In my column dated June 4, 2020 I wrote about the retired farmer from the Hollandale area that per him caught a big bass at a Cass County Lake by their place just outside of Longville, MN. He told me he had a picture of the big bass on his cell phone, but in showing me the picture, he couldn’t find it. At that point I became suspicious as most fishermen (myself included) have been known to get fact and fiction a bit confused in their storytelling of an event. I asked the readers of that column to decide whether his story was fact or fiction.
In reading the June 4, 2020 column Allan Brown decided he’d better set the record straight. Following (with picture) is the factual events of the big bass catch and release:
I was fishing May 14, 2020 on a Cass County Lake. After many exciting minutes, I managed to boat a huge small mouth bass. I didn’t have a scale, but did use a tape measure. It measured 21 ¼ inches long with 18.3 inches in girth. The measurements calculated out to eight pounds, 1 ounce to eight pounds 13 ounces. The bass season didn’t open until May 23, so that meant I had to release it after taking the measurements.
The Minnesota State record is eight pounds and was caught in 1948 on West Battle Lake in Otter Tail County.
To qualify for a state record the fish must be caught in open season and weighed on an official scale.
Mr. Brown wants all you readers to know that he is having a replica mount made of the fish.
Mr. Brown made an X on the boat to mark where he caught the big bass and that is exactly where he will be fishing the opening day of bass fishing season 2021 in Minnesota.
Short Shorts:
1. The fashion in virus protection masks for men to wear must have visible the following: real men wear a mask.
2. Our only daughter sent me a Father’s Day card signed. “Love, your favorite daughter, Deb.”
3. As of July 9, 2020, Wayne Indrelie is an octogenarian.
4. Jim Anthony of Albert Lea is what I call “A show-off fisherman.” He likes to fish off the island by Bridge Street in Fountain Lake. Every early morning walk as I go by, he is in the process of landing a fish. I’ve seen him catch a six-pound catfish, an eight-pound northern and a two pound bass. He tells me his secret is letting the fish know ahead of time he is strictly a catch and release fisherman, thus the fish motto of, “Have no fear when Jim is here.”
5. My phone rings, I answer, a voice says, “You’re a winner, it’s your day.” I say to myself, “Another not wanted call.” The voice continues all happy and congratulating me on being a winner. The voice identified herself as being an Albert Lea Tribune employee and I was drawn for a $25 winner of the weekly Albert Lea Reader’s Choice contest. Terri Green, you are most certainly my favorite Albert Lea Tribune employee. (Genie and I enjoyed a Chinese Dinner for two take out plus dessert.)
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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.