BASSMASTER PANEL UPHOLDS POCHE’S TOLEDO BEND DISQUALIFICATION
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials announced today that, after an extensive investigation and appeals process, Keith Poche’s Day 1 catch disqualification from the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Toledo Bend has been upheld.
The disqualification was handed down based on a violation of Rule 15 of the Bassmaster Opens Series rules, which reads in part: “Boats must remain in tournament waters during tournament days. Competitors must leave from and return to official checkpoints by boat. Anglers must remain in the boat at all times except in case of dire emergency or with permission from the Tournament Director.”
Poche’s appeal was heard today by a three-person panel which included a Bassmaster College Series angler and Bassmaster Opens angler — neither of whom competed in the 2023 Toledo Bend Open — and a B.A.S.S. employee who is not part of the Tournament Department.
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
Rocks, docks, grass and bass. Lake Weiss is full of all four. Fish the first three in August for a good catch of spots and largemouth.
Weiss is a 30,200-acre Alabama Power Lake on the Coosa River. A small part of the upper Coosa is in Georgia, but an Alabama fishing license is required on most of it. The small mountains surround it will fool you as you drive to it the first time. The lake is flat and shallow, with huge stump filled flats except for the area near the dam.
The 447 miles of shoreline has rocky banks with seawalls and docks in some areas and flat banks with shallow grassbeds and docks in others. The lake has long been known at the Crappie Capitol of the World, but the same conditions that produce quality crappie fishing also produces good populations of Coosa spots and big largemouth.
Hayden Marbut is a rising junior at Xavier High School in Birmingham and has been on the fishing team the past two years. He is considering transferring to Briarwood Academy this year where Curtis Gossett is the fishing team coach. Weiss is his favorite lake.
Hayden’s father, Brian, grew up 15 minutes from Weiss in Hokes Bluff and has been fishing Weiss all his life. He had taught Hayden how to catch bass there under all conditions. Hot summer fishing can be tough on any lake, but Weiss produces good bass all summer.
This year, Hayden and his partner won the High School King of the Coosa tournament on Weiss and they came in third at the ASABSA tournament at Pickwick with 17.38 pounds, so his skills on Weiss transfer to other lakes.
“Weiss has a lot of big spots you can catch early around seawalls and rocks,” Hayden said. Grassbeds produce good largemouth early, too. After the sun gets on the water the most consistent way to catch largemouth and some spots is to fish docks.
Fishing deep ledges and points is also good in August, especially if water is moving. But the most consistent fishing is getting your bait in the shade under docks, and there are plenty of them to fish on Weiss.
For August, Hayden will have a Spook and a buzzbait tied on for early fishing around rocks. A frog works best in the many water willow grass beds for largemouth. For dock fishing, a jig and pig, Texas rig or shaky head is his choice. He also has a Carolina rig and drop shot ready for trying for deeper fish.
We fished the following places in late June and the fishing was slow. It was hot and no moving water or breeze helped us out. But Hayden landed seven or eight keepers, including a 5.92 pound largemouth and a three-pound spot. His best five weighed 13 to 14 pounds, a good catch under tough conditions.
1. N 34 11.348 – W 85 42.368 – Going upstream from Bay Spring, the upstream point of the second cove is a good rocky one that drops into deeper water. It is a round point with a cement seawall and there are natural rock under the water. It is a good place to start first thing in the morning.
Fish around the point, then jump across to the next one upstream. It and the next one above it are all good and they get morning shade, keeping bass up shallow later in the day.
Hayden get in fairly close to the point and cast right to the seawall ahead of the boat, working his bait back at an angle to keep it in close. His first choice is a big bone Spook, spots seem to hate it. He twitches it back with a walk-the-dog zigzag action until it is near the boat.
A buzzbait is another good choice for fishing places like this. Cast it against the seawall, try to actually hit it, and buzz it back at an angle to the boat. Casts close to the bank are important since big spots will often seem to keep their nose against it and grab it as soon as it hits the water.
2. N 34 14.231 – W 85 39.757 – Go into Little River behind Hog Island. If you are careful, you can go through the “Cut Through” on the downstream side of it but the channel goes in upstream of it and is safer. Where the river narrows there are three islands on the left. A green channel marker without a number is on a post off them, marking where the old river channel swings to that side.
