We all know that, but how slow…?

I spend time between Minnesota, Florida and South Carolina. While in Florida last winter, we had the local fisheries expert talk to our group about largemouth bass, stocking, weeds, etc. He mentioned that largemouth there can get to 5 pounds in as little as 5-7 years. Also, this new strain of Florida largemouth called Titans may grow even faster...

Fast forward to this summer, and I'm fishing in Northern Minnesota on an old favorite lake near Longville, MN. I had caught a tagged fish 8 years earlier on this lake - and lo and behold, I catch another one this time around. I measured the fish at 16 7/8 inches and took a picture of the tag and fish, and sent into the DNR. Here is what they came back with:

"The tagged Largemouth Bass you caught was initially tagged in 2015 as part of a population estimate. At the time of tagging the fish measured 10.7 inches long. This is the first angler reported capture of this fish."

This means that the fish was likely "born" in 2012 and was now 14 years old and not even quite 17 inches in length. It grew a total of 6 inches in the last 11 years where a Florida largemouth strain may have grown to 10 pounds during that time and passed away from old age!

The tagged fish I caught 8 years ago measured 19.25 inches. The DNR at that time responded to me then by saying the fish was actually 19 years old and had been caught and recorded 2 other times. That’s about an inch a year over almost 2 decades.

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This years catch:

8 years ago:

This is a nearly 2 decade old Minnesota largemouth... pictured with a 6 decade old man that peaked at 5'10" Medium XFast, and is now 5'9" Moderate-Slow.. 😝

Thanks. That has solved the mystery of why I'm not catching bass this year. I started fishing for Florida strain largemouth in a lake near me 7 years ago. I realize now they have all grown up and died.

The large bass (4lb and up) that I catch in northern NY are almost always scarred, beat up, gnarly and weathered. Makes sense seeing as how they’re upwards of 20 years old.