Hey guys! These last few weeks have been the best bass fishing of my life. A lake I normally go to is pretty covered in weeds during the summer. Over the last month the cold weather has greatly decreased the weeds allowing me to fish in spots I have never fished before. My catches have been the best since I've moved to upstate NY from FL. 

 

I caught my personal best a few days ago. I took a lot of pictures but none that I feel really show off the true size of him. I need some help determining the weight. I guesstimated around 8 lbs. I have no measurements. In my haste I wasnt thinking and wanted to get it back in the water as soon as possible.

 

My dilemma is I really would like a more exact weight because I want to get cast done based on the pictures I have and a general weight/length measurement. By looking at the pictures below what would your guesstimates be?

 

All the fish you see below were caught on a Koppers Live Target Bluegill Wake Bait   3-3/4"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some others that I've caught In the same location over the last 2 weeks.

 

GIANT Chain Pickerel!! Thing was well over 3 feet long. These things at this size are pretty rare from what I've read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Give up the length girth numbers!

Tom

I really want a mount done, but yea I think I screwed myself on this one. The pictures make it look a lot smaller than it was.

On one pic it looks 5 to 6 ,but on others 7 to 8?????

I feel like the best way to guess the size of the bass is the mouth shot. That thing was huge!

Its really tough to tell from those pics for me... where about upstate did you move to?

Hopewell Junction, NY. Hudson Valley area

Either way its a hawg congrats on a awesome fish!!

Thanks man. You guys think I could potentially catch it again? Its more of a big pond than a lake and all those fish pics we caught in the same area of the pond. Would I have a better chance catching it on a different bait?

You don't need a tape measure with you, although it would help! Use you line to measure the fish with. A length of line from the closed mouth to the center of the tail= length, cut off and save it. Wrap another line around the widest area, cut it off, put a overhand knot in the middle = girth, save it.

Length X length X girth divide by 1200 = weight in pounds.

Best estimate without any way to validate length; the bass is 21" long, about 5.7 lbs.

Tom

Reading that estimate makes me so ticked I didn't even attempt to get a length or width. I was just so excited at the time lol. I just bought a tape measure and digital scale so this never happens again. I can use the line method as a last resort. Thanks for the input though,from now on I know I'll always have a method to get the weight!

What swimbait did you use? Or how long is it? Maybe I can use that for a reference.

Tom

Koppers Live Target Bluegill Wake Bait   3-3/4"

   

Koppers Live Target Bluegill Wake Bait   3-3/4"

 

Doesn't help, was hoping it was a Rago 6",swimmer. That's for the input.

Tom

Here's a few more, probably not going to help though.

 

 

here is one tip that may help you. Measure the width of your thumb that you can see in the picture and then estimate how many times that goes on the fish. That can help with the length and a rough estimate of the girth.

That a pretty good idea. Will do that!

here is one tip that may help you. Measure the width of your thumb that you can see in the picture and then estimate how many times that goes on the fish. That can help with the length and a rough estimate of the girth.

You are beating a dead horse, the swimbait is only 3.5" long and one photo has a good shot with the swimbait, easy to make a length estimate. Keep in mind LMB adult size fish, the head from the tip of the jaw to the gill cover is 1/3rd the body lentgh. Average hand is 4" wide, average thumb less than 1", this bass is close to 21” long, +/- 1", 5 to 6 lb bass. To be 8 lbs it needs another 3", .I'am not that far off!

This is still a big bas for NY.

Tom

$20 for a cheap, digital scale will make it so you don't have this problem in the future! Nice fish regardless of the weight!

Yea, as soon as I got home I purchased a digital scale and a tape measure. This will never happen to me again. 

Great fish especially for NY. Must be old and wise. Coming from NY myself I know fish up there are usually like footballs. Short and fat. I estimate 22" or so and 6-7#.

 

Fish in my avatar was 24" and i guess 7-8#. My digital scale came in the mail the following day LOL.

The guy who buys a scale and weighs every fish is always the best estimator of how much a fish really weighs.

Awesome fish! Wish I could help with estimate. Pleases me that after fishing Florida you caught your PB in NY  I bought a scale with calipers but my arms are so short I can't get a pic of the whole bass. sigh

 I weigh every bass I catch that is 3 lbs or better.  I hate to guestimate  and that is why I always bring my rapala digital scale, extra set of batteries and a one pound weight. If I were to guess I would say between 5lbs 8oz and 5lbs 12oz. It does have a big mouth but it doesn't have the mouth of a 7 or 8 lber. You should be able to almost fit both hands in a 7 or 8 lbers mouth.

Its a nice bass none the less !