New World Record Sunfish Caught

New World Record Sunfish Caught

Newer Record Set!

New World Record Sunfish Caught: He was soaking a live nightcrawler a foot above bottom on a drop-shot rig in 10 feet of water on mighty Lake Havasu February 16, hoping to hook a sunfish or perhaps a bass, when something remarkably large inhaled his bait. In-Fisherman… Dan Johnson - February 28, 2014

“I couldn’t believe it,” he says. “I’ve caught red ears up to 2½ pounds, but nothing close to this.”

End of a Marathon – Lessons from Tournament Day

End of a Marathon: Tournament Day Gone Wrong

Sure, we’ve all had one of those days. Today was tournament day, and after a long Friday at work, we rolled into Lawrence around 9 PM—just in time to discover it was KU Graduation Weekend.


The scramble for a hotel room

First stop? No luck. It quickly became clear we might be spending the night in the truck at the ramp. As luck would have it, the very first hotel we called had an available room. We checked in, settled down, and prepped for the 4:30 AM derby wake-up.

Buzzbait Conditions

Buzzbait Conditions

The conditions were perfect for a buzzbait bite — post-frontal weather, a light chop on the water, and just enough surface distortion to hide the bait’s outline. A textbook setup.

Every time conditions line up like that, I start hoping the bass will commit to topwater. When they do — wow. There’s nothing like the explosion of a big fish hammering that bait across the surface.

Buzzbait Conditions

When It Works Best

  • Low skies and low light, especially on a slightly cooler day
  • Shallow fish holding near visible cover — the buzzbait flushes them out
  • Over wood, vegetation, or any structure that gives fish a good ambush spot
  • Light wind to flat calm water
  • Stained or clear water where visibility varies
[![buzzbait conditions](/static/images/black.webp)]
Classic buzzbait conditions

I like to keep things simple: a single-blade buzzbait, white or black depending on water and light. Sometimes I’ll add a fluke or spinnerbait-style trailer, but often I just run the skirt by itself. KVD swears by adding a trailer hook — it’s worth experimenting to see what gives you confidence.

Bassmaster Pro James Niggemeyer Saves Man and Toddler in Lake Murray Rescue

Bassmaster Pro James Niggemeyer Saves Man and Toddler in Lake Murray Rescue

🎣 Bassmaster Pro James Niggemeyer Saves Man and Toddler in Lake Murray Rescue

Dramatic Rescue on Tournament Day

On the morning of Thursday, May 12, 2011, Lake Murray was the setting for the first day of the Bassmaster Evan Williams Bourbon Carolina Clash—but for professional angler James Niggemeyer and his Marshal, Russ Sorrells, the focus quickly shifted from fishing to a desperate rescue.

Speeding toward their initial fishing spot, the pair spotted a situation often warned about, but rarely witnessed: a father and his young son struggling in the water, their own vessel still running dangerously close by.

TOP LURES FOR MARCH: Top 50 Lure Rankings

TOP LURES FOR MARCH: Top 50 Lure Rankings

Some interesting info! Top 50 Lure Rankings FOR MARCH 

The Best Time of Year information presented below is derived from Ken Cook’s Pattern Forecast database kencookoutdoors.com TOP LURES FOR MARCH: Top 50 Lure Rankings

Lucky Craft Pointer 100 100 Chartreuse Shad Jerkbait

Lucky Craft Pointer Lure for Spring

Lucky Craft Pointer Lure for Spring

Zoom Finesse Worm 6" Green Pumpkin Worm

Storm Wiggle Wart 3/8 oz Crawfish Crankbait

War Eagle Double Willow Spinnerbait 1/2 oz White/ Chartreuse Spinnerbait