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Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive MarineTournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine


By Louie Stout

Michigan Record SmallmouthMichigan Record Smallmouth

Michigan Record Smallmouth

Bass fishermen often believe it is their definitive skills that fool big fish, but often times a little luck can go a long way.

The recently broken Michigan state smallmouth record is no exception. The 109-year-old record was broken Oct. 18 by Greg Gasiciel who was subbing in bass tournament on Hubbard lake in Alcona County. It was the first tournament he had fished in 3 to 4 years.

The monster smallmouth weighed 9.33 pounds, erasing the former mark of 9.25 set on Long Lake in Cheboygan County in 1906.

Hubbard is an 8,850-acre lake that is seven miles long and averages 32 feet deep. It was the site of a televised Major League Fishing Event last year.

Gasiciel, whose only previous fishing on Hubbard lake was ice fishing for walleyes, was called upon by a childhood buddy to fill in for a “Bass Anglers of the Sunrise Side” tournament that frigid day.

The record holder’s personal best prior to that day was a 5-5 largemouth caught from Wixom Lake.

According to Gasiciel - who refused to reveal much information about how he caught the fish - partner Scott Somerfield was the expert in the boat.

“Scott is my best friend and we fished a lot of local tournaments right out of college,” he said. “I kinda got away from tournament fishing but Scott started fishing with others and got to become a great fisherman. I owe this fish to him.”

For that reason, he said, he wouldn’t reveal details on how the fish was caught. He wouldn’t discuss the water depth, how he presented the lure, size or rigging of the lure, or any pertinent information that most anglers would like to know. He did say the fish came “from a deep flat.”

Other than that, “baitcaster, green grub” was about all he would offer.

Since then, we’ve learned from other sources that he was fishing a Yamamoto grub on a 7-foot Bass Pro Shops medium heavy rod, Shimano Citica baitcast reel and 14-pound Trilene XL monofilament.

He did say was that it was a cold, blustery day with a mix of rain, snow and high winds. The fish bit with about 45 minutes to go in the tournament.

“Prior to that, the only bite I had was a walleye that hit my jerkbait,” said the 43-year-old pharmacist from Rhoades, Mich. “It was so cold that I couldn’t feel my hands. But when the fish hit, it felt like someone had punched me in the arm.”

As soon as Gasiciel set the hook, the bass stripped line from the reel.

“He almost spooled me and I told Scott we’d have to go get it, so Scott went to the trolling motor and got us closer,” he described. “The fish never jumped, and I really thought I had foul-hooked a carp.”

The see-saw battle lasted about 15 minutes. When Scott finally netted the fish, he looked at Gasiciel, muttered an expletive, and said, “You just caught a state record!”

“We snapped a few pictures and threw it in the livewell and went back to fishing,” he said. “We were silent for a long time. We were trying to process what happened.”
The duo had only one other bass, a 6 pounder, and finished fifth in the tournament with a little over 15 pounds. Gasiciel, of course, won big bass, and the $100 covered their initial entry fee.

The fish was weighed on certified scales at the Side Door Bait and Tackle on Hubbard Lake and was confirmed as a record by a Michigan DNR biologist the next day.

Hubbard considered releasing the fish, but chose to keep it for a wall mount.

“To be confirmed as a record, it had to be seen by a fish biologist and I couldn’t do that until the next day,” he explained.