Bass caught in Botswana recently weighing 6.44kg...thats enough to wet one lips.....

That looks like a Florida strain bass...shorter than the Northern strain,but has 'shoulders' to make up for the loss in length....Where was it caught ? Great catch...

Sweetlips, that was caught at Letsebogo Dam in Botswana....

Now that's a contender fro COTM if ever I saw one.

More like catch of the year.....COTY....

Super fish but it cannot be verified as a Florida just from the pic - wish it was that easy but it's not.
Although bass grow optimally in the African heat north of us, we musn't rule out the warm frost free E coast area for similar fish as we well know. Genetics is only a small contributor to "potential" growth rate. Some more info on the dam would be interesting?[/i]

WHo cares what strain...its a monster! Where however is more important. Iam not that far from botswana, so can go and visit and do a writeup (if not to far into botswana).

looks like a nile perch!!

awesome catch

That is a monster!
Any other info on the catch?

21°50'15.79"S, 27°43'21.12"E

I don't know the dam, but it's near Selebi-Phikwe. I know the Botswana authorities is very strict to take a boat into Botswana. You need all kind of permits.

They are Floridas,stocked from Rhodesia(Zimbabwe).
Their is another dam at Shashe Mooke about 70 km north of Letsebogo and 30 km south of Francistown.
Both dams have monster fish,also blue kurper.
I used to visit them in 1997-1999 as I was working for Palabora mining company and spend a lot of time at the copper mine in Selebe Phikwe.
The top dam is fed by the Shashe river which connects with the Limpopo in the Tuli circle.
If I remember correctly the Letsebogo is fed by The Mkloutsi (elephant) river as well as another river.
The locals at Letsebogo do existense fishing and sell the fish to eating houses.
Shashe bream is on the menu at Selebi Phikwe Hotel.

August it is 240km from Zanzibar border post which again is +300 km from Pretoria.
You need to apply at veterenary service for your boat permit and make sure ther is not a blade of grass stuck to your boat.
I got clever and entered at Platjan post and then via Mathatane to join up with the main road from Zanzibar to Francistown.
The guys at Platjan know me very well as our farm was 5 km on the Botswana side of the Limpopo.

Below is the email from Anton, the person who caught the fish, it's all we know so far, he is now a member so hopefully will fill us in on the details.......

On the the of July, I caught a 6,44kg bass. My dad and a friend were with me on the boat. We also called a second boat a few meters away from us, to witness the weight. We weighed the bass 3 times and 6,44kg was the lighter reading of the 3 readings. On Friday, I went in on your sight to find what weight a bass can rich. To my surprise, they righting about a 6,29kg bass. I caught the bass in Letsebogo dam, Botswana. Will my bass still count?  Were, if possible, can I register my bass and what will they need from me?

Thanks Anton...

It's a pig of note!! I think Botswana is gonna be jam packed with bass hunters soon!!

YEAH BABY going to be BIG fishing in Botswana this October. We have also included Zimbabwe as well now so the trip is going to be awesome.