An article about the men who hunt for the biggest bass

[Swamp Girl]

These guys are so far from the fishing I do in my scuffed canoe, but we do share the passion. They start their day at four, just like me. It's just that I'm launching my canoe in a lonely bog and they're jostling for position in a parking lot, waiting for the lake to open. I play bumper car with rocks and wood under the water and they play bumper car with each other as they launch. They're kin, passion-wise, albeit fifth cousins three times removed.

 

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/big-bass-and-men-who-love-them/?scope=anon

 

Here's a teaser: 

 

During the next three hours of actionless fishing, Hall recasts frequently and talks about his own quest for the Big One, which has been going on for almost 30 years, since he wrangled his first ten-pounder from the Florida swamps while on a family vacation at age 12. Ten pounds is the catch of a lifetime for most bass anglers, but for a big-bass specialist like Hall, it’s more of a bar mitzvah, proof that you’re ready for bigger and better things. The achievement, though, apparently wasn’t viewed with great joy by his eight rather competitive bass-fishing brothers. “For my own safety,” he remembers, sounding like he hasn’t entirely recovered from the experience, “my dad had to rent me my own hotel room for a few days, or I’da been battered and bruised.”
Later, in the midseventies, Hall attended Florida State on a pole-vaulting scholarship. But Lake Jackson, one of the finest natural bass lakes in the world, happened to be only six miles from his freshman dorm, and three weeks into his first year, before he ever took an exam, he dropped out to live in a tent in a nearby national forest. “I couldn’t stay off the lake,” he drawls,

 

[KP Duty]

I may be opening a can of worms, but I was turned off regarding these record hunters when I learned they just search for and camp out on beds.  I remember Dottie and the guy who foul hooked her supposedly calling his attorney regarding getting her certified.  

[Susky River Rat]

I can’t say I appreciate those “big bass only” mindset. I just enjoy catching bass. If I want to catch big fish ill go to a different species. 

[J Francho]

Article is nearly 30 years old, and still triggering some big assumptions. I would generally prefer to seek out the largest fish in a body of water. Probably why I did decent in tournaments. 

[WRB]

Anyone on any given day can catch their PB bass without being dedicated to catching big bass. Few if anyone can catch giant bass consistently or even occasion unless they dedicate their efforts and develop the needed skills.

I spent most of my adult life dedicated to catching the world record LMB and came close but like horse shoes not close enough.

My efforts were focused on Pre Spawn high % time period, leaving 10 months available to enjoy all types of fishing.

Tom

[Swamp Girl]

30 minutes ago, WRB said:

Anyone on any given day can catch their PB bass without being dedicated to catching big bass. Few if anyone can catch giant bass consistently or even occasion unless they dedicate their efforts and develop the needed skills.

I spent most of my adult life dedicated to catching the world record LMB and came close but like horse shoes not close enough.

My efforts were focused on Pre Spawn high % time period, leaving 10 months available to enjoy all types of fishing.

Tom

 

I could see fishing for a monster for a month or two on a brown-shored, busy lake, as long as I returned to green shores and quiet water. I know that you too love pine-scented air, WRB. However, I'd be thrilled and forever content with one DD. Or would I? Would the big bass hook me deeper than I hooked it? One day, WRB, I'd love to hear one story of your many giant bass. I'm guessing you remember them all.   

[Bigassbass]

I have caught several 10lb bass and some over 10.  I was never seeking them out, it just happened and was lots of fun because it was a surprise.  My only preparation for a large fish is I do have a dedicated bass setup that will easily reel in a large fish. For the last easy 5 years I've fished finesse most of the time and it is a thrill to land a big fish on small rod and reel.  Chasing big fish is a no for me but I love to catch bass small or big!

[GRiver]

I have days where I want to “big bass hunt”, and I have spots too where you know “ that’s where the big ones are”. I get close, shut off all electronics, pull the trolling motor. Then pole in from there. I move around in those spots and stick pin in.
I don’t fish like that all the time though, I just get the urg or I think the weather is right. I don't fish during spawning , not against it, just my preference. I pick on them enough the rest of the year… I give them a little privacy…..to do their thing. Use that time to do maintenance on boat and gear. 
i enjoy fishing normal or thr regular way trolling along work worms or creatures a long the banks or, working hard baits out in more open waters. 

