JJ Schillinger shows off a 25-inch, 9.7 lb largemouth bass he caught during a tournament on the chain lakes around Coeur d'AleneLake , landing him a new catch/release state record.
Congratulations to J.J. Schillinger of Post Falls on landing a new catch-and-release record largemouth bass. As an avid bass fisherman, JJ was competing in the Panhandle Bass Anglers Fall Open tournament on October 19, when he hooked the 25-inch bass in Cave Lake. Cave Lake is one of a dozen chain lakes along the Coeur d'Alene river, most of which are known for quality largemouth fishing. J.J.'s new record bass beats the previous record of 23.75 inches set by Dale Stratton at Sawyers Pond (near Emmett) in May 2017.
Catch-and-release records were first available starting in 2016. Records are based on the total length of the fish. While most are never weighed, this one was weighed during the tournament event at 9.7 lbs. That puts it within striking distance of the official certified weight record largemouth bass of 10.9 lbs caught in Anderson Lake, another one of the Coeur d'Alene chain lakes nearby.
Visit the Idaho State Record Fish page to learn more about the program and how to apply.