TB,

this is how it is going to be. ID'ing the fish is just for us to make sure everything is correct.


"Make it easy on yourself Starless. When a pic is sent in, they have to tell you what it is in order to get credit for the catch. You just check it out to ensure they are right... Fuzzy or blurred pics should be canned immediatly... Just a thought."

I spoke with Joedy Gray this morning (12/20/06). He's the angling records and awards program director for TP&W. Among other things I requested that the Chain Pickerel be placed in the Big Fish Awards program.

Another matter we talked about was a Texas Blackbass Grand Slam award. It would be awarded for earning a Big Fish Award for each of the following species which are available to Texas anglers.

• Largemouth Bass
• Smallmouth Bass
• Spotted Bass
• Guadalupe Bass

There are a number of lakes here in East Texas that have Chain Pickerel in them. In addition to the ones previously mentioned the following lakes also have water body records for Chain Pickerel:

Tyler, Hawkins (I've got this record), Pat Mayse (the state record Chain Pickerel is from this lake, not Caddo as many believe), the lake at Dangerfield State Park. There may be others that I'm unaware of. I'm not sure what makes for a pickerel lake. There are some lakes here in East Texas that have them and some that don't, and there's nothing that I've been able to pick out that seperates these two classes of lakes.

FWIW the world record Chain Pickerel is 9 pounds and 6 ounces, and was caught at Homerville, GA on Feb. 17, 1961 by Baxley McQuaig Jr..

The Texas State Record is 4.75 pounds, and 23.75 inches in length, caught on Feb 18, 1996 at Pat Mayse by Robert Finch.

Lake Hawkins is full of them. In fact they were most frisky yesterday. I caught more than a half dozen of them goofing off fishing from the bank. None of that were of any size though.

I fish Canada every summer. The lures you mention are all great lures, but i would add a few more to the list. 1 ounce Chrome or gold Johnson spoons, Zara Spooks in white chrome or gold. 1/2 ounce or 5/8 ounce spinner-baits, white or gold and my personal favorites the 1 ounce Red Eye Wiggler in Chrome or Gold and the 3 inch and 4 inch Rattletraps in Chrome or Gold.

Personal best.
46 inch Northern taken on Apisko in Manitoba.
31 inch Walleye taken on Sassaginagak in Manitoba.

I would bet they are rocking now with the cooler weather. I may have to get out to that lake just to catch a few for old time sake. What I know of them if it is shinny and gold they will hit it.

Best bait for big ones are large golden shiners. We used to get them common up to 3 pounds in PA a 4 pounder is very big for them I would love to have seen the state record.

I know a guy that probably ate a new world record out of the Sinamahony River in upstate PA. From the pics it was definitely a PA state record and should have been close to the WR from Georgia. He simply did not know any better in fact he thought it was a "cool looking pike".

Caught a few last year out at Lake O' The Pines up the river...don't know much about them.

I used to target them in the cooler months when I lived in MD. They are a hoot and it sure was fun watching that V wake when they shot out of the weeds to nail whatever bait I was using.

TFP - throw a Yellow Bass in too


Everyone - what is this Multi Species Event of which you speak?

Wait - that would not be a BLACK BASS slam then would it?

Coach - The multi species event is a Tournament that Fortworthbret is putting on, and I am assisting.

It's been in our signatures for oh, about the last 4 months! Lol.

It's a tournament that will begin on the first of January, and last for quite a few months. And it will be won by the person who catches the highest number of species! Size of individual fish doesn't matter, it's all about catching as many individual species as possible.

Click the links below.

Coach,

There is also some thought being given to a Texas True Bass Grand Slam Award. Which would be given for earning Big Fish Awards for the following species.

• Yellow Bass
• White Bass (Sand Bass)
• Striped Bass (Striper)
• Hybrid (Wiper)(Sunshine Bass) {White Bass X Striped Bass}

Shootfire!

There could also be Texas Grand Slams for Catfish, Channel, Blue, Flathead, Black Bullhead; Sunfish Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, Redear Sunfish, Redbreasted Sunfish, and Warmouth.

Even a Gar Grand Slam. Longnosed Gar, Shortnosed Gar, Spotted Gar, and Alligator Gar.

Personally, I'd do a Texas Sunfish PentaSlam, and a Texas Crappie DuoSlam rather than calling them Grad Slams.

At this stage of things though the Blackbass Grand Slam is the one being seriously considered.

TFP

My son-in-law and I caught several last year on Caddo. Easy fishing on a buzzbait. Left Shady Glade and fished north towards Bradly Canal. Never had to get off the trolling motor. Hit a buzzbait like a polaris missile and fight great. Just need water at about 50 degrees and lots of grass.