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by bassnomad

Smallmouth smackdown! A look at the monsters of Mille Lacs Lake

Rigid Industries pro Brandon Palaniuk tries to stuff 22 pounds of smallmouth into a 20-pound bag. Photo by Joel Shangle.
Trokar pro Chris Zaldain with 26.1 pounds of Mille Lacs monsters. Photo by Joel Shangle.
Livingston pro Hank Cherry caps off the week with a bag of 5-pounders. Photo by Joel Shangle.
Team Livingston at work as Oakley Howell supervises dad Randy’s 25-pound bag on Day 3. Photo by Joel Shangle.
Quigley pro Dave Lefebre hides behind a “witness protection program” giant. Photo by Joel Shangle.
Daiwa pro Seth Feider shows off one of the 5.5-pounders that he weighed. Photo by Joel Shangle.
No fish here. I just thought this was a cool photo. Photo by Joel Shangle.
Bass Pro Shops pro Jason Williamson with part of his haul from the week. Photo by Joel Shangle.
Yamaha pro Chris Zaldain likely had to file an OSHA claim after hoisting 26 pounds around. Photo by Joel Shangle.
This fish was one of over 30 that MinnKota pro Matt Herren caught on Day 2. Photo by Joel Shangle.
Simms pro James Elam with a bit one from Day 1. Photo by Joel Shangle.
Yamaha pro Takahiro Omori was one of several with 25-plus-pound bags. Photo by Joel Shangle.

ONAMIA, Minnesota – I should’ve known it was going to be a Gong Show when the first boat pulled into the parking lot at the Grand Casino on Day 1 at the AOY Championship set the tone: Seth Feider.

The Mille Lacs Mauler.

The Amazing Feiderman, as B.A.S.S. emcee Dave Mercer has dubbed him.

Feider pulled his first fish out his live well – a 5 1/2-pounder – hoisted that brown beast over his head like he was Leonidas in the movie “300” … and then proceeded to do that with all five fish he caught that day. 25 pounds 8 ounces.

And I whispered a quiet “Holy shit”.

It’s a phrase I repeated dozens of times in three days of shooting at a tournament that I consider far and away the best of the 2016 Elite Series and FLW Tour seasons.

Chris Zaldain, 26-1 pounds. Holy shit.

Brent Ehrler, 25-5 pounds. Holy shit.

Jason Williamson, 25-8 pounds. Holy shit.

Takahiro Omori, 26-7 pounds. Holy shit.

Randy Howell, Brandon Palaniuk, Drew Benton, Tommy Biffle, Matt Herren, Justin Lucas. On and on and on and on, a conga line of 23-, 24-, and 25-pound sacks.

When the dust finally settled, Feider had the heaviest three-day total (76-5) and Gerald Swindle had earned his second AOY trophy.

A memorable way to end the Bass Nomad tournament season, for sure. I don’t know what B.A.S.S.’s plans are for 2017 AOY and beyond, but I hope those plans include another visit with the monsters of Mille Lacs.
-Joel Shangle