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Fishing Blog |
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| Article by Tim Tucker |
 White Springs
The only previous time Roland Martin had fished Bienville Plantation, the all-time tournament king was somewhat impressed. But after his three-day experience there last weekend, he left overwhelmed by the big-bass action that occurred while the cameras rolled.
The retired all-time BASS tournament winner and nine-time Angler of the Year traveled from his home in Naples to the White Springs fishing and hunting operation to film segments of his show "Fishing With Roland Martin." The show, which airs on Versus, is one of the longest-running outdoor shows on television.
Despite some treacherous weather, Bienville's famous phosphate pit lakes surrendered the kind of quality bass that impressed perhaps the most traveled bass fisherman in America.
"I had been there one other time for just a short little while," said Martin, whose show has been on the air more than 30 years. "We only fished half a day and it was pretty good. Apparently I had forgotten how good it really was.
"This time we spent two days in South Lake and it was phenomenal. Then we fished lakes A and B, and it had some great fish it in as well. We had some remarkable fishing."
There was plenty of doubt the first day about whether filming a show would even be possible. That was the day when Tropical Storm Barry passed through North Central Florida with its deluge.
"It was when the tropical storm was coming through." Martin said. "So it was blowing 40 or 50 mph. The rain was just sideways. I had two sets of Frogg Toggs on, and I was still soaked to the bone. I was absolutely drenched. It rained like 3 or 4 inches that day."
Martin was further "constrained" by the fact that he was attempting to do shows highlighting the fish-catching ability of the products of two of his show advertisers. That meant he needed to catch bass on a Booyah buzzbait in one show and a Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits Swimming Senko in the other.
"We figured we wouldn't be able to get anything done with the weather so rotten," Martin said. "Finally, we started throwing that buzzbait and the 6-pounders started hitting.
"Then (Lake Okeechobee guide) Walt (Reynolds) caught a 9-pounder. It was gigantic. I caught two 8-pounders and we lost track of all the big fish. We had put together a fantastic show. Walt and I caught a double limit of fish on film that were over 5 pounds on buzzbaits."
Martin and Reynolds utilized two different 3/8-ounce buzzbaits: a white Booyah clacker-type buzzer and a Bi-You Buzz, which features a white-and-blue translucent skirt, gold blade and a flexible wire shaft. Their success came buzzing deep (12 to 15 feet) open-water holes in South Lake that are surrounded by thick hydrilla.
The weather was bright and sunny the next day when Martin set out to film a show catching bass on the Swimming Senko. His guest was Terry Lacoss, a guide out of Amelia Island Plantation. Reynolds fished from a separate boat.
"We started off fishing the Senko with a light weight, and we made a pass down this one shoreline and caught 20, 25 bass, but they were all a pound and a half," he said. "Then Walt got them patterned using a Swimming Senko without any weight.
"Walt had the bright idea to try one without a weight and buzzing it along the top of the grass on these shallow points and dropping it at the edge of the grass. And they started hitting it on top despite it being sunny. So he caught a couple of 5- and 6-pounders.
"I had been throwing the same lure, but I had been fishing it like a worm down in 5 to 8 feet of water just pulling it through the grass. That was catching little fish, but Walt figured out the bigger fish would hit on top of the water."
Martin didn't get to be perhaps America's top tournament bass pro by ignoring the obvious. So he switched to spinning tackle, 10-pound test Power Pro braided line with a 20-pound monofilament leader, and removed the weight from in front of the Senko.
"Right away, Terry caught one 3 or 4 pounds that way," Martin said. "Then I caught a 5-pounder and then an 8-pounder. Then we caught a 7-pounder and another 5-pounder. We started catching them right and left.
"It was so funny. At the very end of the day, I told Terry I needed him to catch one bigger than the 8-pounder I had caught. And I'll be doggone if he didn't catch one that weighed 8 pounds, right on camera. We got the strike and everything.
"How often does that happen with the camera rolling?"
Martin was fishing a black Swimming Senko, while Reynolds and Lacoss scored on a black-grape color sporting metalflake. The Senkos were rigged Texas style with a 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook.
"It seemed like a little points were the best," Martin advised. "I'd throw it as far as I could and start buzzing it. It was like a little buzzbait. They would swirl on it as it was just coming off of the shoreline where the first bunch of grass kind of fell off."
As an added bonus, Martin and crew stayed around the third morning and shot a show with Bienville guide Ron Ryals. That morning, Martin caught an 8-pounder on a big Spro swimbait.
"I can't believe how good Bienville is after more than 10 years in operation," Martin said. "It was nothing short of amazing." |
| Article posted on 06/25/07 at 14:49:32 by Scott Thomas |
| "No. 1 Bass Lodge in America" |
 Extra, Extra, In the December 2006 Issue of Field & Stream Bienville made "North America's 25 Best Fishing Lodges" by John Merwin. Bienville ranked 7th overall competing with lodges throughout North America specializing in varying species and amenities. As a bass lodge Bienville ranked second in North America and 1st in the Continental US. From the author "Okay, I'll stick my neck out here and say that Bienville is America's No. 1 fishing lodge for largemouth." Thanks to all our guests, guides, writers and Bienville staff for making Bienville The Best of The Best! |
| Article posted on 11/29/06 at 14:43:15 by Scott Thomas |
| Shimano Hogs |
 On November 15 while fishing with Bernie Shultz, Kenji Hirahara of Shimano landed what he thought was the largest bass he had ever caught, 8lbs. He boated this bass in the morning and was overjoyed during lunch about his accomplishment. That excitement was blown out of the water when that same afternoon he fought and conquered a Bienville trophy that weighed in over 10lbs. Way to go Kenji! |
| Article posted on 11/29/06 at 10:56:13 by Scott Thomas |
| Amelia Island Group |
| Hey Scott, Terry, our friend Bruce Comrie and I just got back Monday from Bienville. Caught about 50 bass and 20 Crappie. What a great time and great hospitality. You got it together. Norman Bray |
| Article posted on 11/22/06 at 14:26:18 by Scott Thomas |
| Plantation Record |
 In March of 2006 Randy Beaty from South Carolina was fishing behind his cabin for crappie and landed the largest bass ever caught at Bienville Plantation. This hog weighed in at 15.68 pounds and was 28" in length and 24" in girth. To date this is the new Plantation Record. |
| Article posted on 11/20/06 at 15:00:30 by Scott Thomas |
| Speckled Perch |
 FYI - the fishing pros at Gray's Sporting Journal say that what your guide called Speckled Perch are in fact White Crappie. |
| Article posted on 11/17/06 at 15:44:13 by Scott Thomas |
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