# What constitutes a "Lunker" in Ohio in your book?



## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

I'd say any bucket 6lb's or over. Smallies are a different story though. IMO a 3lb'er from the Olentangy or any other small creek is as much a trophy as a 5lb'er from Erie. 

In the Sun-Belt states the bar is raised to about 9lb's IMO.


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## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

5 lbs is LUNKER/TOAD status for ohio in my book.


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## NorthSouthOhioFisherman (May 7, 2007)

any bass that 5lbs is a lunker in my book


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

What they said..........


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## Tokugawa (Apr 29, 2008)

ditto the ditto


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## Marshall (Apr 11, 2004)

Any Bass Fishingredhawk catches is a lunker. 
5lbs is a pretty darn good fish for Ohio, But anything 6 to 7 lbs is a true lunker.


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## OSU_Fisherman (Mar 1, 2007)

I'll say 5lbs since I was unable to break that mark last year. But, this year is a new story


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## MadMac (May 2, 2005)

To be a Lunker, I'd say about 45". Heh heh.


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## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

An Ohio lunker is 6lbs for a largemouth. Most claim they have caught one that big, but few actually have in my opinion.

4lbs inland for a smallmouth, or 5lbs from Lake Erie.


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

it should be up to the guy who caught it, if its there first lunker 3lb fish more power too them
personally what redhawk said is on the button IMO, especially about the part that most people havnt landed them


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## BassCrazy (Oct 11, 2007)

5 pounder is a lunker in my book...


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## ohiotuber (Apr 15, 2004)

I would also say 5 lbs, but any bass (or any species) larger than the largest a fisherman or woman has caught to date would qualify as a lunker in my book & would certainly be worthy of praise.
Mike


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## flippin fool (Apr 3, 2006)

15 inches at findley state park


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

i agree with redhawk anything over 6lbs is considered a lunker.


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## fisherman5567 (Jan 3, 2007)

In my area...Dayton, considering i dont bass fish much I would see a 3lb smallie as a lunker and 5lb large mouth as a lunker (non-private pond fish camon as for catfish.. i would see any channel over 13lb a lunker and a 25lb carp as a lunker. Flatheads....I guess I would consider any over 20lbs a lunker ( i know they are much bigger but i am just saying in Dayton).


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

flippin fool said:


> 15 inches at findley state park


In my case lunker status would be very easy to achieve


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## metzbgsu (Jun 28, 2008)

fishingredhawk said:


> An Ohio lunker is 6lbs for a largemouth. Most claim they have caught one that big, but few actually have in my opinion.
> 
> 4lbs inland for a smallmouth, or 5lbs from Lake Erie.


I pretty much agree with you, but I might bump the Lake Erie smallies up to 6 lbs, too. Some of them are getting huge!


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## JignPig Guide (Aug 3, 2007)

I say an Ohio 5-pound or better largemouth is a lunker.

They are more rarely caught than most anglers realize. Everything has to fall into place perfectly just to get one hooked. Let alone get her to the boat for a quick weigh-in and picture. 

First off (if you get one hooked up) on the check list is line/knot strength. Then there is the thought of... Is it hooked with a single hook lure, or a treble hook? Will she get wrapped-up? How fast do I drag her to the boat? Or should I play her out until she's tired? Then... Darn-it! She came off!!!
(I'm sorry, I am just writing out a couple of nightmares of last years fishing.)


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## BassMan300 (Mar 4, 2009)

JignPig Guide said:


> I say an Ohio 5-pound or better largemouth is a lunker.
> 
> They are more rarely caught than most anglers realize. Everything has to fall into place perfectly just to get one hooked. Let alone get her to the boat for a quick weigh-in and picture.
> 
> ...


Agree ^^ when you have the big one hooked so much goes through your head trying to figure out how to get that fish in the boat!


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## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

IMO if you're going to claim you caught a lunker (regardless of the size restrictions you put on it) you need a pic. It's one thing to say "I caught a couple 2 pounders yesterday" without a pic, but if you're going to say "I pulled a 6.5 pounder out of Mogadore on a black buzzbait" and you don't have a pic, it's a worthless statement. Those fish are rare, and I think everyone has some sort of device to take a picture. Just my two cents, but pic-less claims of giant fish drive me crazy.


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

I guess it depends on what is a lunker. Is it a once in a lifetime fish for someone who dosen't fish much. Or is it a once every few years fish for someone that is always fishing. The definition of lunker is a fish that is large for its kind. So to me a lunker isn't a once in a lifetime fish, but one that is attainable especially for hardcore fishermen or those fishing private/managed waters. I fish a fair amount and ive probably caught 6 over 5 lbs in the last 10 years in ohio, only one went over 6 though. So yeah 5 lbs seems about right for largemouth. 

