A 10lb largemouth seems to be the gold standard of goals to achieve for a largemouth fisherman.

What do you think is the smallmouth equivalent of a 10lb largemouth?

Since the world record largemouth is about 22lbs, and the world record smallmouth is about 12, would you say it is about 6 lbs?

I'm guessing, because of the St. Lawrence river, it might be a little higher, say 7 lbs.

What do you think?

6lbs in the North

8lbs in the South

 

 

There are few waterbodies up North with an abundance of 6 lb smallmouth. Even 5 lbs is big. They can gorge and get bloated more than LMB IMO. 

 

My biggest SMB is still only about 4.8 lbs, but I've caught 30+ over 4 lbs. And I've caught probably 2500 up here in Canada over the last 3 years. I don't fish the Great Lakes / St. Lawrence, where gobies/zebra mussels have created giants. Some lakes have giants, others just don't. 

Marrying a beautiful woman who can cook, great credit, comes from money, no kids, knows how a broom operates, likes beer.

 

 

I've caught both a 6lb smallie and a 9+ largemouth, and that smallie was every bit as exhilarating as that largemouth.

 

20 minutes ago, 813basstard said:

Marrying a beautiful woman who can cook, great credit, comes from money, no kids, knows how a broom operates, likes beer.

 

 

My wife can cook like an executive chef, has great credit, no kids, knows how to operate a baitcaster, plays darts better than most guys, can't stand a dirty home, can drive a boat, and likes beer.

 

A 10lb largemouth is a once in many lifetimes sized fish here, so I'd say a 6lb smallmouth would be the same.

This can be a though one to quantify as there's quite a bit to it.  However, all things considered,  I am going to agree that a 6 lb brown bass is the Trophy equivalent of a 10lb green bass.  Been fortune to have caught several of both, (and bigger) and holding each and every one is always a memorable highlight in the life of this basshead.

A-Jay 

 

Depends on where you fish.  I've spent my life fishing for largemouth bass.  The only smallmouth fishing I have done has been in Lake Eire. Ten pound largemouth bass are rare, even in Florida.  However, "Once in a lifetime" is a wide term. In the South, I think an 11 or 12 pound bass is closer.  In California, I suspect they have fish that could eat my best bass for lunch.  :>)

 

On our trips to Lake Eire, we caught three 6 pound smallmouth bass. This was three guys fishing for a week two years in a row. From that experience, I would think a 7-8 pound smallmouth would be "once in a lifetime". 

 

If you fish small lakes and ponds, a six pound largemouth is a trophy. Any large bass is a thrill. 

Historically I primarily fished Erie for smallmouth for about 11 years. I limited my fishing mostly to prespawn spring April thru May & in the fall late September through November. That time period offers the best opportunity to catch a trophy. If you know Erie you know that your time spent fishing is all about mother nature's schedule & not your own. Wind & waves kills a lot of fishing days. Then you have to deal with dirty water & poor visibility up to the better part of a week after several days of high winds. I probably averaged about 50 fishing days during that time frame each year 

During that time period I caught 55 smallies over 6lbs. I caught one over seven lbs at 7lb-6oz. My best 10 were 7-6, 6-15, 6-14 & two at 6-12, 6-10, 6-9, two at 6-8 & 6-7. I never tallied those over 5lbs but I would guess I caught between 100-200 five pounders.  

My time fishing for largemouth is probably about the same as smallies. My three biggest largemouth are 11-8, 11-2 & 10-2 caught in Mexico & FL. I have caught eight largemouth over 9lbs from GA, FL & Mexico. All these statistics are based on fishing premier fisheries. Based on my own experience chasing trophy bass from top quality fisheries I think a 6lb smallie is the equivalent of a 10lb largemouth. I think a 7lb smallie is the equivalent of a 11lb or 12lb largemouth. A 8lb smallie equals a 13lb plus largemouth.  

Now for the guys unable to fish premier waters then a 5lb smallie equals an 8lb largemouth & both represent trophy quality fish. 

 

Never caught one of either species over those weights, perhaps I need to find some better fisheries lol.

13 hours ago, 813basstard said:

Marrying a beautiful woman who can cook, great credit, comes from money, no kids, knows how a broom operates, likes beer.

 

 

Besides...if she knows how a broom operates you'll never have to buy her a car lol.

Staying within my state of Missouri where the SM record is just over 7lbs I think anything over 5 is awesome. 6lb SM are very rare. 

9 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

Historically I primarily fished Erie for smallmouth for about 11 years. I limited my fishing mostly to prespawn spring April thru May & in the fall late September through November. That time period offers the best opportunity to catch a trophy. If you know Erie you know that your time spent fishing is all about mother nature's schedule & not your own. Wind & waves kills a lot of fishing days. Then you have to deal with dirty water & poor visibility up to the better part of a week after several days of high winds. I probably averaged about 50 fishing days during that time frame each year 

During that time period I caught 55 smallies over 6lbs. I caught one over seven lbs at 7lb-6oz. My best 10 were 7-6, 6-15, 6-14 & two at 6-12, 6-10, 6-9, two at 6-8 & 6-7. I never tallied those over 5lbs but I would guess I caught between 100-200 five pounders.  

My time fishing for largemouth is probably about the same as smallies. My three biggest largemouth are 11-8, 11-2 & 10-2 caught in Mexico & FL. I have caught eight largemouth over 9lbs from GA, FL & Mexico. All these statistics are based on fishing premier fisheries. Based on my own experience chasing trophy bass from top quality fisheries I think a 6lb smallie is the equivalent of a 10lb largemouth. I think a 7lb smallie is the equivalent of a 11lb or 12lb largemouth. A 8lb smallie equals a 13lb plus largemouth.  

