Travis Wendt not too long ago set a brand new state file for one of many nation’s most sought-after species of recreation fish. Wendt went fishing on Idaho’s Dworshak Reservoir on Could 10 and ended up hooking right into a chunky smallmouth bass. He measured the massive bronzeback and launched it.
“On a uncommon time off, I caught up on the enterprise of life, loaded the pups up, and went on a solo journey to Dworshak,” Wendt, a fishing information for Reel Time Fishing, wrote in a Facebook post. “I accomplished my day with my private finest—23.5 inches by 18 inches and seven kilos, 11 ounces.”
The fish was not solely a private finest however it was not too long ago confirmed by Idaho Fish and Recreation (IDFG) as the brand new state catch and launch file for the species. It beat a 22.75-incher that was caught at Dworshak again in 2020.
The Dworshak Reservoir is one thing of a trophy smallmouth hotspot. Based on the IDFG, it has not solely produced the previous two catch-and-release data but in addition the entire state’s certified-weight smallmouth bass data since 1982. The present state file for weight is a 9.72-pounder that was caught by Dan Steigers in 2006.
“Biologists have realized that huge bass in Dworshak have a cyclical sample, associated to the fluctuating numbers of kokanee within the reservoir,” explains the IDFG in a press release. “In years when kokanee are considerable—and often smaller because of this—they supply the ample meals wanted to develop supersize smallmouth.”
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IDFG fisheries biologist Eli Felts predicted record-breaking smallies from the reservoir in March 2022—a prediction that was simply confirmed correct. “Final fall I acquired a number of experiences of smallmouth over 8 kilos being caught,” he wrote. “I wouldn’t be stunned to see the present state file be challenged over the subsequent couple of years.”
