Indiana Bass Federation Youth – Conservation – Fishing
Some of the numbers:
12.5 feet above normal pool level for Monroe Reservoir.
11 clubs in the Zone.
12 teams.
43 boats.
86 Bass anglers.
3,200 8-10 inch bass.
99.90 lbs of 14″ plus bass for one team.
A limit of 5 each day for a total of 30.29 lbs for individual winner Shane Peters.
The Indiana Bass Federation through it’s “Go Fund Me” page and other donations raised enough money to purchase 3,200 bass to be stocked into lake Monroe. The truck from the hatchery arrived at 5:00 AM just as the anglers began arriving. Each angler was given a bag containing water and about 10 largemouth bass between 8 and 10 inches. The idea of taking the fish to their first fishing locations allowed the fish to be release at points all over the lake. A very simple concept that required a lot of work from the IBF directors getting everything arranged and purchased then to the anglers getting the fish out of the hatchery truck and into the bags. Between 800 and 1,000 fish were released by the anglers and the remaining 2,200 were released at three locations around the lake, Paynetown, Cutright and Allen’s Creek. Many of the anglers who fished these areas reported catching fish they believed were stocked as they had a blue gray color. I did not hear of any fish that died being transported to the far reaches of the lake. The plan is to monitor the growth rate and maybe do more stocking throughout Indiana.
The lake was so high the Cutright ramp and shelter was unusable forcing us to relocate to Paynetown Park. With off and on drizzle throughout the day and water temperatures were from 58 to 61 degrees and only slightly stained in most of the lake. The fish bit well if you could get your bait through the trees and brush to the bank. Saturday seen both Shane Peters of the “Bass Assassins”and Dan Guard of Morgan Monroe with 15.71 and 15.21 respectively. Dave Rector of Bass Assassins had big bass Saturday of 6.29
Sunday was cool and damp but the rain had stopped. Eventual team winners Bass Assassins added 54 lbs to Saturday’s 45 lbs. Shane Peters had 15 lb limits each day for a winning 30.29 lbs.
Big Bass for Sunday was Troy Keen with a 7.04 beauty.
Congratulations to all of the teams and money winners. Remember the top 12 qualify for the Larry P. Watson Indiana Bass Federation State Championship as “BOATERS” and the next 12 qualify as NON BOATERS. That tournament is Aug. 3-4, at Tanner’s Creek, Lawrenceburg Indiana. The State Championship has a purse of $15,000.00 split evenly between the Boater and Non Boater division.
The top 10% each day and overall will also qualify to fish the TBF National Semi Finals against Team Illinois one the Mississippi River in the fall.
Money winners for the weekend:
1st place club BASS ASSASSINS’ 99.90 lbs $1,000.00
Big Bass Saturday, Dave Rector 6.28 $430.00
Big Bass Sunday, Troy Keen $430.00
1st Shane Peters, Bass Assassins 30.29 $350.00
2nd Dan Guard, Morgan-Monroe 21.69 $275.00
3rd Barry Gunter, Shakamak B/M 21.49 $225.00
4th Eric Hardesty, Bass Assassins 20.18 $200.00
5th David Goodman, Hendricks Co#1 19.77 $175.00
6th Dave Schneider Jr., Indy Bass 19.54 $150.00
7th Dennis Davis, Cataract 17.70 $125.00
8th David Rector, Bass Assassins 14.90 $100.00