The lip of this channel for 200 yards on either side of the marker is a good summer ledge. It drops from six to 25 feet deep and there are stumps and rocks on it. Hayden will keep the boat in 22 feet of water and cast up on the top of the ledge and work it. If you have time it is worth fishing the whole section or you can ride it with good electronics to look for fish.
Cast a Carolina rigged Old Monster or big lizard in black or plum tied about 30 inches behind a three-quarter ounce sinker and drag it until it falls off the ledge. Do the same with drop shot or jig and pig. Current really helps here as does some wind moving water across it.
3. N 34 14.217 – W 85 38.689 – Go to the double cove at Little River Marina (the old JR Marina) and fish the docks in both pockets. Tournaments held here constantly “restock” the area, making the coves a high concentration place for bass.
Hayden especially likes old docks, those falling down into water seem to be bass magnets. Docks on small points are also high value targets as are those with lights and pole holders, indicting possible brush piles. Pitch a jig and pig, shaky head worm or Texas rigged creature bait to each dock.
Watch for angles and shade lines. Work each pole on each dock. Pay attention to where you get bit, bass in an area will often set up on the same places on other docks. Hayden likes a black and blue Dirty Jigs Finesse Jig with a matching Rage Craw on it.
4. N 34 13.806 – W 85 38.821 – Going out past the marina, on your left on the downstream point of the cove, an old roadbed runs off the bank and old bridge rubble is on it. The roadbed runs out from a clay point with a pine tree on the end of it.
Keep your boat in 25 feet of water and cast up on top of the road about five feet deep. Probe for the rubble and rough stuff on it, it is a fairly small area. Work your Carolina rig, drop shot and jig and pig through the cover. Hayden fishes an Aaron’s Magic Robo worm about a foot above a three eights ounce sinker on his drop shot.
5. N 34 12.965 – W 85 36.477 – Run up under the causeway to the ramp at Weiss Mart on the left just upstream of the main bridge. This is a similar place to hole three, with a marina that has tournament released fish around it. Fish from the boat ramp all the way around the cove, working every dock. Also hit the ramp, Hayden says he never passes up a boat ramp.
Hayden caught several bass in this cove, including a 5.92 pound largemouth and a three-pound spot. He works each dock carefully and will come back to prime docks since they often reload quickly. The big largemouth hit the second time we fished that dock.
Wind blowing into docks makes them better but harder to fish. If the wind is blowing, fish into it for better boat control. Like the coves at Little River Marina, this cove has a channel in it. Coves with ditches or channels giving bass a “highway” are much better than flat coves.
6. N 34 11.190 – W 85 37.148 – Go across to the right side of the lake above the causeway. The old river channel runs along this bank so it drops off fast. The docks from the causeway upstream are all good.
Current moving under the docks makes them much better, as does some wind. Work against both if you can for better boat control, giving you more time to pick them apart.
Pitch a jig and pig, Texas rig or shaky head to them. Hayden rigs a natural blue or green pumpkin finesse worm on a one quarter ounce head and tries to hit ever post until he finds a pattern. Outside post are often better and it is easier to land fish that hit on them but cast into the deepest shade you can hit with your baits, too.
7. N 24 11.521 – W 85 37.685 – Go back to the causeway and fish the small bridge and riprap closest to the left bank going downstream. If there is any current the bridge concentrates it and turns on the fish.
Hayden will fish all the rocks as well as the pilings under the bridge and shade lines from it. Both spots and largemouth set up facing up current here so position your boat so you cast up the current and your bait moves back naturally with it. A drop shot and shaky head work well for this but a small crankbait, worked slowly with the current, will catch fish, too. Make multiple casts to any spot you catch a bass; others are likely to set up there.
8. N 34 11.433 – W 85 39.504 – Going down the left side of the lake, two small islands sit off the bank just upstream of Little Hog Nose Creek. They are surrounded by water willow grass beds where bass feed. Early and late in the day are the best time to fish them, but bass will feed in them all during the day.
Start on the upstream point of the upstream island and cast your Spook, buzzbait and a frog through the grass. A bluegill color Spro Popping Frog will allow you to fish the thickest grass. Work the buzzbait and Spook along the edge and in cuts in the grass. A silver blade Big Bite Baits Buzz with a Suicide Shad on it is his choice for buzzbaits. Points on the grass are especially good.
9. N 34 11.859 – W 85 40.101 – Out in the middle of the lake, straight between Little Nose Creek and Hog Island, green channel marker 20 sits on a good channel ledge. You can not safely run from hole 8 to it, you should go upstream and follow the channel around to it.
