BASS AOY Championship coming to Mille Lacs

[RK]

The BASS Angler of the Year championship will be held on Mille Lacs Sept 15-18...

 

http://www.bassmaster.com/news/bass-announces-sites-bassfest-and-toyota-bassmaster-angler-year-championship

[rascal23]

I figured maybe an "open" would be held on ML, but never would have thought an elite, let alone AOY.  Wonder how the locals will like the lake being highlighted as a big bass venue. Should be interesting.

[Lals]

This should be a lot fun and good for the local economy. It will be interesting to see if Largies play at all... you would think not but there are surprises in these tournaments. They would like those bags SwimbaitChucker is getting lately!

Edited November 7, 2015 by Lals
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[SwimbaitChucker]

Seth Feider has been cracking 27 to 30 pound sacks for the last 3 weeks.

 

If he makes the top 50 and fishes this tournament he will be the heavy favorite.

 

Largemouth may play if the wind blows 20 to 30.

 

I predict a 28lb average per day to win.

[CCGinMN]

RRR, I would predict a much lower average weight, maybe 22 lbs.  This is going to happen mid September, which is a tad bit early. Also, if the big lake treats them like it does me, the wind will confine them to the bays and West/North side for at least one of those days (Indian Point will look like peninsula made out of bass boats).  Either way, I will be one of the fools out there watching them.  I wouldn't miss it for the world!!

[bassfshin24]

Yeah I bet it takes 22-25lbs to win it. I am hoping they crack the century mark though. 

[Presco]

28 pounds per day?  That seems a tad high.  I'd guess 1-2 5s and a the rest 4s for a bag of 22-23lbs for a great day.  When you take the average it over 4 days, it'll be even less.  The winner of the Sturgeon Bay AOY averaged about 17.5lbs per day (same timeframe).  3 years ago on Sturgeon (late June), the winner averaged about 19lbs.  

[Hester]

I believe the AOY is only a 3 day tourney. Not that it matters. That would make winning totals in the 60 to 70 lb range imo.

[SwimbaitChucker]

Even in Mid September an average angler can put a 25 pound bag of Brownies together.

I predict the tournament will be won deep 18 to 25 feet with Dropshot, Crankbaits or Big Spoons.

I fished Mille Lacs at least once a week from the end of September until the 1st weekend in November. Worst day my best 5 was just over 24 pounds.

An average day was 25 to 27 pounds.

Best day was 30lbs 10oz

 

[bucketmouth64]

My wife and I are already planning to attend this, very excited to experience this. Luckily, in-laws live nearby so we don't have to fork over hotel costs.

[Superduty]

I think it will take 25+ per day to win it. There are more five pounders in Mille Lacs than three pounders in most any other lake.  Most years the shallow bite gets good in September. This year it didn't and most big fish were deep. Too early to predict how the winners will fish but not too early to say it will be a lot better than Sturgeon Bay. Don't forget, the 30 lb bags from the Sturgeon Bay Open are 6 fish and a team format during prespawn. 

[sicheneder]

I will be very cool to see how this goes with a huge amount of time since the last one in MN. Also, it will be interesting with a slot. Last I checked there was still a slot with only one over 20" on ML. Unless the Dnr changes that for next year.  The weights should be close when they can only weigh one big one.  There should be a couple of  interesting factors for Mille Lacs: wind,slot, smallies vs largies.

[CCGinMN]

I will be very cool to see how this goes with a huge amount of time since the last one in MN. Also, it will be interesting with a slot. Last I checked there was still a slot with only one over 20" on ML. Unless the Dnr changes that for next year.  The weights should be close when they can only weigh one big one.  There should be a couple of  interesting factors for Mille Lacs: wind,slot, smallies vs largies.

The slot doesn't apply to this tournament.  

Hey SwimbaitChucker, I'm thinking a few pros would like to hook up with you the week before the tour.  You have an opportunity to cash in big time.  They won't pay you money, but they will offer you free fishing trips down South.  YOu seem to have the brown fish dialed-in.  I'm guessing a few of them are reading this thread right now thinking "I need to PM SwimbaitChucker."  You will have to let us know how many (if any) reach out to you.  If I was a pro, I would be your new best friend, haha.

[SwimbaitChucker]

Honestly the 30lb 10oz day SuperDuty and I had involved a bit of luck.

I knew we needed to fish deep to have a chance at big ones.

Fishing deep is right in Superduty's wheelhouse.

We tried one of his spots right away and I got bit a couple times, but did not put any fish in the boat. We headed to another area as we come off pad. SuperDuty is looking at the map and 2D  sonar, he picked an area that looked good in the depth range we wanted to fish.

I got bit almost instantly but failed on the Hookset. 

The 1st 3 fish I put in the boat were over 5lbs....believe it was a 5lb 3oz, 5lb 10oz and a 5lb 15oz. Brian put a couple solid fish in the boat. 

Then it became apparent that we had stopped on top of a school of 5 to 6 pound fish. Superduty quickly figured out where the fish were sitting and we tried to make casts to hit that area over and over.

Having a good understanding of what good structure looks like on the map and sonar is the only reason we had the day we had.

 

I am really looking forward to seeing what a really good angler can do.

 

Seth Feider averaged 2 fish over 6lbs and 15 fish over 5lbs per day for almost the last 2 weeks of October.

He caught one over 7 as well.

 

 

Edited November 13, 2015 by SwimbaitChucker

[rascal23]

SBC,   a few questions if you don't mind.  What were the characteristics of the structure you looked for and did you look for fish on the depthfinder?  You look for deep water, but not the deepest water?  Steep breaks?  Bottom transitions?   

  I've been wanting to learn the late fall Mille Lacs bite.  I've learned a bit about Chequamegon in fall, but that's a three hour drive.   Thanks.

         rascal

[Superduty]

In my opinion,  these fish were migrating toward where they will spend the winter. Without giving away the spot, it was a cluster of rocks in close proximity to a smallmouth highway from shallow water to deep. 

[SwimbaitChucker]

There was also a school of 3 to 4 inch Perch in the area. One of the fish spit a couple up as SuperDuty swung it into the boat.

Rock piles on deep 15 to 20 foot flats, steep breaks with a rock to sand transition and 12 to 15 foot rock humps with some grass on deep 18 to 25 foot flats were the areas to focus on.

[rascal23]

Thanks Superduty and SwimbaitChucker.  Probably have to wait til next year to get some time on Mille Lacs.

    rascal