
They noticed a full parking lot and a local fishing tournament had most of the good spots taken when they were finally on the water at 8:30 a.m. Both Clay and Amanda have been fishing together for years and did the right thing. They left the tournament anglers alone.
Tired Creek Lake, located in Grady County, is a favorite of many South Georgia, North Florida anglers.
In 2010, Grady County secured a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct a 960 acre recreational fishing lake at the confluence of three creeks, which combine to form Tired Creek Lake.
The Lake opened Memorial Day weekend 2018 and had an estimated over 400 fishermen (and women) attending with over 230 of those being non-residents.
While navigating new water Saturday, Ella Kate found an old bobber and gave it to her mommy saying, “I heard that these will give you good luck”. Catching several bass in the 4-pound to the 6-ound class, it was already a great day for the family.
But no one could have predicted what was next.
Amanda had been working with Ella Kate all morning. With her focus on her daughter, Amanda thought her cast - which sat for a while - was hung up near the base of a tree. Asking her husband to help her retrieve her bait, Clay noticed a huge boil.
“You’re not hung," he said, not wanting her to get too excited.
Amanda Parker holds the record largemouth bass she caught on Tired Creek Lake in GA, Amanda Parker Photo
Clay had caught a glimpse of the fish and knew instantly it wasn’t just big - but a giant. Many years ago, Amanda had one on about the same size and lost it at the boat. But we’ve all heard similar stories.
On this day, we’re not talking about the one that got away but rather the one they got in the boat.
“Once I had her in the boat, I lost it! I hit my knees, was shaking, hyperventilating, crying.....the whole nine yards," Amanda said. "It was so bad that my 6-year-old said, 'Mama stop, people are going to think you're having a seizure.' "
Growing up with three brothers, Amanda was a self-proclaimed Tom Boy. Being super competitive, she never let being the “sister” an excuse. She considered herself as good as her brothers and always put forth effort to prove it.
As a kid, she grew up digging worms and fishing with her grandparents . At age 11, she won a casting kids contest. Her love for the outdoors continued through her adolescent years and into adulthood.
She claims her husband fell in love with her because the first time they went fishing and he brought her a push button reel, she told him no and wanted a bait caster. A year later, Clay proposed, with the engagement ring tied to a brand new rod and bait caster reel.
Seventeen years later the adventures they’ve shared in the woods and on the water have continued and strengthened their relationship.
With the behemoth now safely in the live well and no scales, they reached out to several anglers in search for a certified scale to get a weight on the fish. As they pulled to one boater who had scales, he asked if they had a “Good’un."
After pulling the fish back out of the live well, Amanda said the man went “nuts” Several hours and numerous phone calls later, they were finally able to verify the weight. It just goes to show what a prayer and a little bobber can do.
Amanda says she owes her fish of a lifetime to "God, her husband and a lucky bobber”.