The top of the ledge is ten to 12 feet deep and drops into 25 feet of water. There are stumps and rocks on it that hold bass, and the area right at the marker is very rough.
Keep your boat in 25 feet of water and cast jig nd pig, shaky head and drop shot up on the ledge, dragging all three back and letting them fall. Keep an eye on your electronics and fish your drop shot worm vertically when you see fish directly under your boat.
As in other places, current really turns on the fish here, making them feed, and wind blowing across it helps, too. Cast your baits up current for a natural action since current moves baitfish across the drop and bass expect food to be coming in that direction.
10. N 34 11.932 – W 85 41.534 – The lake narrows down where Yellow Creek enters on the right going downstream. Red channel marker 14 sits off the left point of the main river going downstream and there is a small island downstream of the point. Docks along this bank are good.
Start at the first green roof dock and fish all the way down to the yellow boat house at the end of the line of docks. There is 18 feet of water not far off the docks and bass move from deep water to feed shallow around them. The pilings, shade and some brush piles all attract bass.
Current helps here and if it is moving, or if the wind is blowing, start at the end of the line of docks that gives you the best boat control. Cast jig and pig, shaky head and Texas rig to them. Hayden lets his bait fall straight down. When it hits bottom, he shakes it a little then reels in for another cast.
These places were holding bass in late June, with some quality fish on them, and will be better now. Give them a try to see the kind of places you can catch summer spots and largemouth on Lake Weiss
Like big, saucer-shaped panfish? If so, you’re kith and kin to Max, Minnesota’s most-famous resident, Brian “Bro” Brosdahl. The prolific fishing guide with a penchant for all things panfish has been on the leading edge of bluegill, crappie, and perch-fishing techniques and innovations for well over two decades now.
While Bro pursues panfish year-‘round, he gets particularly giddy come ice out. “Wintertime sticks around for a long time in Northern Minnesota,” the St. Croix pro says. “While you’ve always got something going on beneath the ice, most northern anglers I know are eager to make the switch to open-water fishing as soon as the ice goes out.” And for good reason. Bro says the months of April, May, and June bring some of the best panfishing conditions and opportunities of the entire year.
“Of course you’ve got the unique aspects of the spawn – perch and crappies first and then the ‘gills – but those details aside, the common denominator for springtime panfishing is shallow water,” Bro advises. “It’s the first water to warm, so it’s where the weeds get growing and where concentrations of bait begin to get active. As a result, it’s where the panfish want to be, too.”
Bro says he spends ample time covering warming, shallow-water flats by casting micro jigs early in the season. “I’m looking for any weed growth,” he says. “The fish I’m hunting are often scattered in less than six feet of water. I’m usually searching with a Northland Thumper Jig or a Fire-Fly Jig tipped with a wax worm or a small crappie minnow.” Bro says he rigs with eight-pound Sunline green braid with a four-pound fluoro leader. His rod of choice is a 7’ light power, extra-fast action St. Croix spinning rod.
“Anglers familiar with St. Croix’s Panfish Series and Legend Elite Panfish Series rods know how good the 70LXF models are at bombing light jigs on light line, but they may not yet be familiar with the 70LXF model in the new Avid Series Panfish lineup (ASPS70LXF),” Bro posits. “This take on the most-versatile length, power, and action panfish rod ever made features a lighter and stronger new SCIII+ carbon blank, plus an all-new Seaguide Delta TYG guide train… they’re slightly triangular in shape, which seems stranger than the Thursday-night karaoke crowd at the bar down the street from my house… until you cast them. I’m casting the light jigs I use 20% to 25% farther on these new TYG-equipped Avid Panfish rods, which is a huge benefit when you’re searching spooky fish in shallow, clear water that’s largely devoid of weeds.”
Bro says fish pushing shallow into warmer water are generally just following bottom contours wherever the conditions suit them. That’s why he uses the sonar tools at his disposal to find them. “You can pull up on a springtime panfish flat and easily spook fish if you don’t know where they’re at,” he says. I’ll use my Talon shallow-water anchor instead of my trolling motor to minimize the disruption.”
