04-15-2009, 11:18 AM
Daily Herald, April 14, 2009
Lake record bass caught at Sand Hollow
Sand Hollow Reservoir, located a few miles north of St. George is quickly becoming one of Utah's best bass fishing waters.
"Sand Hollow is one of my favorite places to fish," said Mandy Myers of Santaquin.
On April 4, Mandy boated a 7.48-pound largemouth bass while fishing a team fishing tournament with her husband Tracy. Though unofficial as of yet, the bass could very well be the lake record for the relatively new reservoir.
The Myers fish as a team in the American Bass Association Southern Utah Division and are the 2008-09 Anglers Of The Year.
"This is my third year to fish this circuit," continued Mandy. "We fish in places like Otter Creek, Piute, Minersville and of course, Sand Hollow."
Team tournaments are becoming more and more popular each year. Some team circuits in Idaho and Washington, for example, draw over 100 boats to each event. Normally, team events are weekend one- or two-day tournaments with a championship fish off held at the end of the season. Prize money is paid at each event for the heaviest five fish and for the big fish of the tournament; and a fully-rigged bass boat is often awarded as the grand prize for winning the circuit.
In the recent tournament on Sand Hollow, Tracy and Mandy began their day "dragging" Yamamoto 4-inch tubes in 20-to-30 feet of water.
"I caught a four-pounder within a few minutes of starting the day," Mandy said. "Then Tracy caught a smaller fish and my big one came at around 9 a.m. The rest of the day we caught lots of two- and three-pound fish, but we couldn't keep any of those."
The fishing regulations on Sand Hollow allow only one fish per person over 12 inches in length, so in the case of a five-fish-limit team tournament, each team can weigh two fish over 12 and then three fish under 12 inches. The Myers only caught one fish under 12 inches ,so they only weighed three fish. However, their three fish were enough to win the tournament and Mandy won "big fish" honors as well.
When Utah officials realize the potential of tournament angling in this state, and the economic benefits of attracting major events to our local waters, they will change the regulations to allow a five-fish limit to be caught, kept in a live well, weighed, and then released. Until then, anglers like Tracy and Mandy Myers will have to settle for fishing smaller venues, though no one can take away the fantastic feeling Mandy had after catching her huge bass.
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Lake record bass caught at Sand Hollow
Sand Hollow Reservoir, located a few miles north of St. George is quickly becoming one of Utah's best bass fishing waters.
"Sand Hollow is one of my favorite places to fish," said Mandy Myers of Santaquin.
On April 4, Mandy boated a 7.48-pound largemouth bass while fishing a team fishing tournament with her husband Tracy. Though unofficial as of yet, the bass could very well be the lake record for the relatively new reservoir.
The Myers fish as a team in the American Bass Association Southern Utah Division and are the 2008-09 Anglers Of The Year.
"This is my third year to fish this circuit," continued Mandy. "We fish in places like Otter Creek, Piute, Minersville and of course, Sand Hollow."
Team tournaments are becoming more and more popular each year. Some team circuits in Idaho and Washington, for example, draw over 100 boats to each event. Normally, team events are weekend one- or two-day tournaments with a championship fish off held at the end of the season. Prize money is paid at each event for the heaviest five fish and for the big fish of the tournament; and a fully-rigged bass boat is often awarded as the grand prize for winning the circuit.
In the recent tournament on Sand Hollow, Tracy and Mandy began their day "dragging" Yamamoto 4-inch tubes in 20-to-30 feet of water.
"I caught a four-pounder within a few minutes of starting the day," Mandy said. "Then Tracy caught a smaller fish and my big one came at around 9 a.m. The rest of the day we caught lots of two- and three-pound fish, but we couldn't keep any of those."
The fishing regulations on Sand Hollow allow only one fish per person over 12 inches in length, so in the case of a five-fish-limit team tournament, each team can weigh two fish over 12 and then three fish under 12 inches. The Myers only caught one fish under 12 inches ,so they only weighed three fish. However, their three fish were enough to win the tournament and Mandy won "big fish" honors as well.
When Utah officials realize the potential of tournament angling in this state, and the economic benefits of attracting major events to our local waters, they will change the regulations to allow a five-fish limit to be caught, kept in a live well, weighed, and then released. Until then, anglers like Tracy and Mandy Myers will have to settle for fishing smaller venues, though no one can take away the fantastic feeling Mandy had after catching her huge bass.
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