 

[TnRiver46]

WRB’s stories of his big bass catches are on here somewhere if you search hard enough 

[A-Jay]

On 7/6/2023 at 8:22 AM, TnRiver46 said:

WRB’s stories of his big bass catches are on here somewhere if you search hard enough 

Guess who saved that ~

This is Bass fishing HISTORY people . . .

@WRB

WRB's 5 Biggest Bass Stories ~ Tom Young Simi Valley Ca

 

Coming up on February 9th the day I caught my 1st bass over 18 lbs at lake Casitas 1981.   

Like this week it was very windy but Monday light rain was forecasted, mental health day from work! I decided to fish from my 14’ Lund to park near shore and fish uphill all day using hair jigs. About 9:30 after trying a few spots arrived at a major lake point with a saddle, the light wind and rain to my back made a very long cast watching feeling the line and nothing when taking up slack to move the jig. Kept reeling faster until a head shake then sweeping the back as hard as possible. The rod loaded then nothing until the bass jumped completely out of the water. I am thinking maybe a DD but the fish was moving very fast unlike a big bass and right at the boat, then turned and lucky the drag wasn’t too tight. Now the bass acted like a big fish running deeper looking for anything to wrap the line in. The bass came up to the surface about 10’ away, my heart nearly stopped at the size of the bass. Backed the drag off slightly and managed to hand land the bass using both hands.

On my scale the bass weighed 18 lbs 11 oz. Put the bass in my cooler aerated “livewell” and run to the marina for an official weight. 3 weeks later Ray Easly catches a 21 lb 3 oz state record bass. 

Tom

PS, to be continued.

 

The Easly 21 lb 3 oz Casitas is the 1st 20 lb+ Bass caught outside of San Diego lakes and stirs a lot of excitement.

Lake Isabella in north central California produces a 18 lb 13 oz and several other 18 lb class giants in 1984, fueling more excitement that California could break the world record standing since Perry’s 1932 record.

Wednesday January 27th 1988 is another light rainy day time for another mental heath time on the water. Castiac has been producing some giant bass for the live bait anglers Crupi. Kadota, Samson etc and I have dialed in a good jig bite.

The light wind is out of the NE with a drizzle. Every place I want to fish has a live bait angler anchored fishing crawdads.

So decide to try Sharons rest area points, but need to cast into the wind, try it anyway. There is a center point off the middle of the ledge area drops into very deep water. I make a cast into the using my jig and miss where I wanted it to land and loose line to pull out. Turn the reel once after taking up slack the jig doesn’t move. Getting ready to shake the jig free and feel movement. Drop the rod tip and reel fast with rod sweep, strong heavy bass runs into deeper water. All I need to do is fight this bass nothing to get into. The bass doesn’t jump but stays deep until I try to land it, then it makes a head shaking surface run. This bass lets me open it’s mouth and grab it by hand without any fuss. Weigh it 17.4 lbs on the digital scale. 2nd giant bass takes 7 years after the 1st.

Tom

PS, to be continued.

 

The 90’s at both lakes Casitas and especially Castiac starts the circus when Bassin Magazine offers 1 Million $ $$$ $$$ award for a new World Record LMB.

March 6th 1991 is a Wednesday and decide to go to Castiac early and get in line for the lake to open. Arriving there is a line up over a mile long at 4:30A. Disappointed because Castiac fishing has been good. The lake is with limited parking so decide to drive up to Casitas instead.

Haven’t been fishing Casitas that year and when I get there about 1/4 mile long line up is waiting to for lake opening. Casitas has 2 lanes, 1 for annual permits and the other day use. My tag is still good so get in right away. March Casitas Bass are in the spawn cycle, so decide to run up to the dam area cooler water hoping to find pre spawn bass and look for bed fish later in the day.

1st stop is the west end buoy line point and try my Huddleston wooden trout lure that been hot at Castaic and ready to go. Fish about hour catching 2 good bass. Move the east end of the buoy line make a casts and decide to try my hair jig casting over the buoy line parallel to the steep ledge wall where a tree is underwater. Make several casts trying to get the jig right next to the rocky wall and get a solid strike after retrieving about 10’, set the hook and pray the bass doesn’t run out into the tree. The bass comes up and stay up before diving back down but await from the tree. My 2nd 17.4 lb bass and 3rd giant.

