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Wisconsin fisheries staff recognized Austin Schiefer’s 9.70-pound smallmouth bass as the state record, breaking a mark that had stood since 1950. Schiefer caught the fish on Green Bay on October 30 while fishing with Ted Johnson; officials inspected and weighed it the following day.
Wisconsin fisheries staff recognized Austin Schiefer’s 9.70-pound smallmouth bass as the state record after he caught it on Green Bay on October 30, surpassing a mark that had stood since 1950. The fish measured 23.75 inches long and was caught while Schiefer and fishing partner Ted Johnson were targeting large bass with forward-facing sonar.
Schiefer and Johnson launched at about 7:30 a.m. and fished a reef in roughly 18 feet of water, about two miles from shore. Schiefer told Outdoor Life they had fished the spot before and used forward-facing sonar to locate bass. He said the wind dropped around midday, leaving the fish less willing to take his lures.
After Johnson suggested a different soft plastic and lighter tackle, Schiefer switched to a five-inch Deps Sakamata Shad in a champagne-pepper color, rigged on a 3/32-ounce jighead. He used a seven-foot spinning rod, eight-pound braided line and a 10-pound fluorocarbon leader. At about 2 p.m., he felt a strike as the lure sank and brought the fish to the boat after a fight of a few minutes. Johnson netted it.
The anglers initially weighed the bass at a grocery store on certified scales, where it registered 9 pounds, 11 ounces. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources staff weighed and inspected it the next day, recording its weight as 9.70 pounds. The state’s previous record was a 9-pound, 1-ounce smallmouth caught by Leon Stefonek at Indian Lake in Oneida County in 1950.
A Record Set After 76 Years
The catch replaces a state record that had stood for 76 years, putting Schiefer’s fish at the top of Wisconsin’s smallmouth bass record list. Its verified weight exceeds the prior mark by nine ounces, based on the figures reported for the old and new records.
The account also highlights a specific fishing approach: Schiefer said forward-facing sonar helped the anglers see fish near the bottom, while changing to a lighter setup and a different lure preceded the strike. That is his description of the day, not evidence that sonar or a particular lure alone caused the record catch.
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How the Green Bay Catch Unfolded
The anglers began at a reef they had fished before, where Schiefer said they were finding smallmouth bass. Conditions changed as the wind died down around midday. According to Schiefer, fish were present but were refusing the lures he had been using. Johnson was catching bass on another soft plastic and recommended that Schiefer try it with lighter tackle.
Schiefer described working the lure back on a long cast with a pendulum-like retrieve as it sank. He said fish visible on sonar would rise toward lures, then turn away before the change in presentation. The eventual record fish struck after he made the switch. Schiefer initially thought it might be a freshwater drum because it pulled deep and did not fight with the jumps he associated with smallmouth.
After the grocery-store weighing, the anglers stopped fishing and contacted the Wisconsin DNR. State staff examined the bass the next day, as required for record recognition. Their inspection found it was a male fish and that its stomach was empty—details Schiefer said surprised him because female smallmouth are usually larger and autumn bass commonly feed heavily before winter.
“We used forward-facing sonar and were targeting big bass.”
— Austin Schiefer, speaking to Outdoor Life
The Record Fish’s Final Disposition
The account says the Wisconsin DNR officially recognized the fish as the state’s heaviest smallmouth, but it does not provide a separate public record certificate or further details about the agency’s documentation. It also does not say whether the fish was alive when officials examined it or precisely when it died.
Schiefer said the fish could not be released because it needed to be weighed and inspected for record consideration. He plans to have a skin mount made and is considering replica mounts for the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame museum in Hayward and Bass Pro Shops. Those possible replicas remain under consideration; no completed display or donation has been reported.
Plans for a Mount and Display
Schiefer said he intends to have a skin mount made of the record bass. He is also considering commissioning replicas, including one that could go to the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame’s Hayward museum and another for Bass Pro Shops.
No timeline or final decision about those replicas has been reported. The immediate record milestone is complete: Wisconsin DNR staff examined the fish and recognized its weight, while Schiefer has described the catch and his regret over not releasing it alive.
Source: rss
Key Questions
How heavy was Wisconsin’s new smallmouth bass record?
Wisconsin DNR staff recorded the fish at 9.70 pounds. It measured 23.75 inches long.
Where and when did Austin Schiefer catch it?
Schiefer caught the bass on Green Bay on October 30, while fishing a reef with Ted Johnson.
What was the previous Wisconsin smallmouth record?
The previous mark was 9 pounds, 1 ounce, set by Leon Stefonek at Indian Lake in Oneida County in 1950.
What lure and tackle did Schiefer use?
After taking Johnson’s advice to go lighter, Schiefer used a five-inch Deps Sakamata Shad in champagne-pepper on a 3/32-ounce jighead. He fished it on a seven-foot spinning rod with eight-pound braid and a 10-pound fluorocarbon leader.
Will the record fish be displayed?
Schiefer said he plans to have a skin mount made and is considering replica mounts for the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame museum and Bass Pro Shops. No final plans for the replicas have been announced.
Source: outdoorlife.com