To expedite the search, Bro employs a one-two punch of Humminbird 360 and Mega Live sonar. “I’ll scan with the 360 to locate the communities, then investigate each school more closely with Mega Live see if the fish have any size,” he says. “The Mega Live is attached to Ultrex trolling motor, so it’s a drop-it-and-go deal. It helps me to home in on the bigger individuals avoid the small ones.” Bro says 360 also greatly helps in understanding the shape of the weedlines, plus any cribs or brush piles he encounters. “I keep the grid visible on my screen so I know how far to cast, which is very important with any kind of forward viewing,” he says. “It’s fun to watch the fish react to the bait when the water warms. They get very aggressive and competitive which is great news for the angler. I’ve noticed the fish following the lure usually misses out and isn’t the one that ends up hitting the jig. It’s also a great tool for keeping your jig or hooked panfish away from pike.”
Once Bro finds the size and concentrations of fish he’s after, he’ll go to a shorter 6’4” Avid Panfish rod (ASPS64LF) with a tiny jig presented beneath a slip bobber. “I’ll use six-pound mono with a four-pound fluoro leader and a Northland Lite Bite slip bobber,” Bro reports. “If you get hung up, you want your leader to break instead of your main line so you can get back in the game that much faster. I like the Lite Bite bobbers because they are slightly weighted with a brass grommet so you don’t need any other weight on your leader. That really reduces tangles and other frustrations when casting this rig,“ he says.
Before there’s any significant weed growth in the shallows, Bro often follows beaver activity to panfish nirvana. “I often do better on beaver chew – the loose branches floating around – than on the dams themselves,” he says. “I’m looking hard at anything significant enough to provide some cover. Of course, the deeper runways leading to the dams hold fish and the dams do, too. They’re just a bit trickier to fish because the fish are often tucked up all the way into the dam.”
Once green weeds start to sprout on the shallow flats, Bro says the crappies, bluegills and perch spread out a bit and become a bit less spooky, especially when there’s some wave action. “ Once the water warms up a bit the fish move closer to the surface,” Bro says. “Lakes with patches of rushes or cane in three-to-six feet of water become hot. That’s when I become a crane operator,” says Bro, referring to the use of the 9’ model in St. Croix’s Avid Panfish, Panfish, and Legend Elite Panfish series. “I can pitch and even drop vertically into the openings in the rushes,” he says. “Even though they may still be rotten from the winter, they’re still strong enough to break your line. A long rod allows me to drop into the voids and pluck and pull ‘gills, crappies, and perch straight up so I can fight them on the surface to avoid tangles and break-offs.” Bro says Fire-Fly feather jigs in pink/white, greens, black/yellow bring him consistent results when “craning”, adding that small plastics work great, too, as do ice fishing lures like a Bro Mudbug tipped with waxies.
Bro says once the weeds really start growing, they represent the best options for finding mature, springtime panfish. “Invasive milfoil grows really quickly in the springtime, and once it’s up the fish never really leave it,” he says. “It can be difficult to fish, but it’s easiest when it’s only up about three to four feet off the bottom. I like a shorter rod like the 5’6” Legend Elite Panfish of the 6’ Avid Panfish when jigging in the weeds. I’m often fishing vertically right in the sonar cone so I can watch what’s happening. The fish aren’t scared down there in that thick stuff, but subtle presentations still rule. I’m just moving my rod tip with micro-movements.”
Wherever you’re located, the coming weeks and months represent prime panfishing. Follow Bro’s advice, try some of his favored panfish techniques, and make sure you’re geared up with rods that give you the upper hand on the water. All-new Avid Series Panfish rods consist of nine technique-minded spinning models in angler-preferred lengths, powers and actions to support today’s evolving panfish presentations that demand fast, accurate, sensitive, and forgiving tips, as well as a firm backbone. Pitch and swim, dipping, jigging and swimming microplastics, under spins, bobber rigging, micro-crankbaits, dock shooting and more; all are supported by Avid Series Panfish via advanced St. Croix design, vertical manufacturing, and precise and prideful handcraftsmanship on US soil. Models range from 6’ to 9’ in length with ultralight to medium-light powers and fast to extra-fast actions. Prices start at $200 with a 15-year warranty.
Brunswick, Ga. – The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced today that a new state record has been set for the heaviest vermilion snapper (Rhomboplites aururubens) caught by a woman angler. The record-setting fish was caught by Stacey T. Pope of Brunswick on April 7, and weighed 5 pounds, 5.56 ounces, breaking the previous record of 3 pounds, 14.4 ounces set in 2018 by Alli DeYoung of Savannah.