Tom

PS, to be continued.

 

March 4th 1992 is stormy rain and windy so I try Castiac knowing it’s a circus but the bad weather should keep the traffic down. Only about 30 boats in line but not opening do to wind. Some people leave! Around 8A they open the lake.

The NE wind puts white caps sideways to the main ramp and we get redirected to the west ramp, normally closed week days.

It’s around 9A before I get on the water. Decide to fish my favorite spot the “old folks home” up the ski arm. It’s a miserable day cold wind and rain and decide to detour into slalom bay to get out of the wind and regroup. Fishing is good in slalom and catch several good bass. Notice the wind sifted and white caps have laid down on the main lake. 

wet and cold decide to try the old folks home. 

I like to fish this spot up against a wall casting out into deeper water working the jig slightly up hill up and over big boulders.

Fish about 30 minutes losing 2 jigs and move around to the opposite side the wind has been blowing in and easier to detect strikes with the wind and rain against my back instead of face, plus I am cold.

Make a longer cast then planned do to the wind, reel in about 20’ of line and let the jig sink when slammed before hitting bottom. The problem now is the fish is on the other side of a rounded point in deeper water then me. Start reeling fast and on the TM to move out past the point and let the wind blow me down lake to fight this bass. It works and bass is away from the point in deep water. This bass isn’t coming up and making hard runs wearing it’s self out. Tried bass when I grab the mouth. 17.6 lbs, #4.

Tom

PS, PB is next.

 

March 3rd 1993 lake Castiac.

The Bassin Magazine circus isn’t at peak anymore but boat traffic is still high but not as crazy or anglers from every state with high expectations.

I am back in line and watching the early bird launch and run. Up the Fish Arm to old outhouse bay and Elizabeth Canyon where Crupi and Kodata fleet of baits are located.

The ski arm isn’t well know for giant bass, good for me?.

The weather is good, no wind overcast with light showers. A little wind would be nice and it will come later. I run to the old folks home and fish awhile but nobody is home. Try a few other areas with no success. Ponder joining the Fish arm crowd but decide against. 

Run up to the forebay buoy line and cast my swimbaits, the breeze starts up and catch a swimbait bass. Better jig weather then swimbaits and return to the old folks home and plan to stay. Start on the wall side, make a half hearted cast getting ready to settle in. Take up the slack and turn the reel handle a half turn and shake it. The line jumps slack, I know what that means and reel fast sweeping the rod back setting the hook. This bass runs and jumps a full body length length out of the water and Runs straight under the boat out the other side. I push the rod tip down below the TM prop and swing around to fight the bass going fast away from me. I never had a LMB a 100’ run before. It’s all deep water along the walls and just need to keep in control. This bass doesn’t want anything to do with the boat and must net this fish.

19.3 lbs, short of my life long goal to catch a 20+. So many giant bass being caught I am still confident The 20+ or WRB is possible back in 1993.

Tom

Thank all for the positive support, really appreciate it.

Just thought to tell my untold history behind the bass in my avatar.

It’s hard to comprehend what Bassin magazine’s million dollar   Circus caused for lake Castiac, you had to be there.

Castaic is a V shaped lake, 2 arms; fishing and ski arms. The dam is nearly a mile long and 300’ high rip rap faced and off limits to fishing. The lake is small, each arm about 1 1/2 miles, steep rocky banks with a few 1/2 mile long creek arms.

People came from several states with motor homes and boats to get in on the prize money.

Castaic opens 1/2 hour after sunrise, closes 1/2 hour before sunset. The lake is maxed out with 300 parking spaces.

The motor homes can park in a over look area, setting up spotting 200 power scopes to watch anglers and phone information to the boater. Catch a bass and boats show up.

This went on everyday for nearly 3 years at Castaic.

For these reasons I fished out of my 14’ Lund w/15 hp Evinrude with my older Lowrance paper graph and Hummimng Bird super 30 flasher. My Skeeter bass boat stayed home because you launch a bass boat and all eyes follow you.

