Joe Capilupo sets the Smallmourh bass State record to 7.3 lbs using a Ned rig.

Tom

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2019/10/15/20916246/joe-capilupo-catches-illinois-record-smallmouth-smashes-samps-1985-record

Congratulations to Joe Capilupo for catching the new Illinois state record smallmouth bass. Goes to show you can do very well while fishing from the shore. 

Beautiful fish....thanks for sharing. 

The fish was successfully live released back into Lake Michigan. 

Gorgeous Brown Bass !

A-Jay 

Poop Jig for the win!

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

Poop Jig for the win!

Fake news sponsored by Z-Man! That bait only catches small fish......

Hard to believe only 7+ as Great Lake Smallmouth get over 10 pounds

congrats for setting a new record

 cheers

2 hours ago, Coldbasser said:

Hard to believe only 7+ as Great Lake Smallmouth get over 10 pounds

congrats for setting a new record

 cheers

I don't deny that they might exist but none has ever been caught. There isn't a documented 10lb smallie caught from the great lakes in the United States that I have ever heard about. Do you have any info supporting a 10lb catch? 

6 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

I don't deny that they might exist but none has ever been caught. There isn't a documented 10lb smallie caught from the great lakes in the United States that I have ever heard about. Do you have any info supporting a 10lb catch? 

Interesting. I figured the 10lb mark had been broken somewhere up there. The sheer volume of water makes you think there a 30 lber lurking 

I believe at least 2, 10 pounders have been caught out of the Great Lakes but not everyone who catches a record sized fish wants the publicity. 

?

A-Jay

Smallmouth are slow growing and it's a short season. Those 7lb fish are probably 20 years old or more.

Quote

You should have been here last week, I caught a ten pounder!

Heard at every single shore spot ever.

13 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Heard at every single shore spot ever.

I know some spots where they have the receipts

I read the article the day it came out but, since this thread was resurrected, I read it again today.  THIS time I noticed that he was fishing a Z-Man Ned rig (presumably a ShroomZ) and was using 14lb mono!  I guess I can strip that 6lb off my two Ned rig spinning reels...

My apology I took the bait lol and said over 10 lbs in part on account of me fishing Stugeon Bay & saw 4 s.m. Over 8 lbs. 

Cheers

Rick

On 12/17/2019 at 2:30 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

Smallmouth are slow growing and it's a short season. Those 7lb fish are probably 20 years old or more.

This

 

The other thing noticeable in Great Lakes smallies is they tend to be shorter than their warm water counterparts. They grow in girth quicker than in length. A 6-7 pound class smallie might only be 20"-21" long and built like a football. These genetics might also be why we don't see DD smallies from northern waters. My PB from Sturgeon Bay weighed over 6 and measured almost 23" and on the same trip we caught multiple 5 pound + class fish in the 20" range.

On 12/21/2019 at 11:52 PM, slonezp said:

My PB from Sturgeon Bay weighed over 6 and measured almost 23" and on the same trip we caught multiple 5 pound + class fish in the 20" range.

My PB Smallmouth was 6.2 lbs and was 22”. I’d say a good thick SM over 21” will usually be right around 6lbs, either under or over depending on the girth.

On 1/25/2020 at 1:36 AM, waymont said:

My PB Smallmouth was 6.2 lbs and was 22”. I’d say a good thick SM over 21” will usually be right around 6lbs, either under or over depending on the girth.

I’m going after one of those here in about 4 hours.......

I had a 21”  in my boat that went 7-1 & a 23” that only went 6-12. Almost all Great Lake smallies measuring 22” are over 6lbs with a few exceptions over 7lbs. 

^{Being from Illinois I'm taking this thread (and the new state record) with a grain of salt.  It's obvious that's a Michigan fish that got lost...}

First I’ve heard about this. Congrats to Joe. I’ve had a small obsession with that record since I was a young kid. I even wrote a story in 3rd or 4th grade about breaking the record. (I was brainwashed young). It is hard to believe that that’s the first smallie taken over 7lbs in our state. I think Wisconsin’s record is 9 to 10lbs. There are there streams and rivers in northern Illinois I’ve always thought could support a 5-6lb Bass.