5 hours ago, J Francho said:

That's what steelhead are for

Now you’re talking!! 

While the fight from largemouth may not last as long as smallmouth or spots of the same size, I don't think there is anything those other two species can do that compares to when you are fighting a 7lb plus largemouth & she gets her big head out of the water, mouth open, wallowing back and forth.  That is just something that freezes you in your tracks and takes your breath away.

2 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

I heartily agree. I fish smaller waters from my kayak. I’ll take ‘em all!

 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you as well! We got a couple days before the year ends so it would be a good idea to go catch some more fish.

16 hours ago, OCdockskipper said:

While the fight from largemouth may not last as long as smallmouth or spots of the same size, I don't think there is anything those other two species can do that compares to when you are fighting a 7lb plus largemouth & she gets her big head out of the water, mouth open, wallowing back and forth.  That is just something that freezes you in your tracks and takes your breath away.

Evidently you have never experienced a 7lb smallie jumping & shaking her head while totally out of the water. No comparison for me. 

1 hour ago, Dwight Hottle said:

Evidently you have never experienced a 7lb smallie jumping & shaking her head while totally out of the water. No comparison for me. 

The fight of my 6.9 smallie vs 7.8 largemouth. Smallie is breathtaking. Legit couldn’t breathe when I caught it. Especially after it hit a topwater. 

Probably be the same feeling WHEN!!!!!! let me repeat that, WHEN!!!! I get that 8lb plus largemouth. 

I've only managed 1 Largemouth over 9lbs and thought I hooked a big catfish as it stayed deep. 

Our local river produces many citation SM and surprisingly they've all stayed down until I got them to the boat.

 

Back to the point though, 

A hefty LM ain't no slouch by any means and neither is a big Crappie. Lol

8 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

Evidently you have never experienced a 7lb smallie jumping & shaking her head while totally out of the water. No comparison for me. 

No I haven't, there aren't many smallmouth bass in Southern California and the few I caught from Lake Mead over the years topped out at 3 lbs.  I have been on board when 100lb plus marlin have been caught, like smallmouth they completely clear the water when they jump and never give up the fight.  Also like smallmouth, they can & have jumped into anglers boats during the fight.  Unlike smallmouth, a Marlin can end the fight by jumping into the boat & stabbing the angler with his bill.  So I do understand the thrill of such a fight.

 

What I was describing has to do with the build of the fish.  From the pictures I've seen, as smallmouth reach the 5, 6 & 7 lb size, their growth is in the middle of their body.  The get a football shape, very thick in the middle.  As largemouth get to that size, their head & mouth continues to grow in relation to their middle.  For me, there is something about that big ol' bucket head, that huge mouth that you can put both hands into, that takes a persons breath away no matter how many times they see it.  

 

I don't believe there is another fish native to North America with that type of physique. 

 

 

I was just trying to compare the fight of a 7lb largemouth with the fight of a 7lb smallie. I love catching big largemouth but really really really love catching big smallies. The body type of the great lake smallmouth is a lot thicker throughout the whole frame than the typical smallmouth. The fish above measured 22"x17".

4 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

...I was just trying to compare the fight of a 7lb largemouth with the fight of a 7lb smallie. I love catching big largemouth but really really really love catching big smallies. The body type of the great lake smallmouth is a lot thicker throughout the whole frame than the typical smallmouth. The fish above measured 22"x17".

I hear you, as far as the actual fight, it will always go to smallmouth.  Their build, how they live & their DNA make them great fighting fish, even in the smaller versions I have caught.

 

Your picture is a great example of what I was talking about head size.  Those big smallmouth seemingly outgrow their head (as do the big spots from Bullard Bar up in Northern Cal).  In fact, as I think about it, that tends to happen with most fish in the sunfish family except for largemouth.

 

The fish below was a bit longer at 24", but while not thin, was not near as thick as the smallmouth in your photo.  As you can see she had a massive head and mouth for an 8 lb fish (northern strain).

On 10/13/2018 at 8:31 AM, roadwarrior said:

Most guys consider a 6 lb bass

a "trophy" class fish and probably a Personal Best for 95% of all fishermen.

Yup.  I was lucky enough to get two this year, the biggest 6-7.  Ned Finesse TRD, for larger one, tube for the other.

Largemouth gas out quickly... Spotted bass always give a nice strong fight.  No doubt, smallmouth are bulldozers for sure.  

Seems like I need to get on some SMB.  Wish they were around my parts though.

4 hours ago, skekoam said:

Seems like I need to get on some SMB.  Wish they were around my parts though.

DVL has smallies...But you have to find them, as they are usually in deep water..I have never caught one, although I didn't spend much time trying.

smallies are all muscle and dont give up and love to jump.largies just use their brute strength. have a place 5minutes away with 5lb smallies and 20minutes away 5lb large. both rivers.