# 12+ lb bass out of Tappan today?



## willyb021

heard at the marina a guy caught a largemouth that was almost 13lbs today . any of you guys?


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## catfish_hunter

That is a HAWG!!!! I wouldnt doubt it out of tappan.


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## I_Shock_Em

I find that hard to believe.....hopefully somebody has some.pics/facts. Itll be a state record if its true. That will make all the guys who say state record shouldnt come from private waters pee their pants


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## robertj298

Highly doubtful


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## kickinbass

the record largemouth for ohio is 13lb 2oz i believe... IMO there are 10+lb bass in many of the lakes around here... they are obviously little in numbers and very hard to catch.. but I think they are in more lakes than people give credit for.


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## tapeworm

I was talking to a couple guys last Friday July 1st down at the AEP area and they told me when I asked them how they did fishing, told me the following.....We caught a few 10-12 pounder's and the rest were around 5 pounds. When I asked them if they had weighed them they said "nope" just estimated as they were about 24" long. I said did you measure them and they said "nope" just guessed. Did you take any photo's? "nope" didn't have a camera. I tried my best to hold back my laughter but I failed.


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## lordofthepunks

tapeworm said:


> I was talking to a couple guys last Friday July 1st down at the AEP area and they told me when I asked them how they did fishing, told me the following.....We caught a few 10-12 pounder's and the rest were around 5 pounds. When I asked them if they had weighed them they said "nope" just estimated as they were about 24" long. I said did you measure them and they said "nope" just guessed. Did you take any photo's? "nope" didn't have a camera. I tried my best to hold back my laughter but I failed.


people are just ignorant, i agree, i would have been trying not to laugh. i ran into a guy in a kayak once, he asked me if he could borrow a pair of needle nose pliers because he had gill hooked a "beast". i asked him how big it was, he said " at least 4lbs, maybe 5" so i get my pliers, he pulls up a stringer with a 14" largemouth on it. he asked me how much i thought it weighed, i told him it might go 1.5lbs. his reply "all i know is its a beast"

some people are just ignorant and not experienced enough to know the difference. if you dont have experience catching big bass, its very difficult to estimate correctly, your "glass half full" side kicks in and 9 times out of 10, your just plain wrong.


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## saugeyesam

lordofthepunks said:


> people are just ignorant, i agree, i would have been trying not to laugh. i ran into a guy in a kayak once, he asked me if he could borrow a pair of needle nose pliers because he had gill hooked a "beast". i asked him how big it was, he said " at least 4lbs, maybe 5" so i get my pliers, he pulls up a stringer with a 14" largemouth on it. he asked me how much i thought it weighed, i told him it might go 1.5lbs. his reply "all i know is its a beast"
> 
> some people are just ignorant and not experienced enough to know the difference. if you dont have experience catching big bass, its very difficult to estimate correctly, your "glass half full" side kicks in and 9 times out of 10, your just plain wrong.


I wouldn't limit it to just the bass guys, I have seen my share of 7 to 10 pound Saugeye, Walleye, catfish and Hybrid Stripers that if actually weighed probably wouldn't break the 2 to 3 pound mark. Some guys who aren't always successful or who only get out a handful of times a year catch a few decent eaters and somehow they are turned into possible state records. I don't make it a point to bust their chops about it though, if they want to believe it's a monster it's fine with me, besides if that's what it takes to keep them interested in or maybe introducing a youngster to the sport so be it. Who am I to judge someone for something as trivial as a misinterpreted length or weight on a fish. It happens, we all know it; I see no sense getting worked up about it though, after all I have fish to catch.


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## willyb021

yeah it could definatly be b.s. the guy that told me in the parking lot said they took pictures at the marina . i didnt go in the marina and ask. but like you guys said the guy mighta just seen them takin pics of a 5-6lb fish and he had no clue and just assumed it was pushing 13 lbs . i know when i was younger and first started fishing and didnt know any better i use to think 2-3lb fish were 5-6 lbers


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## Rod Hawg

Sounds like crap. A fish that size in Ohio is extremely rare. However there are a few fish that size in this state and that could've been one of them. If here more info I'll believe it.


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## rustyfish

I find this all the time in catfishing. I hear 20-30 pound bluecat out of the scioto, but in my head i know its an 8 lb channel. 

And guys who catch a few flatheads in the 20s and a 30, what where you useing? "livers and stink bait"....Any pictures? "no we only take pictures of the big ones". lol 

Around here you know if a guy really catches a big one cause he drags it home puts it in a bath tub for three days to show everyone then throws it in his 1/8acre pond

If I guess on the wheight of a fish, 9 times out of 10 im gonna guess low.


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## dmills4124

Just did this on the bowfin thread. here is the records for the state.

