Records That Stay

[Mobasser]

In my state of Missouri, the LM bass State record was caught in April of 1961. It was caught on Missouri's Bull Shoals lake, on a black spinnerbait.               This record still stands, and is over 60 years old now.                                             When I see a very old state record like this, it always makes me wonder if a bigger fish has been caught and was never officially weighed and verified?             Does your state have an old state record bass? And, have you wondered if that record has been beaten, but never checked out?                                           

         

[gim]

Minnesota recently de-classified any state record prior to 1980 as a "historical record" because no proof was required before 1980.  No photos, no measurements/weight, no witnesses, etc.  You could literally submit a state record willy nilly and it would go into the books as legit.  Let's just say I'm skeptical of anything prior to 1980 as a record.

 

The current largemouth one here in MN is pretty recent, so that one is legit.  The smallmouth one isn't though.  That one is from 1948.

 

Its only a matter of time before someone brings in an enormous smallmouth that is a new state record here.  There are also two categories: weight and length.  You can measure one, release it, and obtain record status for it now.  I'm all for releasing big fish like this so they can potentially grow even bigger.  The one caveat is that you have to reveal the body of water, county, and nearest town/city.  On a big lake, it wouldn't be a big deal.  But on a smaller one, I wouldn't do it.  That lake would get destroyed quickly with pressure.

[Jar11591]

Both the largemouth and smallmouth record fell in NYS last year. A few years ago I would have said both records will stand for good. The last couple years, mammoth smallmouth caught from the St. Lawrence River and the Finger Lakes have been making the rounds on social media and had me questioning my previous stance on the smallmouth record before that one fell, but when a 12 pound largemouth broke the record last year I couldn’t believe it. 

[WRB]

No proof no catch. Record catches on California must be validated by DFW warden/ biologist examination where caught , can’t move live fish away from the  lake. This made releasing live healthy bass very difficult getting someone to validate a catch.

Tom

[TnRiver46]

TN record was broken about 10-12 yrs ago, 15 lber on umbrella rig 

[Glaucus]

I'm sure a majority of fishing records have been broken. In fact, we know that many have been broken, but a technicality wipes them out, and the catch quickly fades from memory, unless it's something amazing like Dottie. I think for the most part, though, people A.) Don't know they caught the record, B.) Don't want to share the record with the world, or C.) Don't have a way to get the record certified because hardly anyone is prepared for such an event while on the water.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

If you look at state records and the year they were caught.......there is an undeniable correlation between that and when a lake is impounded.   It's called the new lake effect, and it's created more record Bass catches than any other single factor in my estimation.    Those first 15 or so years after a lake is created is the best opportunity that lake will ever have to produce a record.  

 

Bulls Shoals Lake was impounded in 1951, and by 1961 the first class of Bass have had enough time to reach trophy sizes.    By the 70s, the lake is already declining in terms of habitat, and ability to grow true outlier fish.   

 

It's quite depressing when you realize this fact and then realize that we as country are basically done impounding new lakes.    Texas recently opened a new lake, and I suspect in the next 5-10 years we'll see a significant number of 13lb+ fish come from it.    

2 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

Both the largemouth and smallmouth record fell in NYS last year. A few years ago I would have said both records will stand for good. The last couple years, mammoth smallmouth caught from the St. Lawrence River and the Finger Lakes have been making the rounds on social media and had me questioning my previous stance on the smallmouth record before that one fell, but when a 12 pound largemouth broke the record last year I couldn’t believe it. 

Outside of the new lake effect, another surefire way to produce record sized Bass is introduce a new abundant forage species like Gobies.  

 

This is the reason why I believe the best chance to break a WR Black Bass record stands with the SM.     Gobies have been introduced to a number of new places in the last decade, including the SLR where that NY state record SM came from.    

 

I'm curious if Cayuga has had them introduced.   I'd like to know why that lake become one of the best Bass fishing lakes on the planet the last several years, something must of changed.  

[Susky River Rat]

Not a bass record but the PA State musky record is going on 101 years. 

[Pat Brown]

58 minutes ago, Glaucus said:

I'm sure a majority of fishing records have been broken. In fact, we know that many have been broken, but a technicality wipes them out, and the catch quickly fades from memory, unless it's something amazing like Dottie. I think for the most part, though, people A.) Don't know they caught the record, B.) Don't want to share the record with the world, or C.) Don't have a way to get the record certified because hardly anyone is prepared for such an event while on the water.

