Colby Dark is an 18-year-old first year student at LA Tech from W. Monroe. Until recently, his goal in life was to become a success at construction; he wants to be a builder; that’s his college major.
However, he is putting the hammers and nails and saws and levels on the back burner for now because he’s in the process of building something else, a successful bass fishing guide business. There is a good chance for success in the guide business because of something phenomenal that happened on Caney Lake last week. Fishing with a partner, 19-year-old Gage Struben, the pair hit the mother lode of big bass.
The pair fun fishing on Caney that day experienced something not many other bass anglers have accomplished anywhere. Fun fishing it was because they were obviously having a blast when over the course of two days, the two teens landed 10 bass that weighed 86 pounds and change. Folks, that’s over an 8-pound average topped off with Dark’s personal best weighing 13.5 pounds and Struben’s best weighing almost 12 pounds.
I was able to chat with Colby’s dad, Randall Dark, he shared how this amazing two days on the water happened.
“The boys had been out the day before and were fishing shallow in spots they knew,” said Dark. “They didn’t have any luck fishing shallow so they decided to try another place and were just idling along using a side scan sonar when they spotted something that captivated their attention.
The sonar picked up a big school of what they believed to be large gizzard shad being followed by a gathering of big fish that were obviously interested in the shad.
“At first, they felt the big fish following the shad were probably carp but they decided to see just what they were. Casting jigs, the show was on. Between noon when the first fish was caught – not a carp but a huge bass – and 3:00, the guys brought 38 pounds of bass to the boat, including Gage’s personal best 11.8 pounder” said Dark.
“My son had just signed to fish the pro series this year and he had arranged for a camera man and media guy to work with him. They decided to go back to the same area the next day to see if they could duplicate what they had done the first day.”
With the camera rolling, they second day was even better as the pair brought to the boat five bass weighing 46 pounds, 6 ounces topped off by Colby’s personal best 13.5 pounder.
We were able to visit with Colby later that day to pick his brain a bit. He is a member of the LA Tech Fishing Team and will be headed for the College National Championship January 6 to be held on Lake Tohopekaliga in Florida.
“I went to Florida to pre-fish and was able to locate some good bass, catching 30 pounds two days straight,” Colby said.
He’ll be putting his schoolwork on the back burner for a while as he will be fishing tournaments and inviting people to go to his Facebook page and check out his Hooked Up Guide Service.
What is this teenager’s secret? “I’ve just been lucky”, he said. In my opinion, it has taken much more than luck to produce the amazing results he has enjoyed catching big bass. The professional bass fishing world has a young fellow from W. Monroe who is on a path to eventually see his name up there on the same level as the Kevin Van Dam’s of pro fishing fame.
FISHING REPORT
BLACK BAYOU – No report. Water is low. Contact Honey Hole Tackle Shop 323-8707 for latest information.
BUSSEY BRAKE – The crappie have moved to deep water with some good fish caught on shiners and jigs. Bass are fair flipping jigs around the trees. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – Crappie have been best fishing jigs or shiners around submerged tops in the river and in river lakes. Bass are best in the cuts and in the back water fishing shad imitation lures. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – The crappie fishing has been good in the channels and channel edges in 14-18 foot water on shiners or jigs. Bass are moving to the secondary points and soft plastics are picking up some nice fish. Catfish continue to be caught fishing cold worms and night crawlers off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – The lake is down some seven feet as the result of the drawdown. Crappie are along the tree lines and are moving to the deep water out from the dam with shiners or jigs picking up some nice slabs. Bass fishing has fair this week as they too are starting to move deep. Boats can still be launched at the State Park launch and at Pleasure Point. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
CANEY LAKE – Bass are moving to deeper water with best catches made on jigs, spoons and soft plastics as well as on the secondary points with deep diving crank baits. Colby Dark and Gage Struben. W. Monroe, caught some monsters last week to 13.5 pounds on jigs with best five weighing 48-plus pounds. Crappie have been best around the deeper tops on shiners or jigs and they will also be headed for deeper water out from the dam as temperatures drop. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 2596649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
