10 hours ago, IcatchDinks said:

This is why I prefer length over weight. Last summer I caught my PB Largemouth: 21.75 inches. It only weighed 4+ lbs. Skinny fellow, but still a huge fish (especially considering the small urban pond I caught it in doesn't get any deeper than five feet.). 

Length is a more consistent measurement IMO. Weight can vary so much, especially the longer a fish gets. I caught a 23.5” fish in March that was 8.5 pounds. Then 2 days later caught a 23.25” fish that was 9.76lbs. The longest fish I ever caught was 24.5” but only weighed 7.5lbs. 

10 hours ago, Rucksack said:

 

Love this idea! I've always been intimidated in terms of keeping a fishing log, but felt like it would be good to do so. Recording only the bigger ones seems super manageable. I'm going to start doing this too.

The log book was a gift from my wife and daughter. I thought logging bass would reveal techniques and patterns that would help me catch more big bass. What it really shows me is seasonal patterns. One thing I've come to realize is it's not so much the bait as it is simply locating the big fish and that fish being in a feeding mood. So I put less stock in giant baits for bigger bass.

 

But it's nice to be able rank a big bass in my history as well as take out the log and relive the moment. I have nearly a photographic memory for locations where a good fish was caught, always have. So I look at the log and see the bass weight and the lure and I recall the location. If I caught a big bass on a twig, that twig is going to get a couple casts every trip. I think a lot of fishermen have this kind of memory.

9 hours ago, the reel ess said:

I have nearly a photographic memory for locations where a good fish was caught, always have.

 

Me too.

10 hours ago, the reel ess said:

I have nearly a photographic memory for locations where a good fish was caught, always have.

I can remember the location, weather conditions, time of day, lure, color, retrieve, type of cover, structure, if the bass jumped, how it fought, and what lure, and or technique I fished before and after every big bass I have ever caught.( first I tried a purple worm, then tied on a squarebill, hooked and landed the big bass, and tried a spinnerbait with no success later that day.)  Same goes for almost every big bass I have ever seen, hooked or lost.  I can even remember when I bought it, where I bought it, and how much every lure cost, that I ever landed a big bass on.  I even have to correct a friend when he is telling a big bass story from our youth, because he has a terrible fishing memory, and gets most of the facts wrong.  He always admits my version of his big bass story is right, and he is the one that caught the bass. 

 

I don't know why I can't remember the name of my wife's new friend, my neighbors dog, or what day or time, I was supposed to go to the dentist.    

On 5/27/2025 at 12:39 PM, Jar11591 said:

“Big” to me is a fish in the 4lb class, which is usually between 19.5”-20.5”. 

^^^

East-central Illinois here.  3+ is a "good" fish.  4+ is a big fish.  Most of my friends that are bass fishermen have a low to mid 6 as their PB.  7s are caught once or twice a year at most of our lakes.  

Length X Length X Girth divided by 1200 = weight in pounds. The average LMB Girth is 75% of Length, girth is the difference regarding weight.

* Length is measure mouth closed to end of tail for this formula. Girth is measured around widest area with dorsal fin down.

We are discussing “big” bass not necessarily your PB or Giant bass.

Based on the 75% girth 19” (4.28 lbs) is a better length for “big” bass then 18” (3.6 lbs).

Tom

Just say you’re personal best and keep swinging for the fences. I mean in Indiana I’ve caught a plethora of 5 to 7 pound fish but there just isn’t that trophy fishery in this state. Lake Monroe use to be amazing for 5-9 pound fish but the state killed off 95% of the lily pads and the fishing started to suck. I fish ponds and small lakes mostly now. When I get the serious bug, I’m ponying up and going to Kentucky or Cumberland, but more than likely I’m heading to the Gulf of America.. 🤪😂😉

Anything I catch that's bigger than the lure I'm throwing is a lunker to me!