Bass, Largemouth 13.13 25 1/16" Farm Pond Roy Landsberger, Kensington May 26, 1976 

and the web ite is;

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/Fis...dfish_fshohiorcrdfish/tabid/6984/Default.aspx

later ya'll
donm


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## lordofthepunks

theres also the guys that doesnt measure the fish but takes a great picture. they get home, get the picture out and work out a length based of the pic. "look at it, it goes from my chin all the way down to thigh, that makes it 27" long, it has to be 12lbs" lol, those are always priceless.


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## SConner

I would think if the guy that caught it took it to the marina for pictures there would have been someone around with enough experience to realize what a rare monster a 13lb largemouth was and this guy would be all over the news by now. I won't rule it out, but 13lbs does seem unlikely, considering nobody on this site has chimed in yet with "Yep, saw it on the news". Either way, I'm sure it was a very nice catch.


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## hewhofishes68

Just went threw this with new scales thought I was way off then realized I was reading kilograms lol. So my wifes 4# was closer to 9. And I have personly caught quite a few bass of 8# or better at tappan in the fall saugeye fishing useing large large chubs and suckers so they are there.


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## fishingredhawk

I recently blogged about giant Ohio bass claims...you can read here:

http://ohiobassblog.com/2011/05/02/...y”-largemouth-bass-from-ohio’s-public-waters/


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## jcustunner24

lordofthepunks said:


> if you dont have experience catching big bass, its very difficult to estimate correctly, your "glass half full" side kicks in and 9 times out of 10, your just plain wrong.


Great point. I was guilty of that in my teens and early twenties. Lack of experience and excitement over the catch quickly multiplies your guesstimate.


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## bkr43050

I used to catch a lot of 5-6# bass in my teen years. Funny thing is once I bought a scale to weigh them I hardly ever caught them anymore. I would say that I probably was off by 20-25% on my guesstimates back then so yeah I can relate to the situation.


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## Lowell H Turner

Bill Dance once said "Always UNDER `guesstimate` the size and weight of any fish, and let the scales and measuring tape prove you wrong..." Sage advice from a guy who`s probabily lost more BIG bass than most of us will ever SEE, including on TV...


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## homebrew

Lowell H Turner said:


> Bill Dance once said "Always UNDER `guesstimate` the size and weight of any fish, and let the scales and measuring tape prove you wrong..." Sage advice from a guy who`s probabily lost more BIG bass than most of us will ever SEE, including on TV...


That's one thing I like about Bill, I don't recall him ever guessing how much a fish weighs, and I've seen him with some monsters. Can't say that for the other TV guys.


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## Rod Hawg

Same. He catches a lot of nice fish but never really brags about em. Haha! Love watching those Bloopers on Youtube also! Funny Stuff!


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## puterdude

jcustunner24 said:


> Great point. I was guilty of that in my teens and early twenties. Lack of experience and excitement over the catch quickly multiplies your guesstimate.


Ain't that the truth.i still remember at 13 catching a 7lb crappie at Buckeye on a 2lb cricket


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## Tatonka

"I caught a 92 Lb, 93 inch muskie one time but he jumped off my scale and my camera batteries were dead so sorry, no pics" 

I have heard some good fish stories and it usually involves the "left my scales and camera at home" or the above "camera batteries were dead and the fish shook off of my scales"


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## Gsxrfanim

Thats funny, I have a few buddies that I run into from time to time and every time we talk about fishing, they mention seeing or know someone who is catching 10 pounders.
Its always 10 pounders. No 7.5 pounders......10
I would believe them but we all live in NE Ohio.


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## FishJunky

I have caught plenty of 20inch+ bass and I get the lengh and around it's belly because I dont carry a scale. I caught two bass on the same day at AEP this year that went 24inchs and 17inch around and 24 1/2inchs and 17 1/2 inchs around. Pics in my album. I checked a few different website's and they were all differnt. Weights ranged from 7 to 9 1/2lbs.


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## glassbass

Lowell H Turner said:


> Bill Dance once said "Always UNDER `guesstimate` the size and weight of any fish, and let the scales and measuring tape prove you wrong..." Sage advice from a guy who`s probabily lost more BIG bass than most of us will ever SEE, including on TV...


On one of Bills' shows, He was saying well, thats about 5 lbs (was obviously 2 or less) and when His partner caught one, it was only 1 1/2 or 2 lbs. he did this with a straight face . Took me a while to realize he was kidding.


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## glassbass

I was at lake Logan last friday evening and decided to try to catch a gill. A fellow put His boat in and was asking if I was doing any good, I answered yep, I'm not working. He commenced telling me about some of the big bass in the lake and the Saturday tournaments when I caught a 12" bass on the wobbler and grub. He got very excited and said WOW, thats a nice bass, bet those guys would like to have that to turn tomorrow ! I nearly choked on my gum but I didn't let Him see me laughing.