Now for the guys unable to fish premier waters then a 5lb smallie equals an 8lb largemouth & both represent trophy quality fish. 

You’re a machine 

A fair way to estimate it coast to coast estimate it is to take 11 pounds 15 ounces (world record smallmouth ) and divide by 22 pounds and 4 ounces ( world record largemouth).  That should put you in the 5.5 pound range.    Or you could break it down to northern strain and say 15 pound to 12 pound ratio.  This would increase the weight of the smallmouth in comparison, putting you very close to roadwarriors 8 pound estimate.   WRB could give exacts I’m sure because I don’t know the record northern strain.  I know TN kicked out a 14.5 pound northern strain back in the 50s.

 

 

On 10/10/2020 at 11:59 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

A 10lb largemouth is a once in many lifetimes sized fish here, so I'd say a 6lb smallmouth would be the same.

Here where I fish in Penna. I just really try to keep it real. I don’t set the bar at 10 lbs. for a largemouth, I feel I can’t. Every time out I’m fishing for the 6 lb.+ Bass. I fish to better my personal best. Unless you’re fishing a private pond or pay lake 10 lb. is going to be tough. On one of my home spots I have that bar set at 8 lbs., last season I feel a fish I lost was 7 lbs. It threw that no. 7 Shad Rap I had on like it was spitting out a piece of bubble gum. 
 

If I were to take a trip down south where 10 lb’r are common In an area that I can set that bar to. Well that what I would be fishing for. So up here where I fish, if I hook that 7 lb’r it would be like he was 10 pounds but really he is 7 pounds. 

22 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

Historically I primarily fished Erie for smallmouth for about 11 years. I limited my fishing mostly to prespawn spring April thru May & in the fall late September through November.

Our two Lake Erie smallmouth trips were in July. We took the Ferry from Canada and stayed on Pele Island for a week each time. Weather was an issue, but we were able to fish every day. We fished the glacier grooves around the island in 15-20' of water. We fished tube jigs on the bottom.  Three-four pound smallmouths were common.  What a fantastic fishery.  

Where I live, if I were to go after the largest bass I could likely get, I would target smallmouth, not largemouth.

1 hour ago, billmac said:

Where I live, if I were to go after the largest bass I could likely get, I would target smallmouth, not largemouth.

That’s mostly true where I fish as well 

I'd say a 6lb SM here would be a beast but it seems they just keep getting bigger and bigger. Most tournaments in my area off Lake Ontario, if open to the lake, will win with smallie bags, not largemouth. So it's pretty much to the point where there's better numbers of 5lb range smallies than 6lb LM's around these parts. Even for me, my PB smallie is bigger than my PB LM. 

Not sure where 10 lbers are common in the south comes from. Even down here (not as south as FL, but GA) they don’t exactly hop in the boat for you. Most around here will never catch a 10lber either. 

On 10/11/2020 at 11:12 AM, Dwight Hottle said:

Historically I primarily fished Erie for smallmouth for about 11 years. I limited my fishing mostly to prespawn spring April thru May & in the fall late September through November. That time period offers the best opportunity to catch a trophy. If you know Erie you know that your time spent fishing is all about mother nature's schedule & not your own. Wind & waves kills a lot of fishing days. Then you have to deal with dirty water & poor visibility up to the better part of a week after several days of high winds. I probably averaged about 50 fishing days during that time frame each year 

During that time period I caught 55 smallies over 6lbs. I caught one over seven lbs at 7lb-6oz. My best 10 were 7-6, 6-15, 6-14 & two at 6-12, 6-10, 6-9, two at 6-8 & 6-7. I never tallied those over 5lbs but I would guess I caught between 100-200 five pounders.  

My time fishing for largemouth is probably about the same as smallies. My three biggest largemouth are 11-8, 11-2 & 10-2 caught in Mexico & FL. I have caught eight largemouth over 9lbs from GA, FL & Mexico. All these statistics are based on fishing premier fisheries. Based on my own experience chasing trophy bass from top quality fisheries I think a 6lb smallie is the equivalent of a 10lb largemouth. I think a 7lb smallie is the equivalent of a 11lb or 12lb largemouth. A 8lb smallie equals a 13lb plus largemouth.  

Now for the guys unable to fish premier waters then a 5lb smallie equals an 8lb largemouth & both represent trophy quality fish. 

This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. This. 

 

My PB SM is 5-12, and I would agree, 6 is that magic number.  

On 10/11/2020 at 11:59 AM, Sphynx said:

 

Besides...if she knows how a broom operates you'll never have to buy her a car lol.

 

reminds me of the time i REALLY ticked off the first ex.  one of my buddies came over so we could go fishing. she was in a bad mood anyhow, i don't remember why anymore.  so my buddy walks in and says hi to her, and she sneers at him, and makes some dismissive gesture as she walks by.  he looks at me and says "what's wrong with her?"

without thinking, i replied "don't pay her no mind, she ain't been the same since that house landed on her sister and they took her favorite shoes".  the look on her face helped me decide to expedite our departure. hahahaha 

I'd say 6lb.  I've caught four smallies that were just over 6lb.  Still looking for that 7lb+

On 10/21/2020 at 12:32 PM, J Francho said:

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My PB SM is 5-12, and I would agree, 6 is that magic number.  

Here’s my PB SMB also at 5-12 and was caught on Mille Lacs. They do get bigger there but they are rare even on a Top 10 SMB lake.  I think a true 6 pound SMB is similar to catching a 10 lb largemouth. And agree with others that 7 lb SMB are like a 11-12 lb LMB. 

1 hour ago, cheezyridr said:

 "don't pay her no mind, she ain't been the same since that house landed on her sister and they took her favorite shoes"

 

Classic!