Yellow Bass Bonanza exceeds expectations
“Luck is where the crossroads of opportunity and preparation meet.”
There probably weren’t many fishing tournaments in the first century, when Roman philosopher Seneca allegedly coined this oft-quoted adage. Yet some 2,000 years later, his words rang true on the west end of Clear Lake a week ago Saturday.
A total of 195 anglers from six states took part in the inaugural Yellow Bass Bonanza held at McIntosh Woods State Park. Opportunity and preparation met to make the event bigger and better than imagined.
“I just think it was really successful for our first year and not knowing what to expect,” said Chris Scholl, who organized the tournament along with fellow fishing guide Kevan Paul.
“This has got to be 100 times better than I dreamed of,” Paul agreed.
Ice fishing is often a hit-or-miss proposition. High winds with bitter cold can make it a challenging and painful exercise, while unseasonable warmth can make the ice sloppy at best and unsafe at worst.
Regardless of conditions, fish may choose not to bite for reasons fully understood only by the fish.
Everything fell into place for the bonanza. Just-right weather and a strong yellow bass bite came together to provide anglers with the perfect opportunity.
“I’m just happy to be out catching fish,” said Nick Meyer of Milford. “I’ve fished in tournaments where I haven’t caught a thing.”
Fishing at Clear Lake for the first time, Meyer found a concentration of yellow bass almost immediately after the 8 a.m. start. He had his tournament limit of 50 yellows within an hour, although he chose to forego the $50 prize for the first limit weighed while shooting for a heavier basket.
“I got up at 3 a.m.,” Meyer noted. “It was worth it.”
Six-year-old Adan Jorgensen of Dexter and his father, Derek, traveled from Dexter for the event.
“We had to drive all the way,” Adan noted.
Although they weren’t nearly as successful as Meyer (Adan weighed in four yellows weighing 1.01 pounds) both had a good time.
“I think we’ll be back next year, won’t we buddy?” Derek asked.
Adan nodded in agreement before hurrying off to claim a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie offered by Farm and City Insurance Services.
Providing refreshments for cold, tired anglers was just one example of the preparation made by Paul and Scholl.
The duo arranged a meal and a yellow bass fishing seminar the night before, offering anglers new to Clear Lake an opportunity to learn about their quarry.
DNR Fisheries Biologist Scott Grummer discussed yellow bass biology. He noted yellows are a desirable gamefish as well as a key forage species for larger predators in Clear Lake.
Grummer said yellow bass do well here because Clear Lake is a large natural lake with an incredibly dense population of bloodworms, a key food source for the voracious fish.
Yellows can quickly overpopulate in smaller and less-fertile lakes, displacing other desirable species while failing to reach angler-acceptable size.
“These are not a fish we want anglers moving around,” Grummer noted.
Des Moines fishing guide Rod Woten spoke on behalf of Recycled Fish, a non-profit organization dedicated to responsible outdoor recreation and good environmental stewardship.
In addition to encouraging catch-and-release fishing where it’s beneficial, Recycled Fish places a special emphasis on improving and maintaining water quality.
“Our lifestyle runs downstream,” Woten noted.
Paul and Scholl discussed rules for the tournament and also offered angling tips.
“We want to help everyone learn about yellow bass and hopefully catch fish for the tournament,” Paul said.
Anglers did just that, bringing 4,545 yellow bass weighing 1,050 pounds to the scale.
The weigh-in proceeded smoothly despite the unexpected turnout and impressive haul, another testament to the preparation by Paul and Scholl.
Both gave credit to the many volunteers who made that possible as well as several sponsors who provided cash, prizes and other assistance.
Paul said participants expressed appreciation for the tournament and enthusiasm to attend next year.
“Everyone wants to see it grow,” Paul said. “Next year we’re shooting for 300 (participants).”
Next year’s Yellow Bass Bonanza has been tentatively scheduled for Feb. 8. For more information go to
www.paulsfishingguide. com or call 641-529-2359.