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## glassbass

Lowell H Turner said:


> Bill Dance once said "Always UNDER `guesstimate` the size and weight of any fish, and let the scales and measuring tape prove you wrong..." Sage advice from a guy who`s probabily lost more BIG bass than most of us will ever SEE, including on TV...


On one of Bills' shows, He was saying well, thats about 5 lbs (was obviously 2 or less) and when His partner caught one, it was only 1 1/2 or 2 lbs. he did this with a straight face . Took me a while to realize he was kidding.


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## musikman43155

homebrew said:


> That's one thing I like about Bill, I don't recall him ever guessing how much a fish weighs, and I've seen him with some monsters. Can't say that for the other TV guys.


You'd catch monsters too if you could fish out of a private pond stocked with huge bass.


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## Rod Hawg

I've got 10 Bass this year over 4lbs. And none over 6lbs. 8oz. Mabye in the Fall or Spring when the fish are footballs you could tie into a mid 20in. fish and it could be pushing ten. Heck! I've heard of 20inchers pushing 7lbs due to the girth. And by the way Musikman. Thats a good one


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## Harbor Hunter

fishingredhawk said:


> I recently blogged about giant Ohio bass claims...you can read here:
> 
> http://ohiobassblog.com/2011/05/02/...y”-largemouth-bass-from-ohio’s-public-waters/


 I've only caught one huge largemouth from public waters in Ohio,that one went 8lbs.6oz.,and was weighed on certified scales by a state worker.The picture of me holding it hung on the wall at the bait shop by Pleasant Hill Lake for years.The fish was caught out of the pond in front of the big house at Malabar Farm,which is public fishing.I have caught several smallmouth's from Lake Erie over the years that topped the 6lb.mark,I have a very accurate digital scale in my boat,along with a very reliable digital camera.Although it's not technically in Ohio waters,a buddy last year landed a smallie near Pelee Island that went 7lbs.2oz.,to me it was close enough to Ohio for me to consider it an Ohio fish,if Randy VanDam can claim his,then we can too-lol.As far as a 12lb'er from Tappan,I believe it's a possibility,but just the lack of verbal talk around different tackle shops I frequent,or media print,I would have to say it's a false story.I do however believe there are bass in Ohio waters public or otherwise,that would surpass the current 13lb. record.


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## catfish_hunter

Speaking of people not knowing the size of fish...I got a call yesterday afternoon from a buddy, he was asking me if I had been catching much recently. I gave him the scoup and he started telling me about a guy that his buddy knows catching a 24lb channel cat at lake park in coshocton...I called bullcrap...I know there are some nice fish in there, but I HIGHLY doubt there being a 24lb channel cat...I only know of one channel cat caught over 20lbs and that was several years ago at Atwood my grandpas best friend caught it and it was weighed. And of course the state record which is over 20.


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## Lowell H Turner

Won`t say tappen couldn`t have a 'trophy' bass in it; it does have a reputation as a "better than most' lake for `hawgs`. And am sure some record fish just aren`t reported or documented for various reasons, including to avoid a stampede to fish it out. Saw a 21' crappie caught out of a former gravel pit on private property where this guy`s Grandpa had us sink 35 Christmas trees. Fish was measured and weighed, then thrown back. Was told not to EVER say WHERE, which haven`t; unfortuneately when he passed on, the property was sold. Am sure SOMEONE got a surprise fishing there...


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## crappiecat

I'm not saying this fish was as big as someone heard. It does crack me up how so many people will dismiss a big fish simply because they never saw an article on it, or a pic or something on OGF. Truth is, there are a lot of big fish caught that we don't hear about. I've talked to a lot of people while out fishing and lots of them don't know anything about these fishing forums, let alone post all their catches online. Many of them might take a pic, but it's for themselves to share with buddies. 

If this fish was almost 13 lbs....congrats for that guy. If he didn't seek lots of attention for it, way to go to him! 

I'd be showing those pics off everywhere myself


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## driftfish101

big bass exist in Ohio..........12 pounds


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## driftfish101

in public waters also


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## driftfish101

I am 6ft 3 240lbs to give you some scale


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## Tatonka

driftfish101 said:


> big bass exist in Ohio..........12 pounds


Is this out of Tappan?


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## bountyhunter

SOME fishermen stretch the truth a bit, except you and me, [and some times I wonder about you!!. I can beleave theres bass this big in ohio,


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## bttmline

I absolutely believe there are new state record fish out there of every species. I can't believe the negativity on this site anymore. Back when the site started I believe the ones of us that were here from day one would have probaply said "Damn, Great job. Wish I could've been there to help you boat it."


