As we approach the final hours of 2021, let's take a look at some of the biggest bass to hit the Ketch Board in 2021.
Let's not waste any time getting right into the Big Bass action, starting with the smallest of the Big Bass, though there is definitely nothing small about it.
19.00” Largemouth | HKB Turkey Bowl | Mark Howell
During the 2021 HKB State Championship, Mark Howell of Plainfield Indiana, took home $400 cash and Big Bass honors for this beautiful, West Boggs Lake Largemouth!
Mark was graphing offshore 12' to 20' depth, looking for schooling bass or schooling crappie. Every time he found schooling crappie, there were bass with them.
Mark was just dropping the Green Pumpkin Zman TRD, with 1/10th oz. Ned head in schools of crappie & jiggling it like a spoon. At 2:45pm, with less than an hour to go, Mark set the hook.
When he felt the head shake, he knew it was a better bass and sure enough, it was, measuring at 19 inches!
19.25” Largemouth | HKB State Championship | Adam Murray
The next BB on the list came from the 2021 HKB State Championship, where Indianapolis Knight, Adam Murray, landed a 19.25” Largemouth to take BB honors for the event.
Adam was scanning a main lake point with his Garmin unit when he found a school of pre-spawners feeding on some bait fish in about 3-5 feet of water. After scanning over the school, Adam made a cast with a Jackhammer and this, she hit on contact!
Alright, as impressive as those catches were, let's get into the real juice.
While the last two were solid catches for a single event, these next few Biggin's hold the BB title for the 2021 season in their respective series or clubs.
We jump for 19" largies, all the way to the 21" class with this next big bass.
21.50” Largemouth | Indiana Kayak Anglers | Jack VANDENBERGHE
Jack landed this lunker on Robinson Lake, right around 9:30 in the morning. Jack was fishing the outside edges of grass matts with a weightless senko, this big ol' girl couldn't resist the shimmy and hit it on the fall! This fish anchored Jacks 94.50" limit and lead Jack to first IKA win!
22.00" SMALLMOUTH | IKA HOOSIER BIG BASS HUNT | JIM NEVINS
Up next is this beautiful 22 inch smallie during the season long IKA Big Bass Hunt.
Though we weren't able to reach Jim for any comments on this catch, sometimes a picture's worth a thousand words. We can just picture Jim on some beautiful stretch of moving water, in the fight of his life, line tight and his rod fully loaded up!
Truly a beautiful Indiana trophy smallmouth bass.
Now you're probably wondering, if that was the Big Smallie of the IKA BB Hunt then what was the Big Largemouth of the event? Don't worry, more on that to come but first, let's take a look at the BB for both SIYAK and the KBF Challenge Series.
22.25” Largemouth | SIYAK & KBF | MATT KIEFER
This one should be no surprise, as Matt Kiefer has been putting up some tanks over the past couple seasons, including this long & lean post spawn largemouth.
Matt landed her on Bluegrass, Aug 5th at 10:30 am, with a Big TRD on a Swagger Tackle 1/5 oz Tungsten Ned Head. Using a St. Croix Victory VTS610MLXF. Shimano Nasci 1000 Reel with 10# High Vis Braid and an 8# FC Sniper Leader.
Coming in at 22.25 inches, this lean mean fighting machine was just long enough to land Matt Big Bass Honors for the season in the KBF (IN) Challenge series and for the 2021 SIYAK Season.
Matt was awarded by SIYAK Sponsor, King Angler, with a custom built rod! Rumor has it that Matt caught a few more biggin's since he won this rod…
BACK FOR ANOTHER SEASON IN 2022
Don't miss your opportunity to cash in on your success in 2022!
Are you Ready? Who landed the BB of the year and just how big was it…?
Matt wasn't the only angler to land one over 22" and claim BB honors in more than one series. Coming in at the top spot and with Big Bass Of The Year, was Mr. Michael Luke with this beautiful 22.50" Lake Summit Largemouth
22.50” Largemouth | GRBY & IKA BIG BASS HUNT | Michael Luke
Michael Caught this Hawg during the second event of the GRBY Summit Lake Series. After fishing for a few hours without a bite, Michael was starting to get frustrated and decided to totally switch things up and head to the other end of the lake. On his way there, he decided to stop in one area where he had landed a decent fish in a previous tournament. Michael was fishing a grassy main lake point in 6 to 8 feet of water.
"I wasn't there long and hooked into that fish .When I first set the hook, I thought ...catfish, or snagged carp, or something like that b/c It was staying down. After a bit, I saw my line start coming up and realized it was probably a bass at that point. Sure enough, she gave a couple surface head-shakes before I landed her… “
Michael measured her at 22.50", earning him Big Bass Honors for GRBY and IKA for the season, as well as the Big Bass Of The Year for all series here in the Hoosier State!
Thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with us! Always cool to look back and see what was done throughout the season. I don't know about you, but I'm more charged up than ever now to go catch a new PB!
In 2022, will continue to track the Big Bass Honors and you can expect us to share the weekly Big bass Catches from around the state, as we get into the 2022 tournament season!
Share your Big Bass catches with us on instagram by tagging us @hoosierkayakbassin and using #hoosierkayakbassin in your post.
Like what you see!?
Stay tuned, we have many more blogs like this one coming soon!
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