 

 

And I mean honestly - what is a state record?

 

Is it really worth murdering a spectacular bass over?

 

Probably not.

 

Y'all want to really grease the tracks on the next state record business in your area?  Start culling every bass you catch that isn't big and every fish you catch that isn't a bass or a basses food.

[gim]

1 hour ago, Susky River Rat said:

Not a bass record but the PA State musky record is going on 101 years. 

There’s probably no photo, no witness, and he took it home for dinner too.

 

The state record northern pike here is 45 pounds, caught way back in 1929. There is no chance that was a legit catch considering that 98% of the pike caught here are about 21 inches long.

[Susky River Rat]

@gim there is a picture. The story is the guy who caught it knew the new paper and a commission guy at the time took a picture and that’s all she wrote. 

[Swamp Girl]

3 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

And I mean honestly - what is a state record?

 

You might remember that I'm pretty sure I caught Maine's state record chain pickerel last summer. As a former musky angler and someone who's also caught quite a few 40"+ pike, I'm pretty good at estimating esox weights and when I returned home from releasing that pickerel, I looked up the record and saw it was a mere 6 lbs. 13 ounces, but I still don't regret releasing it because "honestly - what is a state record?"

 

I think Maine's state record largemouth bass of 11 pounds, 10 ounces was a unicorn and will likely never be broken, unless climate change raises our temps ten degrees and someone stocks gobies. 

[Pat Brown]

27 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

You might remember that I'm pretty sure I caught Maine's state record chain pickerel last summer. As a former musky angler and someone who's also caught quite a few 40"+ pike, I'm pretty good at estimating esox weights and when I returned home from releasing that pickerel, I looked up the record and saw it was a mere 6 lbs. 13 ounces, but I still don't regret releasing it because "honestly - what is a state record?"

 

I think Maine's state record largemouth bass of 11 pounds, 10 ounces was a unicorn and will likely never be broken, unless climate change raises our temps ten degrees and someone stocks gobies. 

 

 

If a new state record got an all expense paid trip to a hatchery where she gets to live out her life making babies and eating trout - I might be more inclined to submit a fish - but that ain't what they do.

[MyKeyBe]

The Ohio largemouth record goes back to 1976 and is 13 pounds and an ounce or two. I don't see this record being broken in my lifetime. It's an almost unobtainable record. The smallmouth record is 10 pounds and a few ounces and I can see that being broken anytime. Erie grows some big smallmouth.

 

On a side note my wife caught a giant green sunfish a few years back. If it was infact a green sunfish it would of easily broken the state record but who cares about a state record green sunfish?  We sure didn't and back in the water she went. I do believe I have a picture of two somewhere though.

[12poundbass]

Us Michiganders did a deep dive into our since it’s so old and very questionable. We’ve found some plausible truth to it???

 

 

[IntroC]

If I catch a state record bass you can bet your sweet patooty that thing is going in the record books 😉

[Catt]

11 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

.there is an undeniable correlation between that and when a lake is impounded

 

When was Toledo Bend impounded?

October 3, 1966

 

Toledo Bend lake record is 15.67 lbs, set by Bill Cook of Houston, Texas on February 11, 2023

 

11 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Outside of the new lake effect, another surefire way to produce record sized Bass is introduce a new abundant forage species like Gobies

 

Texas ShareLunker's genetic research has proven that regardless of food source if the proper genes are not present in the bass, it will never obtain record status. 

[Mobasser]

1 minute ago, Catt said:

 

When was Toledo Bend impounded?

October 3, 1966

 

Toledo Bend lake record is 15.67 lbs, set by Bill Cook of Houston, Texas on February 11, 2023

 

 

Texas ShareLunker's genetic research has proven that regardless of food source if the proper genes are not present in the bass, it will never obtain record status. 

Catt, there's a video about Missouri's record bass that's put out by our conservation dept. The mans son is interviewed. He says that when that bass was caught, Bull Shoals was packed with big fish. Strings of five bass weighing 6-7 pounds each were pretty common for a while.                              Of course this died out, but has come back different times over the years. I agree with you on this. Most newer lakes are hot for a few years. But, many come back also. There could be a new state record swimming in Bull Shoals lake right now? I think it's very possible. The genes have to be present to grow these big bass.

