POWERGRAMS

38 Beginning in 1992 at Lake Logan Martin, Alabama Power reservoirs became frequent locations for the most prestigious tournament in freshwater fishing. Logan Martin hosted the Classic again in 1993, followed by Lay Lake in 1996, Logan Martin in 1997, then Lay Lake in 2002, 2007 and 2010, when Kevin VanDam tied the record for most championships with his fourth win. "Alabama Power reservoirs have meant so much to B.A.S.S. through the decades," said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. "From serving as the fisheries for the iconic Bassmaster Classic in years past to hosting six Bassmaster Tournament Trail events on Lay, Logan Martin, Neely Henry and Smith lakes in 2020, these are some of the best bass fisheries in the Southeast! In fact, these lakes have made the Bassmaster magazine list of Top 100 Best Bass Lakes 11 times. We value our relationships with the communities along each of these reservoirs and are always looking for an opportunity to work together to highlight the incredible sportfishing in Alabama." Something to Tell the Grandchildren Yet, the IFGA world records set on company lakes were all by anglers out for a good time and, perhaps, something to fry in their skillet. Sandra Blake holds the landlocked lake record for women using an 8-pound line by catching a 20-pound striped bass, as well as an 18-pounder on a 30-pound line, on May 26, 2016. What's more, she set the world record for a 20-pound line by catching a 27-pound, 8-ounce striper on April 21, 2015; and a 29-pound striped bass on a 50-pound line on April 13, 2016. Blake holds four IFGA retired records from Smith Lake catches for a 2-pound, 4-ounce spotted bass on a 6-pound line in 2015; an 8-pound striper on a 6-pound line; a 14-pound striper on a 12-pound line; and a 13-pound striped bass on a 16-pound line (all landlocked). Lee Grove came within seconds of missing out on his own record-breaking catch. The Mobile native was talked into hanging out on Yates Reservoir for an afternoon of spring fun by his future wife and his college roommate. Their boat was not far from the dam. He was using a 4-pound line and a crappie jig when, after just a couple of pitches, it seemed he'd hooked a big bass that "started pulling me all over the lake." "But it got hung up under a rock and I was actually trying to break it off," said Grove, who suddenly saw the fish swim from beneath the boulder into clear view in the shallow water. "I said, 'Oh, my goodness, get the net out. This is going to be a state record.'" Grove was on his way to earning a master's degree in fisheries science at Auburn University, so he was familiar with freshwater fishing records in Alabama. He was becoming impatient, reeling the yellow perch in a figure 8 pattern at the surface as his then-girlfriend prepared the net for a 2-pound, 2-ounce beauty that was, indeed, the state record. Within minutes she would net a second one for Grove that matched the weight of the first, followed by two more huge perch. "It was pretty exciting watching it on the scale, which was in grams, so I had to do the math," he said of March 7, 2015, when the first fish Grove caught that day was weighed by Graves Lovell of the ADNCR. "It was the best day of yellow perch fishing ever." Grove caught state record yellow perch. Daybreak near Smith Lake Dam finds anglers heading for their favorite spot.

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