Castias wasn’t as easy to snoop or as pressured, but about the same size lake with a big island separating the lake into 2 arms.

The big difference is Castias has camping areas to accommodate hundreds of anglers that can stay for months. The pressure was about equal for 3 years.

 

Thanks again Tom.

A-Jay

 

[gim]

Those are some interesting and entertaining stories. I wasn’t even born yet for some of it. The golden age of largemouth fishing, in pursuit of the next world record. Tom literally lived it.

[papajoe222]

Hunting for trophy bass sounds excitng, but it really isn't.  Catching trophy bass is exciting and that's the reason those guys and others hunt them, that and the remote possibility of one being the world record..  I use that verb because those anglers are doing the same thing hunters do to bag their prey.  Long hours spent scouring potential areas that a trophy may use. Then sitting on that spot for hours painstakingly waiting and when it does finally happen, doing your best to bag her. Your success rate depends on both your skill in finding spots, a little luck in a trophy being there when you are and a lot of skill enticing her to bite. All that still doesn't guarantee success as you still have to land her and she's had years of experience avoiding that.   Gotta give them and Tom props for sticking it out.  

[A-Jay]

11 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

Hunting for trophy bass sounds excitng, but it really isn't.  Catching trophy bass is exciting and that's the reason those guys and others hunt them, that and the remote possibility of one being the world record..  I use that verb because those anglers are doing the same thing hunters do to bag their prey.  Long hours spent scouring potential areas that a trophy may use. Then sitting on that spot for hours painstakingly waiting and when it does finally happen, doing your best to bag her. Your success rate depends on both your skill in finding spots, a little luck in a trophy being there when you are and a lot of skill enticing her to bite. All that still doesn't guarantee success as you still have to land her and she's had years of experience avoiding that.   Gotta give them and Tom props for sticking it out.  

I am totally on the other side of the fence from you on this deal.

Hunting for trophy bass (Green Or Brown) most certainly IS exciting. 

In fact, it represents the very essence of bass fishing for me. 

May not match your style but it completely matches mine.

Bass Fishing "Success" can be and is measured & perceived different by most all us.

Doing whatever it takes, for as long as it takes to catch trophies, is how I measure it for myself. 

The hunt is EVERYTHING - the catches are the icing on the cake. 

So there's a different perspective. 

A-Jay

 

 

[TnRiver46]

Thanks @WRBAnd @A-Jay

[Swamp Girl]

Tom (@WRB) is also generous with his vast knowledge. I literally live a continent away from Tom and many climates away too (the piney Northeast versus the desert Southwest), but he tenders the time to share his vast knowledge. We also both smitten by the Canadian Shield. Cut us and you'll see our blood is tannin-tinted.

[roadwarrior]

9 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I am totally on the other side of the fence from you on this deal.

Hunting for trophy bass (Green Or Brown) most certainly IS exciting. 

In fact, it represents the very essence of bass fishing for me. 

May not match your style but it completely matches mine.

Bass Fishing "Success" can be and is measured & perceived different by most all us.

Doing whatever it takes, for as long as it takes to catch trophies, is how I measure it for myself. 

The hunt is EVERYTHING - the catches are the icing on the cake. 

So there's a different perspective. 

A-Jay

 

 

I'm with you!

 

[Swamp Girl]

12 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

Hunting for trophy bass sounds excitng, but it really isn't

 

I've never hunted for trophy bass. I did musky fish a few years and whereas I never caught a fish bigger than 50" (My biggest was 48", which sounds close, but it's a long ways in MuskyWorld from 50".), I did experience the hunt and the hunt is hard. You can go a week and not catch a single fish. It's cast, cast, cast, cast, and take a brief break because you're hurting from lobbing billy club-sized baits.

 

The excitement is when a musky sidles up to your canoe and glares at you. And then it moves beyond excitement when you're figure-eighting and the musky hits with 20" of line between the tip of your rod and the tip of its fury. That's a jolt that echoes through you 30 years later. 

 

However, what Tom did strikes me as harder. Much harder. Lots of fishers have caught 50" muskies. Tom's peers could probably be counted on one hand. 

[roadwarrior]

25 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Tom's peers could probably be counted on one hand.