'I had been chasing a big one for a while,' says SD angler who broke state walleye record
Nov. 13—GETTYSBURG — As a longtime South Dakota angler who has spent decades fishing Lake Oahe, Keith Pazour was confident a state record walleye was roaming in a spot he found a few years ago.
On Saturday morning, Pazour hopped on his boat in pursuit of a record-breaking walleye. Two weeks passed since a North Dakota angler reeled in a 16.8-pound walleye that broke the state's record that stood for 21 years, but Pazour was determined to haul in a larger fish on the same body of water.
Less than an hour into fishing the river, Pazour hooked what he said felt like a "huge one" that he figured weighed well over 12 pounds. As he managed to reel the walleye into his boat and put it on his scale, Pazour was shocked at the numbers the scale registered.
"I had a few choice words when I lifted her in the boat. I was by myself and had my camera set up. I threw her in the live well and it was weighing between 17 and 18 pounds," Pazour said of the events that unfolded prior to breaking the state record with his massive walleye that weighed 17 pounds and 13 ounces. "I knew then I had to get in."
By the time Pazour arrived at the boat ramp Saturday morning near Gettysburg, he said boats were lined up to begin fishing. When a friend spotted Pazour attempting to take his boat out of the water in the morning when most anglers were going the opposite direction, he was convinced Pazour had to be having boat troubles until he heard Pazour's response.
"He asked if I was having boat problems, and I said 'No, I think I have the new state record.' People were confused seeing me getting out of the water that early in the morning, but I knew I had to get that thing on a legit scale," Pazour said.
The Pierre angler has been fishing the Missouri River his entire life. When Aaron Schuck, a North Dakota angler, landed the state record walleye not far from where Pazour caught his massive walleye, it had Pazour salivating to reel in an even larger fish on the body of water he knows well.
"I figured out this area with a big fish bite about five years ago, and I had been chasing a big one there for a while. I still know there is a 20-pounder out there," he said. "The day the previous record got broke, we were right up in that area."
Pazour's record-breaking walleye was made official by South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks shortly after the fish was weighed by a GF&P employee. It was announced Monday by GF&P as the official record.
Pazour said he was using an artificial lure made by Walleye Nation Creations, which was the same type of bait Schuck used to catch the previous record walleye that stood for less than weeks.
During a podcast discussion with a group of South Dakota anglers, Schuck was convinced there are more state record-size walleye roaming the waters of Lake Oahe. Pazour shares the same opinion on there being an even larger walleye inhabiting Lake Oahe.
It's clear other anglers are also convinced there are more record walleye roaming Lake Oahe based on the increased boat traffic Pazour said he's noticed since Shuck caught the previous record.
"It's crazy seeing how many boats have been up in that area since the record was broken. I have a feeling it will stay that way for a while," Pazour said.