Pope caught the vermilion snapper while fishing offshore near Artificial Reef DW approximately 70 miles east of Sapelo Island. She was bottom fishing with a 7-foot Eureka Charter Special rod and Avet SX G2 reel terminating with a knocker rig baited with menhaden. She was accompanied by licensed charter guide Capt. Quentin Van Heerden of Eureka Charters. Her catch was weighed on a certified scale at City Market on Gloucester Street in Brunswick.
According to Pope, she was surprised to catch such a large fish and was thrilled when she learned that she had set a new state record.
“It was amazing to catch the fish,” said Pope. “It was a little scary, but it was exciting. We just bought a boat in December, and this was only our third time offshore fishing. It’s a lot of fun, I love it.”
DNR’s Coastal Resources Division (CRD), which oversees the Georgia Saltwater Game Fish Records Program, congratulated Pope on her achievement and provided her with a state record certificate signed by Gov. Brian Kemp, DNR Commissioner Mark Williams, and CRD Director Doug Haymans. Pope’s name will be eligible to appear in the 2024 Georgia Sport Fishing Regulations Guide and has been added to the state saltwater records list online at CoastalGaDNR.org/SaltwaterRecords.
DNR reminds all anglers to follow best practices for ethical and responsible fishing, including proper handling and release of fish that are not intended for consumption.
The new state record for vermilion snapper is a testament to the fishing in Georgia and the skills of the state’s anglers. DNR encourages all anglers to continue practicing safe and responsible fishing and to report any potential record-setting catches to the DNR for verification.
Anglers in Georgia are required to have a valid recreational fishing license, free Saltwater Information Program permit, and to follow size and possession limits for various species. State saltwater record rules and regulations can be found at CoastalGaDNR.org/SaltwaterRecords.
For more information about fishing regulations in Georgia, please visit CoastalGaDNR.org.
For years I had that bumper sticker on my truck and it is true. I became a life member in the 1980s, joining about 5,000,000 other like minded gun owners. When politicians, taking heads and others claim I am responsible for shooting deaths, I take it personally.
Contrary to the hype, half-truths and outright lies about the NRA, it is the oldest civil rights organization in the United States. It was started by two Union Army officers in 1871 to “promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis.” This was in response to the awful marksmanship of union soldiers in the Civil War.
Safety has always been a prime concern of the NRA and many free programs are offered to promote gun safety. The Eddie Eagle Program has been locally to teach kids to stay away from guns unless an adult is present. Gun range safety gets funded through various NRA programs, and many law enforcement gun training programs are directly supported by the NRA.
The organization has evolved to protect the 2nd Amendment rights of citizens as they have come under fire. After its founding the NRA quickly got involved in stopping Jim Crow laws that prohibited blacks from owning guns.
When gun banners whine about the power of “The Gun Industry” through the NRA, they are being specious. The power of the NRA lies in its 5,000,000 members. It is fairly easy to find information on membership in the NRA; not so easy about the gun ban groups like the Brady Campaign.
The most up to date information I could find shows the NRA with about 5,000,000 paid members, with a donation income of about 55 million and spending about 17 million in political races. The AARP compared that to 500,000 members of the Brady group with an income of 6.3 million and political expenses of 1.7 million.
The number of voters agreeing with the NRA is its power, not industries or anything else. Votes count.
The most egregious lie about the NRA is it got a law passed to exempt gun businesses from product liability. The NRA did help get a law passed that puts gun businesses on the same level as all others. For a time the gun banners were trying to sue gun manufacturers out of business by claiming they were responsible for their product being used in a crime.
If business are responsible for misuse of their product, Chevy can be sued when a driver crashes into a parade and kills people. Texaco can be sued when their gasoline is used to start an arson fire.
The NRA is not without its problems. Some gun rights folks claim it is not strong enough. Like any huge organization, it has had internal problems. And it is hated by those that hate guns.
When you hear “NRA,” know they are talking about me and millions of law-abiding gun owners. Another radical gun ban group the Violence Policy Center, did extensive research a few years ago and crowed they found ONE NRA member that used a gun to kill and was charged with murder.
Search the data yourself and try to find crime committed by folks like me, NRA members.
Now we know some of the “somethings” the democrats and Biden administration are demanding. From VOX, here are the proposals in the current democrat gun ban wish list legislation and my thoughts on them:
The Raise the Age Act: This bill raises the age to purchase certain semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21. Two 18-year-olds commit horrific murders so let restrict all 18- to 21-year-olds. I got a semiautomatic rifle for Christmas when I was 8 years old. These same folks want to lower the voting age to 16 and let five-year-olds choose their “gender.”
