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Ravenna angler hauls in record-breaking bass
By Bruce Hysmith, Fisheries Biologist - Inland Fisheries Division, District 2A (Collin, Cooke, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Montague, Parker, and Wise Counties)
May 18, 2007
Caddo National Grasslands in Fannin County, Texas -- A recent record catch and release of a largemouth bass from 350-acre Lake Davy Crockett on the grasslands, proved a couple of points shared by largemouth bass fishing aficionados:
Number one, small reservoirs produce big bass and number two, when first-time fishing a new reservoir, fish along the dam. Riprap along most dams provide excellent habitat for baitfish; hence, attracts large predator fish such as the largemouth bass.
Chad Richardson of nearby Ravenna, TX found both to be true around sundown last Thursday, May 10 when he tossed his Chatter bait in amongst some stumps along the dam at Lake Davy Crockett. His 12.59-pound and 26.5-inch bass jumped all over the Chatter bait, but catching the record largemouth bass was the easy part, now Chad had to locate someone to certify the weight of his fish in case it had record potential. By this time he knew there was record potential because it was bigger than the current “lake record” for Lake Davy Crockett and also the state catch and release record was 26.0 inches.
After several hours he finally made contact with Game Warden Eddie Hines of Fannin County who was detailed to duty at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. He provided Chad with our telephone number. Meanwhile Rusty Ponder, a local taxidermist, became involved and directed Chad to the Tackle Box where there is a certified scale. I met them at the Tackle Box to complete my part of the process.
By now Chad had the big fish in his live well approximately 15 hours and upon inspection it looked pretty well beat up. I explained that the catch and release program was based on being able to release the fish alive back into the reservoir where it was caught.
In fact, documentation requires only the fish’s length, photographs of the fish along side a measuring device and with the angler, and a witness to the catch and release. Take several photographs because the fish must be identified to species using your photographs. Steve Dunkle offered the use of his 500-gallon aquarium in which to hold the fish. I told Chad that if his fish survived 72 hours and he released it back into Lake Davy Crockett, we would process his application not only for “lake record,” but state record catch and release as well.
After weighing and measuring the fish was placed in the aquarium where it survived the required 72 hours and in fact, looked 100% improved by Monday. Chad loaded the fish back into his live well and I followed him the Lake Davy Crockett where the fish was released. Florida largemouth bass have been stocked in the lake, but we did not identify the fish’s genetics.
By this printing Chad is back at work for Baker Oil Tool in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. He was raised in Ravenna, TX and graduated from Sam Rayburn High School in 1998. He was discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps about 1.5 years ago, where he had served since high school.
If you catch a lake record give us a call at 903-786-2389 or bruce.hysmith@tpwd.state.tx.us.