I just got back the results for the dorsal spine of the 9 lb 1 oz bass I caught in November of 2013 while fishing in Maine. I had also taken a scale sample and had it aged as well.  A Maine Department of Inland Fisheries And Wildlife Fisheries Biologist aged the scale at 16 + years old, indicating it to be older then 16 years old. As a fish ages it becomes more difficult to age fish using scales, dorsal spines are the preferred method. I sent the dorsal spine to Vermont Fish and Wildlife for aging. They determined that the fish was to be at least 18 years old. Again the biologist suggested that it was probably a few years older. Both biologist that I spoke with said it was the oldest bass either of them had ever aged. I wonder if it is still swimming.

What a great post. Thanks for sharing.

 

You should have gotten the spine back and mounted it 

^^^hes alive!!

The oldest known LMB was 23 years old from NY, very rare fish. Bass live longer in cold water and grow slower.

The older bass are not always big bass

Tom

Do you know how big that fish was?

 I just got back the results for the dorsal spine of the 9 lb 1 oz bass I caught in November of 2013 while fishing in Maine. I had also taken a scale sample and had it aged as well.  A Maine Department of Inland Fisheries And Wildlife Fisheries Biologist aged the scale at 16 + years old, indicating it to be older then 16 years old. As a fish ages it becomes more difficult to age fish using scales, dorsal spines are the preferred method. I sent the dorsal spine to Vermont Fish and Wildlife for aging. They determined that the fish was to be at least 18 years old. Again the biologist suggested that it was probably a few years older. Both biologist that I spoke with said it was the oldest bass either of them had ever aged. I wonder if it is still swimming.

 

 

Have you ever taken any pictures of how you get the 2nd Dorsal Spine?  Just curious about this process.

 

Jeff

I caught a bunch of bass last week that were so close to being keepers , that I need to go back because they probably are now .

Do you know how big that fish was?

 

I do not remember the exact weight of the NY fish. From what I do remember it wasn't huge. I think it was around 5 1/2 lbs. You can probably google it and find out.

 

Have you ever taken any pictures of how you get the 2nd Dorsal Spine?  Just curious about this process.

 

Jeff

 

 I have not taken any pictures. I think I explained how it was done earlier in this post. I am sure you can find some pictures online.

 

^^^hes alive!!

 

I hope she is still alive.  I wonder how big she is. She would be a very very old bass by now.