Prevent Gun Trafficking Act: Already illegal, so the “coulds” and “mights” in this act are irrelevant. They are trying to stop gun sales by individuals. Same folks that sent guns to the Mexican drug cartels during the Obama administration.
The Untraceable Firearms Act: The ridiculous “ghost gun” law – it is already illegal to remove the serial number from a gun. But this tries to make it illegal to use a 3D printer to make gun parts.
Ethan’s Law, the Safe Guns, Safe Kids Act, and the Kimberly Vaughn Firearm Safety Act: Also known as “Lock up your guns so you can’t get to them when you need them” act. If you are so irresponsible as to leave guns where kids can get to them, no law will make a difference.
The Keep Americans Safe Act: – by banning “high-capacity magazines.” Already been tried, from 1994 to 2004 such magazines were banned, as were a laundry list of “assault weapons.” Contrary to the lies, there is no evidence that ten-year ban made any difference, the Columbine school shooting, the worst at that time, was committed in 1999, right in the middle of it, and it was allowed to expire after 10 years because it did nothing to help.
From the same VOX article, here is the real goal: Democrats could still think bigger
“The House’s expedited consideration of the gun control bills would likely help reduce gun violence if the bills became law, but as German Lopez ecplained for VOX, the policies that could have the most impact are ones that reduce the number of guns that people have. These include proposals like gun licensing, which would curb the number of guns that are sold because it makes it more difficult to obtain them.”
Reduce the number of guns law-abiding citizens can get and own. That is their goal and they will not be happy until it is zero.
I will ask my usual request. Give me factual information, not emotional “mights and maybes,” showing how your proposal would have made a difference in any of the recent shootings.
SOCIAL CIRCLE, GA (April 10, 2023) – If your angling skills need a new challenge this year, it’s time to triple up your catch and take on the Georgia Trout Slam. Catch all three species of trout found in Georgia (rainbow, brown and brook) within a calendar year and you succeed!
The Georgia Trout Slam recognizes anglers with the knowledge and skill to catch different species of trout in the state, while also stimulating interest in the conservation and management of trout and their habitats, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.
To qualify for the Georgia Trout Slam, fish must be caught within a calendar year, must be legally caught on waters where you have permission to fish, and anglers must provide some basic information about themselves and their catch (such as county where caught). Anglers must also be able to submit a photo of themselves with the fish, and one clear side photo of the fish.
Anglers can review complete rules and submit their information and photos for verification for the Georgia Trout Slam at GeorgiaWildlife.com/trout-slam.
What is Your Reward? Successful Trout Slammers will receive an official “Georgia Trout Slam” decal and the names of all successful anglers will go into a drawing for an annual grand prize!
On March 21, 2023, Hayden Lake in North Idaho produced a new certified state record northern pike. The record fish weighed a whopping 40.76 pounds, was 49 inches in length and 26.5 inches in girth – a true monster of a fish! Certified state record northern pike caught in Hayden Lake, Idaho.
The record was previously held by a fish that was also caught in North Idaho, in Lower Twin Lake. The fish, caught in 2010, weighed 40.13 pounds, was 50.75 inches long and 22.75 inches in girth.
The Story
Thomas Francis is an avid northern pike angler and has been for some time.
“Pike is what I go after all the time. I spend almost everyday fishing for pike. As soon as the ice is off and until it comes back,“ Francis said.
Despite being an avid pike fisherman, nothing could have prepared him for the fish that would later latch on to the end of his line and lay claim to the Idaho state record.
Fancis‘ day of fishing on Hayden Lake started like any other – same gear, same approach and same goal, to catch big pike.
When he got to the lake that day, there was still some ice on the lake, so he couldn’t cast right up to the shore, only to the edge of the ice.
“When my lure hit the water, I let it sink all the way to the bottom. As soon as my lure hit the bottom, I felt her hit. I fish with 80 pound-test line, and she almost immediately started peeling drag, a lot of it,“ said Francis.
Francis said he almost immediately knew this was a big fish.
“She pinned herself to the bottom and just kept going, peeling drag the whole time. I knew that wasn’t normal, and I could tell it was something special.“
After peeling drag for a while, the behemoth changed her tactics.
“Suddenly I got slack line, as she was coming straight up from the bottom. She came flying out of the water, and it was obvious she was a huge fish,“ recalled Francis.
