On 2/25/2017 at 9:48 PM, RoLo said:

 

A 10-lb bass is a rare fish even in Florida. To give you some idea, a good friend of mine who is also a pro guide

in Florida & New York, 'never' boated a 10-lb bass in his life!  It's hard to wrap your head around

a 10-lb bass coming out of New England     

 

Bass have a longer growing season and a faster growth rate in southerly climes, but on the other hand,

they live significantly longer in the north where there's no thermal stress (e.g. Pushing a plant with grow lights).

But even a 6-lb bass coming from New Hampshire has got to be one very old lady!

 

Roger

 

The gold pin bass in mass was 9 5oz last year.   Year before that it was 9 2oz.   They are out there for sure.   

I know there is at least one big girl its hard in nh due to the fact they can only grown in part of the year with winter unlike Florida and California where there is no resting time for giants also they have different genetics. A big bass will make a mistake sometime ive hook an 8lber but my biggest is 6lbs 5oz in NH. I forget the name but in the middle/ northern nh there is a private pond or lake that you have to lived there to catch fish  but there was a 15lb bass electrofished within the last 5-10years its crazy to think about! my friend caught a 7lber last year so there is a couple big ones out there its hard for a bass toget 10lbs it would take prob 20 years+ to get that old.Lots of place people kill 6lbers and mount them stop killing bass and we will get a state record!

I'm in western Maine about an hour and a half from nh.  I agree. They are out there. Not a lot but there are some big old girls to be caught. I'm dedicating this year to big swimbaits to target the biggest fish of the waters I fish. I agree with catch and release of the big ones. It's imperative to pass those genes on. 

8.3 on a BOGA in oct. 2017...southern NH

Part of me enjoys having the smaller sized fish here in new england. It makes that elusive 10lb fish that much more enticing/rewarding to chase after.