How did you catch your HUGE smallmouth?

[Woody B]

I caught my PB Smallmouth 40 ish years ago on a T-rigged Lizard.   It was on Lake James during the spawn.   There's a section of Lake James called James bottoms.  It's a big flat where the Linville River comes into the lake.  They were spawning, the water was clear and there were huge Smallmouth everywhere.   My PB was 6 pounds on my old "De-Liar" scale.   It was 22 inches long.   

 

That's not the huge one, or even the good one from that trip.  I took a 12 year old kid with me that day.  He threw out a lizard in front of a BIG smallie.  She picked it up by the tail and moved it out of the bed.  He was wanting to set the hook. I saw what was happening and basically grabbed him in a bear hug to keep him still.   She picked it up, by the tail his next cast also.  On his 3rd cast she engulfed it.   She was 8 pounds on my scale, 8 pounds and an ounce or 2 on a grocery store scale.   She's mounted on his wall now.   He's a lifetime fisherman, has a super nice Ranger boat.  He's the person I call for advice when I have trouble catching bass.   He deserves a bunch of credit for that Bass.  Obviously some luck was involved, but a 12 year old super excited kid made 3 back to back perfect casts.  (with an Ambassador 5500C and an Ugly Stick)

[PaulVE64]

On 12/20/2005 at 6:46 PM, Guest JoshKeller said:

24.25" smallie caught in a small creek in WV called Back Creek. Caught off an 6' ultralight rod, 6 lbs line, and a 1/32 oz jighead with a 2" plastic minnow body.

I'm 6'5" 230 lbs, and the guy beside me was about 4' higher up on the boat ramp, so that puts it in perspective.

That must have been a epic battle.

Approx 22" smallie on a bone choppo in 3' of water.

It wasnt in the water more that 3 seconds when he snatched it.

I had no scale.

[Swamp Girl]

My biggest smallmouth was 21" and I've caught a couple that length, but I've never ever weight\ measured a smallmouth, so I know no weights. I do know that the attached bass is one of my all-time favorites. I love her shape. I elbowed my arm backwards to get her as close to my head as possible for perspective. I caught her on an orange F13 Rapala, casting to a notch in an island in northwestern Ontario. She was tremendously strong, so finally netting her was a relief and a rush. I have a tape measure on the bottom of my canoe, so measuring and unhooking happen in the same place and it's quick for the fish. I had a partner that trip, so I got a good pic. I caught her on a spinning rod with 6 lb. test. According to a length to weight chart, she weighed 3 pounds, 5 ounces. I'm 5'11" for perspective. So, I think she weighed a little more. Her belly bulged like a chubby largemouth's. Maybe four pounds, but what do I know since I don't weigh fish. I do know she has a perfect shape. 

[A-Jay]

How did you catch your HUGE smallmouth ?

Define Huge . . . .

A-Jay

[VolFan]

Showoff.

[Dwight Hottle]

I don't know if their HUGE but my best five went 35.375 lbs. I'm sure @A-Jay & @roadwarrior are playing in the same ballpark. 

 

 

[roadwarrior]

 

 

                                                   

[A-Jay]

35 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

I don't know if their HUGE but my best five went 35.375 lbs. I'm sure @A-Jay & @roadwarrior are playing in the same ballpark. 

 

 

Just Epic Smallies  @Dwight Hottle~

My best five are 33.42 lb.

Nothing to sneeze at but 

You've got me by just under 2 lbs.

So I have some work to do.

However we both know once we get into this neighborhood,

it's pretty tough to move up.

#thejeffersons

A-Jay

 

 

[TnRiver46]

9 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

My biggest smallmouth was 21" and I've caught a couple that length, but I've never ever weight\ measured a smallmouth, so I know no weights. I do know that the attached bass is one of my all-time favorites. I love her shape. I elbowed my arm backwards to get her as close to my head as possible for perspective. I caught her on an orange F13 Rapala, casting to a notch in an island in northwestern Ontario. She was tremendously strong, so finally netting her was a relief and a rush. I have a tape measure on the bottom of my canoe, so measuring and unhooking happen in the same place and it's quick for the fish. I had a partner that trip, so I got a good pic. I caught her on a spinning rod with 6 lb. test. According to a length to weight chart, she weighed 3 pounds, 5 ounces. I'm 5'11" for perspective. So, I think she weighed a little more. Her belly bulged like a chubby largemouth's. Maybe four pounds, but what do I know since I don't weigh fish. I do know she has a perfect shape. 

That’s bigger than 3.5! 21” is usually approaching 4 lbs down here and ours are long and skinny 

[Swamp Girl]

Mr. 46, she was only 19 inches long. My bad. I explained that poorly. She's a 19-incher that I like better than my 21-inchers because of the quality of the photo and her cool shape. 