When he finally landed her, Francis said he knew she was going to be a state record fish, or at least a close contender. State record northern pike caught in Hayden Lake, Idaho.
“I immediately headed for the dock to try and find a boat with a scale and tape measure. We found a boat with a scale, and the fish pegged the scale out at 30 pounds, so we knew we needed to find a bigger scale.“
After visiting a few different places to find a certified scale, they finally received a certified weight of 40.76 pounds, a new state record.
When asked what he thinks about pike fishing in North Idaho, Francis said, “I like having pike around; they are the biggest fish we can go after here in North Idaho, and I fish for them almost everyday.“
For years I searched for gloves I could wear while fishing. I have dozens of pairs on which I spent way too much money and wore once. None allowed me to feel the bites, cast both bait caster and spinning reel, protect me from sun in summer and stay warm in winter.
At the Georgia Outdoor Writers Association meeting this past spring our “goody” bag included a pair of AFTCO Solpro fishing gloves. I thought the size was marked wrong, the XXL looked way too small for my hands. But I struggled and got them on, and they “fit like a glove!”
They are snug on my hands, but that helps feel the rod and reel while fishing. The fingertips are cut out as are the palms, giving me good skin contact with line, rod and reel. And they have protected my hands from sunburn this spring and my hands have not gotten hot while wearing them, either.
I did not think they would be very warm in the winter and I am not sure they will be. But when I pick up a cold can of Diet Rite Cola I feel the cold on my palm and fingertips but not where the glove material is between my hand and the can. I hope that means they will be warm.
The tight gloves are hard to get on and I have to be careful to get my fingers headed in the right direction, but it gets easier each time I put them on. I put them on each morning when the sun starts to get warm.
With them and a gaiter, a simple tube of sun block stretchable cloth that goes over my head and covers my ears, neck and most of my face, I am well protected without putting on sunscreen except on the tip of my nose. The gaiter was given to me when I attended a Bassmasters Classic as a media observer a few years ago.
Just my luck, when I went to the company site apparently the Solpro gloves are no longer available. That is probably why they were given to us, they are discontinued. It looks like they have been replaced with a “Solago” named glove. It looks the same in pictures.
The Solago sun gloves sell for $29.00. I am ordering a spare pair, but was disappointed when shipping cost $9.99, over a third of the cost of the gloves! They did offer a free gaiter with my first order, though.
And after I got home from my trip, Linda asked if I thought to check Amazon. I had not, they were the same price but shipping was free if you are a Prime member. I could have saved $10 if I had not been in such a hurry!
After a dominating event in 2021 which saw Humminbird and Minn Kota pro Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson secure his first Bassmaster Elite Series win, a return to the Tennessee River out of Knoxville, Tennessee was all the more rewarding for the Kenora, Ontario native. Through three days of intense competition and changing conditions, Gustafson saw light at the end of the tunnel on his Humminbird MEGA Live™ imaging and became the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic champion.
“To come back to the place where I was able to win an Elite Series event fishing how I like, and do virtually the same thing during the Bassmaster Classic, it feels awesome,” said Gustafson. “I fished how I was comfortable and I just jive with this body of water.”
Gussy started the event off strong with a limit weighing 18-pounds, 8-ounces on day one, following that up with a day two bag weighing 17-pounds, 3-ounces, and his final day effort going 42-pounds, 7-ounces to become the second ever international Bassmaster Classic champion – the first ever champion from Canada.
To find his fish, Gussy scanned through the Tennessee river using a deadly combination of Humminbird LakeMaster® mapping with Humminbird MEGA Side and Down Imaging® to locate areas where schools of smallmouth bass were suspended over deeper water. Once located, he targeted individual groups the same way he did in 2021, and picked off each bass using MEGA Live to seal the deal.
“When I won the Elite event here a couple years ago, I relied heavily on MEGA 360 Imaging and Humminbird 2D Sonar,” added Gustafson. ”Adding MEGA Live this week, I could still pick out rocks and other hard bottom areas on 360, but I could be much more efficient with my bait presentation and quickly learn how the fish were behaving – getting them to bite in real time.”
Dating back to his victory in 2021 to today, Gussy has now led seven straight days of Bassmaster events on the Tennessee River. Locating and presenting his bait to suspended smallmouth bass on creek channels; similar to how he fishes back home in Canada. Gussy caught his tournament-winning weight by keeping his bait just above the fish – which he was able to do accurately and clearly with Humminbird MEGA Live Imaging. Once he had his fish hooked, he was able to use Spot-Lock® on his Minn Kota Ultrex™ to keep his boat positioned on high-percentage areas allowing him to stay on top of the schools of fish he was targeting.
