MANY ANGLERS IN TEXAS will have experienced cold – maybe foggy – weather this week like the lady pictured fishing the Guadalupe River in the attached image. She is fishing for rainbow trout downstream from Canyon Dam, but she might have been fishing for largemouths or white bass. Both bass species are preparing to spawn in February. (Photo by John Jefferson)

by John Jefferson

Well, that’s usually the case, but not always.

A Mississippi angler named Shawn Strength caught a 16.65-pound largemouth bass while fishing on Lake O.H. Ivie on November 15, 2023. Close, but no cigar. His fish was large enough to make the list of Texas Top 50 Largemouths ever caught but was either too late to earn him all the perks of catching a bass weighing 13-pounds or more during the 2023 Legacy Lunker season (1/1/23 – 3/31/23), or too early for the current 2024 season (1/1/24 – 3/31/24).

That got my attention. Couldn’t he have waited a few weeks before coming all the way from near Jackson, Mississippi to the edge of West Texas to fish Lake Ivie?

After talking to Mr. Strength – his real name – I’m convinced he lives by the rule a college professor once introduced me to: “The best time to go fishing is WHEN you want to go fishing.”

I live by that. It hasn’t always worked out, but it has ALWAYS satisfied my fishing-lust and helped chase away my cabin fever! Especially on that first January after moving to Austin.

We had endured a cold December. That, and our new baby, had kept me inside for about a month. On a cold but clear, sunny day, I decided to take my fly rod and explore Barton Creek above the chilly, spring-fed, famous swimming pool.

The fishing had been slow, but I rock-hopped out into the middle of the creek and perched upon a large, somewhat flat rock and began casting upstream. And slipped and fell into icy water about four feet deep!

With chattering teeth, my flyrod and I trudged ashore, built a small fire, and tried to get warm. I’m sure building a fire there nowadays would land me in jail, but even a cold cell would have been warmer.

Shawn Strength had just wanted to fish Lake Ivie at that time. He knew the Legacy Class ShareLunker season was over and a new one opened in January. He made the long haul and was glad he had. Neither transit time nor distance keeps him from fishing when he wants to fish. He’s fished most well-known lakes in the South, and has chased blue marlins, sailfish, and dorados in saltwater on a couple of continents.

The wind was fierce that November weekend: 20-50 mph. His fishing mate had caught a 9.39-pound largemouth, and Shawn had a couple of eights. The lake was “turning over” and the telling smell of sulphur filled the air. The lake surface had what looked like it had an oil slick on it.

Their trip ended at 2:00 p.m. And it was already 1:40.

His guide, Dalton Smith, led him over a large bass by closely studying his electronic screen. Strength was fishing in 15–25-foot water depth near Elm Creek when the bass struck his prototype white-haired swim bait.

Too early for 2024. But Shawn has two more Ivie trips scheduled this season … and reservations for February 1, 2025!

JJ