In this state, I'd have to guess most of the "giant" bass are in private ponds.

 

So I'm sorta SOL on those.

 

There's a "secret" public lake I've recently found out about that holds some pretty large fish for Iowa. Like 6 and 7 pounders. It is not a large lake.

 

I'll hopefully take a crack at her still this year.

 

I'm by far no expert, but cold water fishing to me gives you the best shot at a giant. Might have to brave the elements though.

 

Hence the Cold Wet Hands thread.   

 

 

By those standards, I’ve never caught a giant LMB. I caught a SMB less than a pound off our state record, but the closest I’ve come to our 11lb 12oz state record was a 7lb 14oz fish many years ago. Even 7lb fish are exceptionally rare in Kansas, a 10lb fish just doesn’t seem possible but it happens occasionally and I spend a lot of time on the lake that usually produces them and that’s the biggest step IMO, fishing where they live. Maybe some day, I’ll hold one of my own.

21 hours ago, A-Jay said:

The OP posed the question of what we do to catch giant bass.

So would "go fish any place that has bass in it" be your answer ?

In my experience, this approach would be minimally effective.

A-Jay

I said that more in response to people saying that you need to start by finding a place that has big bass in it. I disagree with that sentiment. How you twisted that into me saying “go fish any place that has bass in it” is beyond me. 

20 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Giant LMB/State records are rare fish everywhere so few and far between.

Consider the Florida State record is 17.27 lbs with unofficial bass 20.13 lbs.

Texas State record is 18.18 lbs.in 1991 caught by a Crappie fisherman. 

California State record LMB is 21 lbs 12 oz. caught 1991. Unofficial bass 22.01 and 25.01 lbs. ( Dottie)

Florida, Texas and California have hundreds of bass lakes but only a few can produce Giant LMB. As noted every lake with bass population can produce a big bass, just not a giant bass.

Tom

 

 

Agree to disagree. I caught my largest bass (10 pound 4 ounces) out of a 1.5 acre pond. We would catch dozens of dinks an hour in that pond. I never thought big bass would live there and then one day…

1 hour ago, woolleyfooley said:

I said that more in response to people saying that you need to start by finding a place that has big bass in it. I disagree with that sentiment. How you twisted that into me saying “go fish any place that has bass in it” is beyond me. 

Agree to disagree. I caught my largest bass (10 pound 4 ounces) out of a 1.5 acre pond. We would catch dozens of dinks an hour in that pond. I never thought big bass would live there and then one day…

Soccer field size pond producing a big bass is unusual but not impossible.

The pond needs fresh water exchange  and abundant prey to support a DD size bass. Giant bass in Florida is 15+ lbs.

Tom

21 minutes ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Soccer field size pond producing a big bass is unusual but not impossible.

Ya - the lake that produced our state record back in 2005 is 290 acres...and has fresh inlet and drainage to other lakes in the immediate area.

 

Last lake survey had the average size LMB in the lake at 1.17lb with lots of prey-size Crappie, Bluegills, Greens, Pumpkinseeds and Perch.

I've fished where they are in CA and FL but haven't caught a bass much over 7lbs.  I don't have the mind set to catch one and would rather catch numbers. 

Ron was one of my fishing partners since the late 60’s and we bass fished together at every local lake in SoCal. Ron never caught a DD bass, 8 lbs was his PB. 

We caught thousands of bass together and Ron netted a few of my giant bass. Why?…….who knows as he was a very good bass angler. Ron liked to change lures and try everything catching bass was more important to him then one big bass.

 Me, I was focused on that one big bass.

Tom

3 minutes ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Ron was one of my fishing partners since the late 60’s and we bass fished together at every local lake in SoCal. Ron never caught a DD bass, 8 lbs was his PB. 

We caught thousands of bass together and Ron netted a few of my giant bass. Why?…….who knows as he was a very good bass angler. Ron liked to change lures and try everything catching bass was more important to him then one big bass.

 Me, I was focused on that one big bass.

Tom

 

And you succeeded with your 17, 18, and 19-pound bass. 

 

FWIW, I can also catch 17, 18, or 19 pounds of bass. You just have to let me weigh five bass at once. 