“Those first couple days, it looked easier than it was to get those suspended fish to bite,” he added. “Between catching short fish and the fish not committing to the bait, it was tough to catch five bass a day. It got tougher and tougher each day, and you could see how the pressure affected them on the final day.”
Day three proved tough for the championship Sunday field of anglers as Gussy’s fish became pressured and the legal sized smallmouth bass were harder to come by. One keeper smallmouth bass early in the morning got his day started but it wasn’t until after the mid-way point when he finally landed his second keeper. He knew that with MEGA Live Imaging on his Humminbird APEX™ unit, simply catching five keeper smallmouth bass would give him a chance to take the title.
While the last day was not what Gussy would have wanted, the two fish he brought back to the scales were just enough to secure his dream coming true: winning the Bassmaster Classic.
“This is unbelievable. I truly cannot describe what this means to me and to the folks that have supported me on my journey to get here,” said Gustafson. “It was a hard way to win this event; but we won, and we’re bringing this trophy up to Canada for the first time ever and that’s super special to be able to say. I have a lot of respect for the anglers I compete against, the anglers that came before me and the meaning behind winning the first Ray Scott Bassmaster Classic Trophy is indescribable.”
“This weekend was truly incredible and it could not have happened to a better person. You won’t find a single person in the industry that doesn’t love Gussy, and we couldn’t have more pride in him being on our team,” said Field Promotions Manager, Tim Price. “His character is one we model our team after and this win is much deserved. We’re excited to celebrate Gussy and his family in this win, and look forward to seeing what the future holds for him and his career.”
JOHNSON OUTDOORS FISHING is comprised of the Humminbird®, Minn Kota® and Cannon® brands. Humminbird is a leading global innovator and manufacturer of marine electronics products including fish finders, multifunction displays, autopilots, ice flashers, and premium cartography products. Minn Kota is the world’s leading manufacturer of electric trolling motors, as well as a complete line of shallow water anchors, battery chargers and marine accessories. Cannon is the leader in controlled-depth fishing and includes a full line of downrigger products and accessories.
JOHNSON OUTDOORS is a leading global outdoor recreation company that inspires more people to experience the awe of the great outdoors with innovative, top-quality products. The company designs, manufactures and markets a portfolio of winning, consumer-preferred brands across four categories: Watercraft, Fishing, Diving and Camping.
Bass were feeding on herring or gizzard shad spawning on a rocky point last April when I won a club tournament. I caught every fish I weighed in except one by 8:30 each morning. Several hit a spinnerbait, the others hit an underspin lure.
For years at Clarks Hill after the spawn bass hung around back in coves and pockets feeding where they had bedded. I remember daddy and two other men going around the back of a creek with Hula Popper and hooking big bass one morning.
They would not let us kids back there with them, we were too noisy! Four of us were in a bigger ski boat that we had pulled their jon boat to the creek from the boat ramp. We were near the mouth of the cove, trying to paddle it and fish.
I tried to make a long cast to a button bush in the water with my Devil’s Horse topwater plug but it went way off target. As I reeled it in as fast as I could turn the handle on my Mitchell 300 Spinning reel, a huge bass attacked the plug.
Somehow we managed to land that seven pound largemouth. It was by far the biggest bass I had ever caught when I was 15 years old. For days we talked about that bass being crazy chasing down that lure skipping across the top of the water. Everybody knew you fished slowly for bass!
Now we know you can not reel a lure faster than a bass can chase it down, and often very fast moving lures will attract bites when nothing else will. Buzzbaits were invented for that kind of fishing. I just wish I had been smart enough to figure that out back then and invent them!
I caught many bass at Clarks Hill in the 1970s and early 1980s fishing back in coves and creeks in April. Then the blueback herring population exploded in the lake and changed everything.
Bass love the herring. They are big with an average size of about seven inches so they are a big meal to fill a bass fast. And they are very rich in oils and protein, perfect for bass recovering from the spawn.
Herring are an open water fish, living on the main lake where it is deep. When the herring spawn they go to shallow gravel and rock areas on the main lake and are easy for bass to catch and eat.
It seems all the bass have learned that and almost[RG1] all of them will head to open water as soon as they spawn in April to eat herring. It has changed the way I fish on herring lakes like Clarks Hill.