14 hours ago, king fisher said:

I can remember the location, weather conditions, time of day, lure, color, retrieve, type of cover, structure, if the bass jumped, how it fought, and what lure, and or technique I fished before and after every big bass I have ever caught.( first I tried a purple worm, then tied on a squarebill, hooked and landed the big bass, and tried a spinnerbait with no success later that day.)  Same goes for almost every big bass I have ever seen, hooked or lost.  I can even remember when I bought it, where I bought it, and how much every lure cost, that I ever landed a big bass on.  I even have to correct a friend when he is telling a big bass story from our youth, because he has a terrible fishing memory, and gets most of the facts wrong.  He always admits my version of his big bass story is right, and he is the one that caught the bass. 

 

I don't know why I can't remember the name of my wife's new friend, my neighbors dog, or what day or time, I was supposed to go to the dentist.    

I can't remember the names of friends' kids, sometimes even extended family members' kids. It's shameful.

I use to consider a 6 lber a big bass. Now 5lbs and  get all giddy over a 4 lber. Havent caught a 7 in years.

On 5/28/2025 at 7:36 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Length is a more consistent measurement IMO. Weight can vary so much, especially the longer a fish gets. I caught a 23.5” fish in March that was 8.5 pounds. Then 2 days later caught a 23.25” fish that was 9.76lbs. The longest fish I ever caught was 24.5” but only weighed 7.5lbs. 

I agree length is more consistent. 
On a tournament day last fall I caught 18.5” and 20.5” smallies, both weighed 3lbs, 4oz. And then a 20.25” that was an even 4lbs.
 

The lakes around here are pretty variable in terms of ‘big fish’ but generally anything over 4lbs or 20” gets me excited for both large and smallmouth. 

Edited June 8, 2025Jun 8 by C.Tucks
Added the 4lb fish

North Central NC.  I generally reach for the scale and/or camera when I think she is 5 or more.  

Around here 3+ pounds is above average.  A really big largemouth is in the 4 or 5 pound range.

Good question.

I'd say anytime I use the net it's a good fish but that's in the 3 - 4lb range.

I'm mainly a finesse fisherman and pretty content with volume of fish.

8# 2 oz, 2019, Iowa.

Any bass over 18" is big!

My Granpa said:  

"There are little bass and there are big bass but there ain't no bad bass."

 

5lb gets its picture taken by me. Here in Fl.

Here in New England I consider 1-2lbers cookie cutter fish that I expect to catch almost every time out. Anything over 3lbs I try and weigh/measure quickly and consider a nice fish. Anything over 4lbs I take a picture of and consider a "big" fish, usually those fall in the 18-20" range. And anything over 5lbs is a "toad" in my book. 6lbs is usually a season highlight for me. 7 or 8lbs gets into "fish of a lifetime/unicorn" territory. 9-10 and guys probably won't believe you without a picture, but they do exist. 

45 minutes ago, MassYak85 said:

Here in New England I consider 1-2lbers cookie cutter fish that I expect to catch almost every time out. Anything over 3lbs I try and weigh/measure quickly and consider a nice fish. Anything over 4lbs I take a picture of and consider a "big" fish, usually those fall in the 18-20" range. And anything over 5lbs is a "toad" in my book. 6lbs is usually a season highlight for me. 7 or 8lbs gets into "fish of a lifetime/unicorn" territory. 9-10 and guys probably won't believe you without a picture, but they do exist. 

This is pretty much where I fall ^^
 

The starting line for ‘big’ is 18” or over 3 lbs in my book. You can look at DNR size structure metrics pretty much across the country and on average, bass 18” or longer typically make up 10 percent or less of all bass populations. If you live and fish where that size is an everyday occurrence, count yourself lucky and appreciate your ‘above average’ fishery. Back in Indiana where I moved from, that size fish didn’t even exist in a few waters, and was typically just 1-3 percent in so many others. Like Bill Murphy alluded to in his book, once a bass reaches about 4 pounds, it becomes a different creature and that is where ‘big’ starts taking on more significance to me.

Here is the official Tennessee Boy bass classification system 😆

 

< 1 pound - Dink

1 - 2 pounds - Keeper

2 - 5 pounds - Good

5 - 7 pounds - Big 

7 - 10 pounds - Hawg

10+ pounds - OMG!