 

The Massachusetts state record was 15 1/2lbs and nothing since has even gotten close. I don't think there's even a single credible report of anything within 3lbs of that fish. So by those standards us MA anglers are a bit SOL I think lol. There's the occasional report of a 9 or 10 but those are unicorns and I'd consider anything over 8 to be a "once in a lifetime" type fish for most anglers. The guys grinding swimbaits or golden shiners through the ice might run into a handful of those fish chasing their own 9 or 10 but very few ever get them. 

23 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Soccer field size pond producing a big bass is unusual but not impossible.

The pond needs fresh water exchange  and abundant prey to support a DD size bass. Giant bass in Florida is 15+ lbs.

Tom

The 10 pound 4 ounce was in NY.

Negativity nelly here. Giant LMB are becoming more and more common place. Yes, this is me complaining about FFS, in particular, the actual live variety. In PA, we’re seeing single afternoons with multiple 7+ lmb being caught. That is unheard of but when you get smaller lakes, find the structure and are able to rip around from one piece of structure to another, seeing quickly how these bass react to your swimbait you’re bound to catch them. That’s what’s happening. A wise man once said the greatest gift in fishing is the discovery. Unfortunately, discovery has gone out the window. Those anglers without the discovery will and have gotten bored quickly. But hey, garmins stock has tripled so we have that…

On 11/4/2025 at 10:25 AM, MassYak85 said:

The Massachusetts state record was 15 1/2lbs and nothing since has even gotten close. I don't think there's even a single credible report of anything within 3lbs of that fish.

 

This has me thinking that the state record bass was either a genetic freak, living in a freaky environment, or didn't actually weigh 15.5 pounds. 

@HawkeyeSmallie  "There's a "secret" public lake I've recently found out about that holds some pretty large fish for Iowa. Like 6 and 7 pounders. It is not a large lake.

 

I'll hopefully take a crack at her still this year."

 

Our good weather is coming to an end.  GO NOW!  It's the time to get 'em!

12 minutes ago, Lottabass said:

@HawkeyeSmallie  "There's a "secret" public lake I've recently found out about that holds some pretty large fish for Iowa. Like 6 and 7 pounders. It is not a large lake.

 

I'll hopefully take a crack at her still this year."

 

Our good weather is coming to an end.  GO NOW!  It's the time to get 'em!

 

Yep, Saturday and Sunday look to be in the low 50's.

 

I'm off at noon today and then have next week off.

 

Hopefully I'll have a good story to tell y'all.   

I feel for the anglers in states where a 6 or 7 pound bass is a giant bass. Granted, my PB is still just under 8 pounds, but I live in GA and regularly fish SC, AL, and FL so even with my plodding along I may eventually stumble into a DD. Knowing that is exciting.

 

When my son was 12 he caught a 5.5 pounder and was obviously thrilled. Later, I told him that was a quality catch and he may never catch one that big again and there were plenty of adults and old men that would be a little jealous of his catch.

I'm blessed to have access to a private lake that has up to 8 pounders, which in SC is a big bass. But there really are no giants there. It's almost routine to catch a 5-7+ pounder. I caught a 7-4 two Saturdays ago on  Super Spook, Jr. But for some reason thy simply stop growing around 8. I can't really explain that. The state record is 16-2 and was caught in 1949. That's a very long time for a record to stand so it tells me giants are an anomaly. I know people who have caught 10 pounders, so I'll call that a Carolina giant.

 

As for how I target bigger bass, it's mostly by fishing a body of water that has a healthy population of them. There are gold shiners there, so that's a good source of forage. All the usual rigs work. Of course, the bass prefer gold hardbaits and spinnerbaits. My PB, 8-2, as well as a bunch of other larger bass, was caught pitching a 5" Yum Dinger. I almost never go finesse. I don't enjoy it at all unless I got skunked a couple times in a row. This year the Whopper Plopper 110 has been money for big bass. I've caught another few big bass (the profile pic and another 8-0) in spinnerbaits. I have come a couple ounces shy of an 8 pounder in 2025.

 

I know some people don't respect big bass caught from a private reservoir. I simply don't care. They would enjoy the opportunity if they had it. If you go to Okeechobee or Mexico and catch a big bass, you still caught that big bass. I'm not relying on forward facing sonar or any electronics or a guide. My hand is how I know the water temp. It beats competing with a bunch of better equipped bass boats for 2 pounders on the local hydro lakes.

