Saturday, Jan 25th - Bennett Lake, Grapeland (footballs on jerkbaits)

Jan 27 2020

Mark Daugherty

Keeper

Member Since :
2015
Number of Posts :
335

Reservation Number : 22852
Property Name : Bennett Lake
Reservation Date : 01/25/2020 All Day -
Total Fish/Sizes : 37 / up to 4lbs 11oz
Lures Used : Jerkbait and Underspin

Pam and I fished Bennett on Saturday afternoon under partly cloudy skies, wind S at 11 dropping down to calm by evening, outside temps in the 60s, water temp at 52* with 3' viz.  Lake is full and nice color.  We tricked 37 bass up to 4lbs 11oz (majority were 2.0 to 3.5 lbs) almost all on hard jerkbaits until late afternoon when they decided to take a paddletail swimbait on an underspin.  They were chasing shad and my have they been fattening up already!  Everyone one of them seemed as big around as they were long - just super healthy looking.  I have to share a photo of the 4lb 11ozer - fatty.  Much fun! 

Jan 27 2020

Steve Alexander

Admin

Member Since :
2002
Number of Posts :
1178

WOW! that looks a lot bigger than 4.11. Mike Mehlmann, with Bass Forecast will like this photo. 

Jan 29 2020

Mike Mehlmann

Fingerling

Member Since :
2012
Number of Posts :
75

Thanks for the heads up Steve.  Mark, thanks for the props.  I can get you a smaller hat….will make every fish look like a 10 lber

Jan 29 2020

Dale Pybus

Slot Fish

Member Since :
2009
Number of Posts :
186

That's a gawgeous bass.

Jan 30 2020

Andrew Schoonover

Fingerling

Member Since :
2016
Number of Posts :
87

Mark, you sure you had your scale on lbs and not kgs? wink I have never seen a 4.11 look like that before. When I saw the picture before reading the details I thought you had picked up a DD.

Jan 30 2020

Steve Alexander

Admin

Member Since :
2002
Number of Posts :
1178

At 19.5" the fish is 130% of relative weight. Meaning it weighs 30% more than a bass should weigh at that size. We like this, this is a good thing.
 

Most "good" lakes that are not managed, we see bass at 85% to 95% of relative weight. Lakes where harvesting has not occurred and bass are overcrowded we see weights in the 80% range and in rare occasions we see lakes where most fish are in the 70-75% range. 

Highly unusual to see fish over 110% unless the owner is pouring 10's or 100's of thousand of dollars of forage fish to a lake this size. This is an impressive fish for sure. Likely a bit of a freak. A real beauty!!!

Jan 30 2020

Mark Daugherty

Keeper

Member Since :
2015
Number of Posts :
335

Yeah, after I looked at my photos again and saw the feedback - I pulled out my Rapala scale and double checked things.  The readings of our "top fish" from Bennett were still on there and that one reads 4-11.  So, I weighed two different 5 lb weights in my garage gym on the scale - right at 5.0.  Just guessing, I figured this beauty had to be 125% of "relative weight".  The fish at Bennett right now are just "gorged" and "gorgeous" as Dale said!  Thank you Steve/PWF!

P.S. Mike Mehlmann - I'll keep this Bass Forecast hat, I just need to actually a 10lber and join that elusive CLUB that many of y'all are in.

Here's another pic to show off the genetics of this "little" 4-11.  Also, see how the 2.5 lbers are equally chunky as well.

Jan 30 2020

Wayne Pruitt

Slot Fish

Member Since :
2017
Number of Posts :
114

Mark, that is a beast with the weight and length not really matching up which is a great thing. It has shoulders which means it has been doing some major eating. The bait fish in that lake must be worn out trying to stay away from that torpedo blimp thing LOL. Let's name that fish Torpedo Blimp…............fast as a torpedo obviously to catch the bait fish and fat as a blimp…...........yep TB. The bookings at Bennett will be going up rightfully so.