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

Mr. 46, she was only 19 inches long. My bad. I explained that poorly. She's a 19-incher that I like better than my 21-inchers because of the quality of the photo and her cool shape. 

Ah! Gotcha 

[Bdnoble84]

When I was 19 or 20, I caught 2 that were pushing 4lbs on my little scale. Didnt measure length at the time. It was april fishing a riffle. First came on a little blue and white crappie tube and safety-pin spinner. Next one came on a 3/16oz strikeking spinnerbait with the chart painted blade. Both were pretty much just pitched into the rifle and allowed to drift down. 
 

this weekend I caught one exactly 19” that Im guessing was close to 4lbs on a black and blue homemade crank. Its a bluff wall the current goes around just off a 20ft drop. Caught an 18 1/2 in exact same spot a few weeks ago.

 

pic is the 19” one. Think its close to 4lbs or more towards 3.5?

[JackstrawIII]

My biggest smallmouth was 4 pounds 7 ounces. I caught it on a 3.8" Keitech on a 3/0 Flashy Swimmer off a dock in early June. That's really the only large smallmouth I've ever caught, but it was memorable! 

 

Ps. I'm really tall, so fish always look smaller in pics. Didn't measure length, just weight. 

[T-Billy]

6-4 Caught on a chatterbait at night in early september. I was fishing it around isolated patches of broadleaf pondweed. That stuff can be lights out in the fall. It stays green all the way up to drawdown in November, long after the other weeds are dead and gone.

[A-Jay]

8 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

6-4 Caught on a chatterbait at night in early september. I was fishing it around isolated patches of broadleaf pondweed. That stuff can be lights out in the fall. It stays green all the way up to drawdown in November, long after the other weeds are dead and gone.

Dynamite Smallmouth ~

Congrats

I'm out of likes for today so we're going with the double smiley faces

 

A-Jay

[T-Billy]

26 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Dynamite Smallmouth ~

Congrats

I'm out of like for today so we're going with the double smiley faces

 

A-Jay

Thanks Brother. It took me a few decades to break 6#. Came close once before with a 5-14. Hopefully I'll get to join the 30#+ club with you, roadwarrior and Dwight someday. Right now my best 5 go 27-7.

[Dwight Hottle]

On 9/10/2022 at 6:16 PM, T-Billy said:

Thanks Brother. It took me a few decades to break 6#. Came close once before with a 5-14. Hopefully I'll get to join the 30#+ club with you, roadwarrior and Dwight someday. Right now my best 5 go 27-7.

 

It took me about a year fishing Erie before I caught my first 5lber then later that day I caught my first six. So sometimes it can happen quickly. 27-7 is a heck of a good base to build upon. 

[TnRiver46]

18 hours ago, T-Billy said:

. Right now my best 5 go 27-7.

 

 

 

 

 

just kidding, mine are probably like 11.5 hahaha

[roadwarrior]

25 lbs is classic, 27-7 is very impressive!

 

                                 

[The Baron]

My son holds the record in our house - 5#7oz. caught dropshotting a Berkley MaxScent Flatnose Minnow... from shore in Lake Ontario.

 

I've not broken 5#, but have caught solid 4's both with a 3.3" Keitech and 3/8oz. head, as well as a spook (a few times).  My best largemouth also came on a spook - needless to say, I've become a huge fan.

[Chilidog]

On 12/19/2005 at 11:42 PM, Preston said:

Well i love fishing for brown bass and there is nothing better than snagging a huge one. What yalls biggest smallmouth and how did you catch it. What lure, what time of year, what presentation, and what was the weather. I figure telling storys lets us brag a little but it also helps others learn.

My biggest smallmouth was caught on this years Minnesota opening week.  It was 21.5" and I caught it on a shallow shad rap.  I was fishing on the whitefish chain.

[J Francho]

5-12 on a drop shot Cross Tail Shad.  Lake Erie.

[jitterbug127]

My biggest smallie was about 3 lbs caught on a pig and jig in the white river years ago. 

[Junk Fisherman]

My profile pic is my biggest @ 6.6 lbs.  Caught it on a green pumpkin, blue flake tube at daylight.  My top 5 would be a little under 30 lbs.  Having a one day, 25-lb bag has been a goal for a while.  I've hit 23-24 lbs a couple times.  I just don't spend enough time on the right type of water.  

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, Junk Fisherman said:

My profile pic is my biggest @ 6.6 lbs.  Caught it on a green pumpkin, blue flake tube at daylight.  My top 5 would be a little under 30 lbs.  Having a one day, 25-lb bag has been a goal for a while.  I've hit 23-24 lbs a couple times.  I just don't spend enough time on the right type of water.  

Shoot. I’d say you’re doing just fine. I’d be lucky if my best 5 on a single day hit 15 lbs 

 

the biggest bag of smallies I’ve seen on my home pond in a while was Jacob wheeler with 18+ on day two of the 2019 bassmaster classic