19 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

I'm blessed to have access to a private lake that has up to 8 pounders, which in SC is a big bass. But there really are no giants there. It's almost routine to catch a 5-7+ pounder. I caught a 7-4 two Saturdays ago on  Super Spook, Jr. But for some reason thy simply stop growing around 8. I can't really explain that. The state record is 16-2 and was caught in 1949. That's a very long time for a record to stand so it tells me giants are an anomaly. I know people who have caught 10 pounders, so I'll call that a Carolina giant.

 

As for how I target bigger bass, it's mostly by fishing a body of water that has a healthy population of them. There are gold shiners there, so that's a good source of forage. All the usual rigs work. Of course, the bass prefer gold hardbaits and spinnerbaits. My PB, 8-2, as well as a bunch of other larger bass, was caught pitching a 5" Yum Dinger. This year the Whopper Plopper 110 has been money for big bass. I've caught another few big bass (the profile pic and another 8-0) in spinnerbaits. I have come a couple ounces shy of an 8 pounder in 2025.

 

I know some people don't respect big bass caught from a private reservoir. I simply don't care. They would enjoy the opportunity if they had it. If you go to Okeechobee or Mexico and catch a big bass, you still caught that big bass. I'm not relying on forward facing sonar or any electronics or a guide. My hand is how I know the water temp. It beats competing with a bunch of better equipped bass boats for 2 pounders on the local hydro lakes.

 

Well Said!

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

10 lb Northern strain LMB is a giant in most northern states above the Mason-Dixon Line. South Carolina is below the M-D line with decent winter temperatures but still comes down to genetics, environment and prey source.

Giant Bass are a rare fish for a reason.

Tom

I have never caught a giant for Fl standards. I have caught some big ones, but it is so hot, I just don't take the time to weigh them before release, maybe a quick photo, instead. I think I can estimate pretty close. So my best is probably in that 8 to 9lb range, maybe 10. I also do not target big fish and I think that also makes a difference. A big fish will normally want a large meal that she doesn't have to work too hard to get it. The majority of giants here are caught with live shiners. I love to see the pictures of you guys and gals with a huge bass. It keeps me wanting to go fishing.

I think I've caught giants. The Lindners agree, as they equate a 6.5 NLMB with a 10-pounder in the South. If I caught a 10-pounder at OH Ivie, I'd be elated, but no prouder than I've been catching 6.5-pounders in the Northwoods. And I'm fishing like @the reel ess, with no guide and no FFS, which ups the shine on my pride, for no one and no thing is telling me where to cast.

 

We can only catch the bass that swim in our water. So, when @Bazoo catches a four-pounder, as he occasionally does, that's a giant, for the pond he fishes doesn't grow many of those.  

The two smaller lakes/large ponds I frequent by my house both hold surprisingly large LMB's.  One of the two was shocked by F&G in the summer of 2024 (insider info), and was reported to me that they shocked two fish from that particular small lake that were both larger than the current Washington State record.  I have caught one fish from that lake that was a pound shy in the late summer.  Had that been Spring, that fish would have been a contender for the state record.  I do not care about that though, and would not report it to the state if it happened.  Catch, weigh, photo, release.

 

The other lake I frequent holds a lot of 6 to 8 pound fish.  Those are large fish in my area, though not close to the state record.  A nice fish in my area is 4 to 6 lbs.  I consider lmb big when they get to the 8+ mark in my area, and giant when they hit that 10lb mark.  10 to 12 pounds in my area are very rare, and considered trophies.  But I am figuring out how to catch them with more frequency.

 

A personal goal of mine that I truly feel is achievable for me is to catch the next Washington State record size fish.  I honestly really think I can do it too.

2 hours ago, Rockhopper said:

A personal goal of mine that I truly feel is achievable for me is to catch the next Washington State record size fish.  I honestly really think I can do it too.

 

I also think you can.

7 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

10 lb Northern strain LMB is a giant in most northern states above the Mason-Dixon Line. South Carolina is below the M-D line with decent winter temperatures but still comes down to genetics, environment and prey source.

Giant Bass are a rare fish for a reason.

Tom

That’s what makes it so weird that my biggest fish came from NY and not FL. Maybe he was on vacation?

4 minutes ago, woolleyfooley said:

That’s what makes it so weird that my biggest fish came from NY and not FL. Maybe he was on vacation?

“She” was on vacation😎

2 minutes ago, WRB-2.0 said:

“She” was on vacation😎

Ah, good point! I forget what the weight range is, but isn’t it true that a bass over a certain weight is almost always a female?