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## Rod Hawg

Big Bass in this state excist but are extremely rare. I've heard of a lot of tens caught and I lost one last year that may have been around 10lbs. Broke me off next to shore. Was a tank! But 11+. Haven't heard of many. Mabye 2 or 3 that size. But I believe there out there.


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## mismas1

I think a 12 plus bass being caught is garbage. Not to get into a debate, but sounds like a fish story. Most people embelish on what they have caught. The fish was probably 6 pounds and by the time the word spread through 300 people, the fish story was that it was 12 pounds. Thats is why you always bring a camera, a tape measure and a scale. I caught this guy in my condo pound and it was 22 inches and 5.5lbs.


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## Rod Hawg

Nice fish Mismas!No twelve pounder but a good one anywhere!


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## fritobandav

say it aint so...a fisherman tellin tales and stretchin the truth about a fish!!!! what next water fallin from the sky and people callin it rain


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## driftfish101

My bass wasn t caught at tappan. It was a public lake that I hate to disclose. People that have been there will know the background in the picture. My fish was 27 inches and full of eggs (caught in the spring) granted there aren t a ton being caught that size but they do exist. I lived in southern california for 10 years and man do I miss the bass there!!!! I have a scale (berkley digital) in my box, I don't guesstimate. That lake I caught that fish from gets very little pressure (gill fisherman mostly) crystal clear water (love flourocarbon !)and gives up a ton of bass over 5lbs every spring. Limited access makes it tough in the summer(only fish on one side, rest is private housing development)


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## Nimi_fisher5

Driftfish101










"fish all day , every day"


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## Rod Hawg

I may have a guess on that lake. But all I can say is. The picture doesn't do the justice but I believe ya. Then I see guys who do the little. "Hold it out trick" Thats pretty funny. I joke around w/ it a lot. Back to your fish. That fish just looks like a football. I'd take your word for it. I don't stretch the truth. A lies a lie. Even if it is a fish story.


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## Hatchetman

Keep reading about the 12 lber out of Tappan so the other day I was out by there and stopped at the marina. Told them the date and a fish of around 7 1/2 lb. was brought in around that date but no photos. Told them what the rumors were and they said there would definately be pic's if it was that size. Take it for what it's worth....


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## driftfish101

That fish had tremendous girth. All the big ones do in the spring! If you know where that lake is, early spring rocks there with wind out of the North. It blows the stunted perch to the side you can fish and the big females go on a rampage. 6 and 7 lbers are very common there for me. It is a good place to wet your line before the lake season gets rolling. Headed to Piedmont the 10th, 11th and 12th..........any good reports?


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## driftfish101

A 7.5 pounder is not a joke. Why lie?


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## Hatchetman

Who said a 7.5 was a joke ? The original poster said he didn't see the fish, he had just heard about it and had no confirmation and that's no problem. All I did was stop and ask where it was brought into and they said there was a 7 1/2 lber brought in about that time but no 12 lber. Where's the joke ?


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## driftfish101

it was just a figure of speech. I meant 7.5 lbs largemouth is a hell of a fish. It seemed someone exagerrated that is all.


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## bkr43050

I guess we could argue forever whether there is a 12.5# fish in any particular lake and we will never know that answer until one gets the scales put to it and verified. As we know from our history here a picture alone usually gets its share of questioning and doubt. In this particular case I personally am on the skeptical side. A bass nearly 13# at this time of the summer would likely shatter the state record if caught in the spring. That would mean it is a fish bigger than anyone around has caught. I find it extremely hard to believe that there was not an official weight made, or that no pictures or additional information has come out in this thread. You would think that someone at the marina would have knowledge of this fish. The fact that they say they saw a fish in the 7.5# range to me adds further doubt. It sounds to me like someone may have the story a bit embellished. If that is not the case then hopefully someone can shed more light on it.


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## Tatonka

bkr43050 said:


> You would think that someone at the marina would have knowledge of this fish.



I agree with everything you said but the marina may have never seen the fish
I worked at a small store as a meat cutter a few years ago, we would have people come in and ask if we would weigh a fish since it needed to be certified

We said yes, bring it in and I would get excited because I figured it had to be big to go through the trouble of a certified scale

The fish would come through the door and I was disappointed to say the least, I would tell these people after weighing the fish that the fish isn't close to a record

Most of these people said they were occasional fisherman and was bank fishing when they caught these fish and just came straight to the store to get it weighed so maybe the marina was completely out of the loop?

I still don't believe a 12 Lb bass came from Tappan and it has been kept under wraps but I have seen some strange things in my old age


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## willyb021

well i originally started all the racket lol I was told by a random stranger in the marina parking lot that someone had a 12+# bass at the marina. considering what Hatchetman said the guy i had talked to probably seen the 7.5# fish and didnt know any better and just assumed it was 12+ lbs. i originally posted just to clarify things and see if anyone else had heard this or seen/ caught the fish.


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