Absolute UNIT.
Bassmaster Elite Series Pro, Matt Robertson, just became a millionaire fishing for smallmouth down in Nashville. But up in Wisconsin, another man was making history this weekend with an absolute behemoth of a smallmouth bass.
Austin Schiefer of Neenah, Wisconsin, was fishing in up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, a well-known smallmouth hotspot up here, when he hooked in to this tank that pushed up over 9 and a half pounds. The previous record of 9 pounds and 1 ounce was set more than 75 years ago in 1950 on a smaller lake in Oneida Country.
As the owner of Schief’s Custom Baits, I would assume he was using one of his own soft-plastics, but it was not disclosed on social media:
“Look what I did today. I’m beyond words. Thanks to my guide Ted Johnson! Pending state record smallmouth at 9.70 pounds!”
Austin confirmed in a follow up post that it was officially certified for the record books.
He added that it was a male with an empty stomach, which is pretty unheard of in freshwater fishing. Nearly all trophy fish are females, however there has been some research out of Canada that suggest northern smallmouth males can be uncharacteristically large.
Nevertheless, a once in a lifetime fish for Austin:
“Well it’s official! I now have the WI State record smallmouth bass, what a crazy last 24 hours.
This morning at 10 I met with the DNR Biologists certified and paperwork is on its way to Madison. And get this! It was a male and was #9.70 with an empty stomach. I really wish this fish could have swam away that part stings quite a bit.
But, it means a everything to me to share this with the people that mean the most to me like my grandpa Paul who taught me most of my fishing knowledge, my grandma Char, my girlfriend Mackenzie Elizabeth Jean, and my friend and net man Ted Johnson.
The previous record stood for over 75 years. I always thought the record would be broken soon. I just never thought it would be me to break it. It’s still surreal.”
As a Wisconsin angler myself, with a particular affinity for smallmouth bass, I can’t even begin to fathom what a near 10-pound smallmouth looks like. I’ve caught a handful of 4s and 5s, which are really nice fish in their own right… but when you get up near Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay in particular, they can grow pretty big.
And while most folks who fish up there often enough will have 5 and 6 pounders, maybe even 7s at times… we’re talking about a smallmouth bass that was up near 10 pounds! Truly a unicorn… it’s no surprise why it took 75 years to break.
Congrats Austin!
