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Fishaholic,
Generally speaking...BIG bass do still spawn, but just every 4-5 years. So a fish that big has to be over 20 years old and it's spawning days are few and far between. Big bass can lay upto 5,000,000 eggs per spawn. Smaller bass between 10-20 pounds, generally speaking will spawn every year laying approximately 850.000 -1.2 million a year, untill they become bigger, when they will begin spawning every other year or every 4-5 years as cow's. Fish in the 30 pound class probably produce the most on a regular basis.
Big fish after big battles will sometimes croak, but if you go in the water and take time with them, they usually do survive. Some people think that the fish is dead or dying, but it is really just tired. It would be like you wrestling for ten minutes. If I just wrestle someone for ten minutes, I'd just lay there too and beg you to kill me. Being patient with a big fish will pay a nice dividen. That being seeing a big cow disappear in the the night water.
In terms of what to do??? You caught it, it is your choice. You have earned the right to decide. No answer is wrong.
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