History was made last week when two anglers broke the 100-pound weight mark with bags exclusively composed of smallmouth bass at the Elite Series event on the St. Lawrence River. Winner and relative newcomer Jay Prezkurat, along with smallmouth ace Cory Johnson, cracked the code and exceeded a 5-pound average for the entirety of the tournament. Productive lures were the usual dropshots and Ned rigs, with tubes and a little marabou thrown in for good measure.
It was just a matter of time. The weather cooperated last week, allowing competitors the ability to not only travel far, but have ample time to fish once they found their destinations. We also heard reports of a full-moon influence, something that can be hit or miss for deep water smallmouth, but may play a role in firing things up.
Technology was the biggest factor of all, whether reported or not. As professional anglers get better with forward-facing sonar, now in the rotation long enough for nearly all competitors to get comfortable, we’re seeing higher catch rates across the board. Nowhere is this more significant than with structure-orientated, deep-water smallmouth. I pity any angler who went into this tournament resisting the new gear.
As I look back at competitive fishing’s history, the inclusion of Great Lakes smallmouth fishing is one of the biggest game-changers of our sport. I remember when the Bassmaster Tournament Trail first went to Clayton, N.Y. My old friend Rich Tauber, a competitor back in those days, used to tell a story about watching Gary Klein drive off over the horizon on a particularly nasty day, sure that he’d never see his friend again. It was a true test of survival. Old-schoolers like me will remember Jimmy Houston fishing out of a boat powered by an inboard/outboard, and Rick Clunn waking spinnerbaits to glory.
Through the years, big-water anglers changed the sport. Boat manufacturers took note of the customer base and refined rigs to hold up to the pounding and bring anglers back safe. Ranger Boats led the way with craftsmanship and refinements far beyond the others, and buyers took note. Today, we have a number of manufacturers producing rigs that are light years ahead of those from a few decades ago.
GPS made its way through the Great Lakes fleet first, then later settled into the boats of competitors all across North America. Side Imaging went the same path, followed, of course, by GPS-assisted trolling motors. All of these really gripped the market first through big-water smallmouth fishermen.
Thanks to the inclusion of Great Lakes smallmouth, the bass fishing industry has likely doubled in size. That happened just recently, really. Even back in my day – when big tournaments visited these areas annually – the overall sport only partially expanded. But thanks to better equipment and promotion of these fisheries, anglers began to travel to the premier smallmouth destinations and take part. Now, the Great Lakes include some of the biggest destinations in bass fishing, topping many of the premier Southern bass lakes in springtime visitors.
We must be careful, however. First, it’s never wise to underestimate the Great Lakes, regardless of the boat you’re piloting. It may interest readers to know that some of my top-producing hot spots on Lake Erie were shipwrecks. Ships. Three hundred feet long. Sure, most steamed across the lakes back before modern technology, but, still, it takes a lot to sink a 300-foot vessel. It was always eerie hovering above one in a 20-foot bass rig.
Three things here. Self-inflating life jackets should be worn at all times. My gosh, why not? They’re so easy.
Second, carry and check your flares, and have an anchor. These will both save your life. Surprisingly, not many boats pass by when it’s raining with 6-footers. Be sure you can flag down those that do.
Last, clean and check your bilge pumps; a real Great Lakes rig always has two. I carried a third in a waterproof box, complete with long leads and discharge hose. It came out three times in 20 years, never for me, but each time saving a sinking boater. A bass-boater.
Another subject we must take time to breach: Year after year, bass tournaments kill thousands of big smallmouths. Don’t believe me? Go drive around Lake St. Clair the day after a big event.
Face it: If the fish you’re weighing in are floating on the top of your bag, red-finned, missing scales and gasping for air, those fish are as good as DEAD. No penalty, sure. But dead in the long run.
We’re better than that, folks. Run livewells with fresh water full-time, all day. Use ice in your wells on a regular basis and lower the temp. And, for goodness sake, don’t beat your fish to death. That’s the real culprit; horrific boat rides for you and (all) of your passengers.
You can always tell a real Great Lakes fisherman. His fish are dark and lively at weigh-in time, freaking out when they hit the bump tub. Ask him how he keeps them that way.
Yes, history was made, and we’re better off for it. The Great Lakes still possess the unknown and undiscovered that you’ll never find anywhere else in bass fishing. Are you ready to explore?
(Joe Balog is the often-outspoken owner of Millennium Promotions, Inc., an agency operating in the fishing and hunting industries. A former Bassmaster Open and EverStart Championship winner, he's best known for his big-water innovations and hardcore fishing style. He's a popular seminar speaker, product designer and author, and is considered one of the most influential smallmouth fishermen of modern times.)
