Due to a variety of reasons, more notably—ideal habitat and a sustainable forage base—some bodies of water are more conducive than others when it comes to generating big fish. The lakes and inland waterway, which flows through the community of Indian River, Michigan—fit squarely in this category and produced the reigning state record smallmouth bass. Bruce Kraemer tells his tale of accomplishment and how his neighbor, Ron Krieg averted his plans to fillet the trophy specimen.