Customer Catch Story: Bryan Best

“My name is Bryan Best and wanted to share my story with you. On Sunday JUL 10, 2022 my two sons and I started early @ 5:15 AM on Lake Ripley, WI fishing the shallows and the docks. Realized quickly from the years of vacationing on this lake it was down from the drought and the weed cover had overtaken the shallows. We caught a few small largemouth bass over a two hour period and kept telling my older son to move out to deeper water in that 10-20 ft range and we could drop shot or throw carolina rigs. We made a move to the North side of the lake where I know there’s rock and a ledge. Found some instant success catching a few largemouth 2-3 lb’rs in 10 ft of water. Me being on the back deck of the boat decided to do a 180° and cast the ball and chain (Carolina rig) towards the ledge in 20-25 ft of water. I made a couple attempts and I could feel that I wasn’t quite getting over the ledge. We moved out a few yards and I was able to get it over the ledge and drag it up and onto the rock flat in 22 ft of water. On the 2nd cast as I was dragging the carolina rig up the ledge and onto the rock flat this big girl thumped my “NetBait C-Max Worm Plum Apple” and the fight was on not really knowing what I had because on the weight and how it was digging. I thought at first it might have been a catfish. As I got it closer to the boat I seen the size of the largemouth bass and started yelling for help from my two sons asking for a net… No net on the boat so I asked my youngest son to hold the rod and keep pressure on the fish and not give it any slack and hold the rod high while I laid on the back deck to land the bass. It took several attempts to land her while digging and thrashing next to the boat. Lost my Columbia fishing hat, but it was well worth it. The Largemouth Bass Weighed 8.3 lbs and 23.5”.”

- Bryan Best

Date Caught 07/10/2022
State Caught WI
Species Largemouth
Weight / Length 8 Lbs 3 oz - 23.5”
Lure Used NetBait 10” Worm- Carolina Rig
Rod Used St Croix Mojo Bass - Jig Rod
Reel Used Abu Garcia SX
Line Used Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon
BFC Rating -
Bait Used
Bait Finish
Bait Color Theme
Presentation Speed
Lake Structure
Primary Cover Type

Customer Catch Story: Bryan Best

Catch Story Details