 

[Bankbeater]

About 20 years ago there was a 12 lb largemouth bass caught at one of the Mo. Conservation lakes here in Missouri.  The story goes that the conservation office weighed the bass and then the angler took it back to the lake and released it.

I never saw it, but the conservation office said they had a pic of this bass tacked up on their braggin board near the concession stand.  It was taken down after a few weeks because of the ruckus it was creating.

I'm thinking that if a giant can be caught out of one of these smaller size lakes, then it's quite possible that a giant largemouth is swimming around in one of the large reservoirs.

[Catt]

I totally agree with the "new lake effect" but what needs to be understood is that this happens numerous times throughout the life of the body of water.

 

Example

2007 Toledo Bend's lake level was lowered 15' to allow work on the dam. All of the exposed lake bottom had a resurgence of vegetation. When the lake level came back up it brought with it the new lake effect. 

[Pat Brown]

56 minutes ago, Bankbeater said:

About 20 years ago there was a 12 lb largemouth bass caught at one of the Mo. Conservation lakes here in Missouri.  The story goes that the conservation office weighed the bass and then the angler took it back to the lake and released it.

I never saw it, but the conservation office said they had a pic of this bass tacked up on their braggin board near the concession stand.  It was taken down after a few weeks because of the ruckus it was creating.

I'm thinking that if a giant can be caught out of one of these smaller size lakes, then it's quite possible that a giant largemouth is swimming around in one of the large reservoirs.

 

 

Near every one of NC State record bass come out of a 2 acre farm pond.

 

A fish that beat our current state record of 15 was caught a couple years back....on a farm pond and released.  She was 16.

 

Do I think reservoirs like Jordan can compete with a small well managed fishery for producing a trophy?

 

No.

 

Why?

 

Stripers.  'catch and release 🥹❤️'

 

The really impressive state record bass were all mostly caught when bass was ON THE MENU.

 

Lake Biwa beat our world record in Japan thanks to govt efforts to *eradicate LMB*.

 

Keep some fish if you like big ones.

[A-Jay]

The Gobified Brown Bass up this way are really freaky big and getting bigger.   Only a matter of time before the next 'record' size fish is landed. If by some crazy twist of fate it happen In my Lund, you might see me catch it, might see me weigh it, and if you do, you'll also definitely see me release it.

A-Jay

[DogBone_384]

Massachusetts’ LMB record dates back to 1975. The smallmouth record is 1991. The oldest record is for a 9_5 chain pickerel caught in 1954.

 

Because everyone gets a trophy in this great Commonwealth, Massachusetts has a second list of catch and release records based on length and not weight. Those records are relatively new.

[Jigfishn10]

I fished a lot of smaller bodies of water (man made) that were/are stagnant during the mid - late summer months. I often wonder if those bodies would benefit from any type of underwater current which ushers in nutrients - not to mention O2 from an external source?

 

Oh well just a thought

[Pat Brown]

Just now, Jigfishn10 said:

I fished a lot of smaller bodies of water (man made) that were/are stagnant during the mid - late summer months. I often wonder if those bodies would benefit from any type of underwater current which ushers in nutrients - not to mention O2 from an external source?

 

 

In my humble opinion that's just a tough time of year.  It's kind of like the mid to late winter. I think that there are no tougher times to fish, but you can have really incredible days at both times of year. 

 

Smaller bodies of water getting tough when conditions are extreme probably has more to do with what baitfish is doing when water conditions get poor than what bass are doing because bass are just lazy and they just follow around the fridge.

 

Bass are incredibly resilient and incredibly temperature resistant and good at finding water they can comfortably live in, but bait and smaller fish have much stricter limitations upon what they can tolerate.

 

The places I do the best in the winter and in the late summer are small bodies of water with resilient forage.  I personally like crappie and golden shiners for those times of year. 

 

Stay far away from gizzard/threadfin shad fisheries if you like getting bites fishing traditional lures in shallow Waters in the late summer and late winter LOL.  I'm not saying you won't get bites doing that. I'm just saying it gets really really tough.