But first here’s some fish caught close to home.

Reports have been skimpy of late but bass are being caught. A 15 boat tournament on Sep 13 at Hernando on the Tsala Apopka Chain was no surprise with number of fish weighed in of 28….1st place went to Milt Shuffield 5 fish that weighed 8.37 lbs. Big Bass was 4.06. Shuffield is not new to the winners circle. I’ve witnessed this guy throw what appears to be a trickworm. It’s been his $ maker. He not only won but had Big Bass too.

The Village ponds are producing numbers too but nothing huge YET. Pictured below is President Randy DiSanto & VP Rob Husson.

 

 

 

 

 

Then there’s new FFC member Susan Loefler that visited Lake Eustis recently and caught this nice bass on a Zoom Junebug Trickworm.

 

Bassmaster Elite Anglers, for the first time, fished their final tournament before the Bassmaster Classic at Mille Lacs Lake, MN. Also this tournament would crown the Angler Of The Year (AOY)….The lake’s walleye population was said to be suffering but none of the Bassmaster competitors thought so. They’d caught many during the event. They also said that Mille Lacs is ” The best smallmouth fishery ever”. That says volumes considering they’ve caught giants from TVA Lakes & the Great Lakes. But consider this…..at Toledo Bend last May, the day 2 weight was 50lbs for leader KVD & that was largemouth bass….On day 2, the weight at Mille Lacs with leader Seth Fieder was 50 lb 3 ounces….all smallmouth.

On day 1 there were 23 bags with weight over 20 lbs….on day 2 there were 24 bags over 20 lbs. Most all the anglers spoke about the phenomenal fishery and stressed to the locals to protect it. Brent Ehler caught the Smallmouth Big Bass of the tournament that weighed a whopping 6 lb 10 oz. Seth Fieder came in on day 3 with a mega weight of Smallmouth totaling 26 lb 2 oz clinching a win at Mille Lacs.

The Mille Lacs tournament was the culmination of events for the season to crown the AOY. Gerald Swindle, Greg Hackney, & Keith Combs were vying for the title. Hackney was knocked out 2 tournaments prior to Mille Lacs for a rules infraction. That left Keith Combs. Combs was mathematically able to win if Gerald “G MAN” Swindle had some bad days….and “G MAN” had 2 bad days.

Emcee, Dave Mercer, during the season would always ask “G” if he ever thinks about the AOY points? “G” always denied it but it was obvious that it was mentally taking it’s toll on him. Here’s a guy that hadn’t won a tournament all year but consistently finished high enough in each event to give him that potential win for AOY….and in “G MAN” fashion he weighed in 22 lbs on day 3 locking him into position of AOY.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Without a doubt it was no walk in the park for the “G MAN” to capture the Bassmaster AOY title. Congratulations to 2 time winning AOY Gerald Swindle. You deserved it.

Also it’s safe to say once this hits TV, Mille Lacs & vicinity will be put on the map. Go to millelacs.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve Henderson