I have obviously heard about the largemouth in Cali but have never heard of any smallmouth there.   Are there any

Yes. California does have smallmouth bass. State record is 9 pounds 1 ounce.

The year around feeding/growing season has been the focus of discussion when we talk about all the California monster largemouth. I wonder why that has not had the same impact on your smallmouth population. I would think that all of the conditions needed for growing a World Record or at least World Class smallmouth are there.

The year around feeding/growing season has been the focus of discussion when we talk about all the California monster largemouth. I wonder why that has not had the same impact on your smallmouth population. I would think that all of the conditions needed for growing a World Record or at least World Class smallmouth are there.

I was wondering the same too but didn't want to ask thinking if they had smallmouth I would have heard about them already.  You are correct with all the focus on largemouth it over shadows the smallies

I have no clue. Maybe the DFG should start planting smaller trout!  

If you want to learn more a bout smallies in ca check out California Smallmouth Bass on facebook.

Nahhh....

Nothing to speak of. Just a few dinks here and there

8.5

7.5

6.2

7.3

Seriously though, I've never fished for Smallies in any state besides Cali, but I've caught 8 over 7 lbs, with two of those over 8.

Peace,

Fish

PS, Their are some awesome sportfish which we don't have, such as Musky's, Alligator Gar, etc, which I am very envious of.... but fortunately, we do have some of the biggest Smallmouth's in the country.

Yes. California does have smallmouth bass. State record is 9 pounds 1 ounce.

Now thats a huge smallie!

Hey Chris I knew that was coming He just had to leave the door open.

Well, of course LOL

BTW, the 9-1 state record for Cali is no longer valid. That nearly 30 year old record was crushed a few years ago, by a 9-6, which was caught at the same lake I caught the Smallies I posted above....

Peace,

Fish

PS, BTW, we do have some good Smallies at other lakes too. One of my buddies just caught a 5 and a 6 lb'er at my home Lk. Berryessa, a few weeks ago. Another buddy caught a 6 1/4, out of the same lake I've been catching all of those giant sunfish....

So yes, we do have some big Smallmouth's

Hey Chris I knew that was coming He just had to leave the door open.

hey Chris...those aren't smallies...they're just airbrushed LM! lol

BEAUTIFUL fish! I don't catch them as big as Dwight but we can usually put at least 1-5lber in the boat every year on StClair but...just wow!

Hey Fish Chris!

Those are my favorite photographs ever posted.

Great job!

Those are some incredible fish there Chris.....but something looks to be a miss....The 6.2 looks like a smallmouth...but the rest look like smallie/spotted bass hybrids to me. Is that the case?

No.

The hybrid is a meanmouth and are quite rare. These are all smallmouth,

just HUGE!

Hey Fish Chris!

Those are my favorite photographs ever posted.

Great job!

Uhh... yeah. Gotta agree here. Wow. I love those man.

Hey Chris I knew that was coming He just had to leave the door open.

Dwight - you beat me to the punch !

Story of the year for me - a day late and a pound short . . .

A-Jay

Not sure....Those fish are huge...but they dont look like 100% smallmouth...To correct my previous post...The 7.5 (Second Picture from the top) is the one that looks like its 100% smallmouth..bronze coloration, barring with no hint of a lateral line. The others all display a lateral line, hints of barring below the lateral line, and they are more green than bronze. Still great fish, but odd looking...not spot, not smallmouth.

If they came from Lake Pardee in CA....Think there are spotted bass and smallmouth in there together at one time, and those species will hybridize naturally...Largemouth and smallies or Largemouth and spots wont usually. Will have to check it out for myself on my next visit to my sister's place in Ione. Cheers.

Nahhh....

Nothing to speak of. Just a few dinks here and there

8.5

This is now my background picture. That is the most beautifully marked fish I have ever seen! Is it a meanmouth? Everyone I showed the pic to seems to think it is, but they also had to wipe the drool off of their chin too!

No.

The hybrid is a meanmouth and are quite rare. These are all smallmouth,

just HUGE!

Not rare at all in E. Ky. I fished Paintsville Lake when I lived there and was nothing to catch 20 to 30 a day. No giants there then but lots of numbers.

Kelley

There is a decent number of them in Table Rock, at least I've seen enough of them to seem like there is. I don't think there is any documented cases of them getting that big though, the Missouri record is listed at 4 3/4lbs as far as I can find. Don't know why a hybrid couldn't get that big since both parent fish get bigger than 8 pounds. Here's a picture for reference.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=mean+mouth+bass+pics&hl=en&safe=active&sa=X&rlz=1R2ADFA_enUS427&biw=1280&bih=792&tbm=isch&prmd=ivnsfd&tbnid=KPixQITFIFw8IM:&imgrefurl=http://bellbucksnbeards.proboards.com/index.cgi%253Fboard%253Dbass%2526action%253Dprint%2526thread%253D1669&docid=b4CxfxmXvMF6qM&w=620&h=494&ei=rktOTq26Goqhtwe_iYWxBw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=469&page=1&tbnh=147&tbnw=165&start=0&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0&tx=64&ty=87

Wow, those were a couple PIGS! I've caught some smallies out of that same lake, but they looked like bait compared to yours.