Bass potpourri
With bass season in full swing these days, there’s plenty of chatter, tidbits and
Nice bass: Yours truly with a sweet Simcoe smallie
interesting info about all things large- and smallmouth on the Web these days. Here are a few of the most compelling items to cross my desktop recently…
Last Monday, July 31, Wil Wegman, the Ontario BASS Federation Nation Conservation and Media Director and a good friend of Outdoor Canada magazine, posted an update on the Lake Simcoe Bass Tagging Research Project on a couple of Ontario-based Internet forums, including the Ontario Fishing Network and the Lake Simcoe Message Board. The project is part of a multi-year Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Community Fisheries and Wildlife Involvement Program with the Aurora Bassmasters and the Ontario BASS Federation Nation, which aims to track the movements of bass in Lakes Simcoe and Couchiching. Of particular interest in Wegman’s update, were details on two tagged smallies caught on Simcoe during the BASS Federation Nation Eastern Divisional tournament July 22, 23 and 24. Wegman wrote of the fish:
“1) Caught by renowned Federation Nation angler and former FNC Champion and Bassmaster Classic qualifier … Ed Cowan of New York on July 23. When Ed caught it, the fish measured 49.5 cm yet when it was originally caught and sampled during the Barrie Bassmaster Open Tournament in Kempenfelt Bay in 2007 it measured 49.4 cm. Not much growth – but still a healthy fish that was released in good shape. We aged the bass in 2007 at 10 years old – so it’s 12 now. Ed weighed it in @ 2.0 kg or 4.42 lbs and originally – in late Oct 07 (when these bass are at their fattest) – it weighed an even 5 lbs. Ed’s fish was not previously fizzed.
2) Caught by renowned Canadian Angler Rob Hyatt of North Bay on July 24. When Rob caught it, it weighed 6.61 lbs on our hand scales and when it was originally caught and sampled (2008 BPS Open out of Sibbald’s) it weighed 5.51lbs. It measured 49.8 cm last year in Oct and 8 months later it measured 50.5cm. It was one big fat smallie and grew quickly. It was aged at 11 years old last fall. Rob’s fish was previously fizzed. Unfortunately Rob’s fish was also one of the few that did not make it and I received the tags back from the Live Release boat.”
You can check out his report at either of the links above. And, if you happen to be fishing Simcoe and catch a tagged bass, please help the research project by calling in the tag number, the fish’s measurement and details on where it was caught and released.
Speaking of catch-and-release, BASS has recently published a revised version of its “Keeping Bass Alive” booklet on it’s Web site. First published in 1972 to help tourney anglers ensure the survival of fish, the updated version can be downloaded as a pocket guide or by section (fizzing, water quality, weigh-in, hooking, landing and handling, livewell management). Whether you’ve an old pro or a fishing fry, it’s an insightful read.
Finally, while you’re at the BASS Web site, check out the story on the how the pending world-record largemouth bass—a 22-pound 5-ounce monster caught July 2 by Manabu Kurita in Japan’s Lake Biwa—got to the land of the rising sun. It’s an interesting tale, especially given that most bucketmouth experts predicted the next WR largemouth would almost certainly come from California. And with record-size bass on my mind, associate editor Bob Sexton and I are off to Lake Simcoe tomorrow or Friday to search out some of those six-pound smallies. And just maybe we can find their grandma.
