Top 3 Fishing Stories of the Week: New Topwater Mouse, How to Fish Planer Boards, and World Record Spotted Bass

From a new topwater mouse for bass, to a simple lesson on fishing multiple planer boards without tangling, and one spotted bass sets two new world records, these stories captured our Sports Illustrated fishing reader’s attention on Fishing on SI this past week.

From a new topwater mouse for bass, to a simple lesson on fishing multiple planer boards without tangling, and one spotted bass sets two new world records, these stories captured our Sports Illustrated fishing reader’s attention on Fishing on SI this past week. | Justin Hoffman | Kurt Mazurek | Art Weston

1.) Lunkerhunt Furenzy Mouse Review: Testing a New Topwater Killer for Largemouth Bass

Did Lunkerhunt design the ultimate mouse trap for catching more largemouth bass on top? | Justin Hoffman

There's nothing more thrilling in the sport of bass fishing than watching a hell-bent largemouth clobber a topwater bait. Whether its a popper twitched subtly across a flat during the calm early morning hour or a hollow body bait trudging across a jungle of weeds in a prime back bay, the excitement is more than palpable as you wait patiently for that crash on the surface.

I'm a big fan of pulling largemouth bass out of overhead canopies of slop and pads. Working this thick cover with a weedless bait is a prime tactic for uncovering those hidden (and hungry!) trophy fish. For the most part, a hollow body frog was pretty much your only option when it came to working this greenery. But that all changed this year…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

2.) How to Fish with Planer Boards: Trolling Tips to Catch More Fish

The uninitiated may be concerned that fishing multiple lines from one moving boat will lead to a tangled mess. But by following a few simple tips, trolling is easy and trouble-free. | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

Planer boards are effective tools for fishing multiple lines to the side of your boat. Fishing with multiple lines (where legal) helps you cover a lot of water and works great for a variety of species from walleye to crappie to salmon. With each trolling pass, you can spread your baits across a significant amount of water with lines set to either side of the boat. But even if you're relegated to just one line per person, getting your line off to the side of the boat is beneficial, especially when dealing with shallow fish in clear water.

The uninitiated may be concerned that fishing multiple lines from one moving boat will lead to a tangled mess. But by following a few simple tips, trolling is easy and trouble-free. Here’s how to set your lines for efficiency without getting tangled…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

3.) Art Weston’s Spotted Bass Sets Two IGFA World Records on Ultra-Light Line

On Toledo Bend in Texas, Art Weston set two IGFA world records with a 2-pound, 8-ounce spotted bass caught on 1-pound test line—his 92nd record and counting. | Photo credit Austin Anderson | Art Weston

On February 13th, 2025, renowned fishing record-chaser Art Weston reeled in a world-record spotted bass on Toledo Bend Reservoir in Texas, guided by Austin Anderson. While perhaps not as visually stunning as his world-record giant Mille Lacs muskie or his many prehistoric monster alligator gar, this spotted bass is no less of a feat when you consider that he caught it on 1 pound test line.

Additionally, this world record ended up being a two-for-one. Weston’s spotted bass weighed 2 pounds, 8 ounces and he caught it on 1-pound test Sufix Ice Magic line. That means this one fish qualified for both the IGFA all-tackle world weight record (previously 2 pounds, 4 ounces), as well as the 2 pound test, line-class world record (previously 2 pounds, 0 ounces)…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.