The Other Opener

Hopes are running high with much anticipation for the "Other Opener" Saturday May 23rd. Of course we're talking smallmouth bass!

In my fishing circle of fellow bassers, talk is revolving around, "will Mille Lacs give up the new Minnesota state record smallmouth bass?" In a conversation with Tom Jones, DNR large lake specialist last year..... Mille Lacs is certianly capable of breaking the state record of 8 pounds even. In prior DNR fish surveys, near record smallmouth bass are being taken on a regular basis. The big question...WILL THIS BE THE YEAR? Only time will tell, but I can assure you one thing, expect to see many die core anglers spending their time on the big pond in the hopes of catching the new state record.

Two years ago in the middle of August, I had a client catch a 6 pound 13 oz smallie....if this fish had been caught in prespawn June, it's conciveable that she would have had more than a pound of spawn... thus pushing this fish to near state record size.

Enough talking...time to go fishing...good luck to all, have a great opener...please feel free to post you fishing reports, and comments on this page.