2021 Recap - 2021 may have been my best bass fishing season. I had an incredible spring, a decent summer with the exception of the first weeks of August, and a very ...more good fall. I finished seventh overall in the Kayak Anglers of Western Pennsylvania’s Angler the Year standings (see my earlier post). On my best numbers day, I got 28 largemouth bass at Cross Creek. But, my best trip had to be two days in May at Presque Isle Bay. I caught over 20 smallmouth on those two days, the best five were all between 18 1/2 and 21 1/2 inches for a total of 97 inches for five fish and 23 lbs 9 oz. Two were over 5 1/2 lbs. On back to back days, I beat my personal best smallie. I even caught a 36 inch steelhead. In May alone, I caught 8 smallmouth over four pounds and 2 over five pounds. While I was usually targeting large our smallmouth bass, I also managed to catch a few hybrid stripers at Lake Arthur, the biggest being 24 inches and 7 lbs. The best part of 2021 was getting to try new bodies of water. Because of the tournaments, I was able to fish several new places, including Pymatuning, Wilhelm, Conneaut, Woodcock, Shenango, the Middle and Lower Allegheny River, the Kisky, and the Susquehanna River. And of course, I put in many days at Cross Creek and Lake Arthur, my more regular haunts. Now that my fishing season is over, spring can not get here fast enough!
5 lb. 9 oz. 21 in. Smallmouth Bass
