Dustin Shepherd of Lewiston, Idaho broke the most recent catch and release state record for smallmouth bass.
Shepherd was fishing Dworshak Reservoir when he landed the monster smallmouth bass. The fish measured 22.75 inches total length, which was long enough to pass the previous record of 22 inches set by Rick Poedtke in 2018.
Dworshak Reservoir has a well-deserved reputation for producing big bronzebacks, and holds the state’s current certified weight record caught by Dan Steigers at 9.72 pounds! While there have been many big bass caught, Steigers’ record has stood since 2006.
Dustin Shepard
Avid bass anglers look forward to springtime each year, as its offers the best chances to see large smallmouth bass. Smallmouth feed more aggressively as water temperatures rise into the 50’s before spawning. As the summer arrives and bass finish spawning, smallmouth can be harder to catch ast they retreat to deep water, looking for cooler temperatures.