New Idaho Smallmouth Bass Record

[WB Staff]

Joey Walton holding record smallmouth bass
Joey Walton with his state-record bronzeback. Courtesy IDFG
East of Lewiston, near the central Idaho town of Orofino, sprawls Dworshak Reservoir, which has a long history of giving up hefty smallmouth bass. Idaho angler Joey Walton had caught other big smallmouths from the 20,000-acre lake, including fish over 8 pounds.

He believed if he stayed focused and kept trying for a lunker bass, he’d eventually succeed, even in frigid winter weather, with snow and ice stacked around lake shores.

So early the morning of Dec. 13, when most folks were Christmas shopping, skiing, snowmobiling, or sitting indoors by the fireplace, Joey Walton set out for a long run in his bass boat.

Bundled up in clothing more akin to ice fishing than open-water bass casting, he ran across the frigid 54-mile-long reservoir looking for an outsize bass...

Full Story: https://www.sportfishingmag.com/news/ne ... ss-record/

[BIG DADDY BLUE RANGER]

Awesome fish! Misleading title.... lake record maybe but the article doesn't say. Last time I checked 9.1 is less than 9.72..... Still and awesome catch either way but not a " NEW Idaho Smallmouth Bass Record"

[WB Staff]

Didnt write the title ... only sharing the news that was written

Regardless, within the artilce it says...

After weighing the fish and using a measuring board to verify an accurate length and getting some quick photos, Walton released the 23.75-inch, 9.1-pound smallmouth back to the deep, clear, frigid waters of Dworshak Reservoir.

Koenig, who is IDFG’s Natural Resource Program Coordinator, confirmed Walton’s bass is the new catch-and-release Idaho smallmouth record.

so... that's most likely where the title comes from.

[BIG DADDY BLUE RANGER]

so not the biggest smallie caught in the state but a subcategory “record “for catch and release

The catch itself is most impressive, but calling it a “record “is not imho. About as unimpressive as line class records.

I wasn’t trying to criticize WB for reposting the article, just my commentary on my the articles attention grabbing headline

9.1 is still very impressive

[WB Staff]

Yes very impressive