I would say 5.5 or 6 for lake erie smallies. Just from my experience since ive only fished for them a handfull of times but ive got 4 over 5 and one over 6.


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## sady dog (Feb 10, 2008)

I must sumerise these statements ::: A lunker is the big fish in a Specific body of water. Each lake or stream will be different. Each fish will have a different size. Or where you guys talking about the lunker my wife always brags about to her friends........ ha


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## BASmead (Jan 11, 2008)

I'd say a true 4 lber is a lunker for both species anywhere in Ohio. In some of the small creeks i wade for smallies a 2 lber is a giant. It certainly varies depending on the body of water.


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## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

23" smallie out of the local rivers and streams

27" largemouth out of pond, lake or stream. 

I do not go by pound because I can not weigh one while wading.


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## bubba k (Mar 29, 2006)

Walter Adkins said:


> 23" smallie out of the local rivers and streams
> 
> 27" largemouth out of pond, lake or stream.
> 
> I do not go by pound because I can not weigh one while wading.


27???? WOW!!! That's a potential state record fish in Ohio! I'd say a 5.5-6 lb bass (whether a largemouth or smallie) would be considered a lunker. Years ago, 5 lbs was the goal, but it seems as if 5s have become more prevelant. My biggest Ohio largemouth is 6.5 lbs and 23.5 inches, and my biggest smallie was 6.3 lbs and 22.75 in. I would think that 27 inches would be 9-10 lbs!


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## CO_Trout (May 10, 2008)

Largemouth current record is 25" 13 lbs 2 oz.

Smallmouth current state record is 23 1/2" 9 lbs 8 oz.


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## 1roofmusky (May 20, 2008)

This brute hit a 10" Prizm Perch Grandma crankbait at 4am last August while we were trolling at Leesville. It was on a weed covered hump that topped out at 10 feet. I would consider it an Ohio Lunker. The fish was very long(almost 24") but very thin! You can see my arms are not stretched out slapping the lense with the fish! In its prime, this fish was a beast! I'm 5'10" 215lbs if that gives you an idea of the scale.


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## JignPig Guide (Aug 3, 2007)

Is this an Ohio Central Ohio lunker?* Bring it!!!



P.S. There's more...


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## fishing_marshall (Jun 12, 2004)

I caught this brute about 4 years ago from a pond in early april. Measured 24 1/2" long and estimate it at 7-8lbs. I should have got in mounted, but I released her and have yet to get one over 5lbs since then.


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## striperswiper (Oct 14, 2008)

for ohio i wld say 7lbs or over is a lunker in my book now as far south as florida i wld raise the bar to 10lbs !


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## 1roofmusky (May 20, 2008)

FM-
That is a great looking BASS!!!! Very fat and probably full of eggs! When regretting your decision to release it, just remember that she DID get to spawn that year and pass on those tremendous genes!! You could still get a great replica done by Lax or Fittante studios. Replicas usually look better and last a lifetime!! -And the best part is the fish is STILL swimming!!


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

fishing marshal if that fish is as long as you say it was, its no doubt over 8lbs. Thats a brute.


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## fishing_marshall (Jun 12, 2004)

The thought of a replica has crossed my mind, but I should have measured the girth of the fish for an accurate replica.


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## rbthntr (Apr 8, 2008)

jcustunner24 said:


> IMO if you're going to claim you caught a lunker (regardless of the size restrictions you put on it) you need a pic. It's one thing to say "I caught a couple 2 pounders yesterday" without a pic, but if you're going to say "I pulled a 6.5 pounder out of Mogadore on a black buzzbait" and you don't have a pic, it's a worthless statement. Those fish are rare, and I think everyone has some sort of device to take a picture. Just my two cents, but pic-less claims of giant fish drive me crazy.


a pic is a must but they are in there ive seen um see if yo ucan go with the dnr shocking youl see


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## 614-bass (Jul 22, 2008)

i would say a 6 is a lunker largemouth for ohio but im sitting in a florida hotel right now and just got off of toho and its makin me not wanna go back to ohio i got my first 5+ fish today and my first 4+ the day before and today was consindered a bad day the guide said...it was raining off and on and windy.....tomorow we have a bay boat rented so im gunna see if i can get some bigguns tomorow as well ill post some pictures soon just we dont have a usb cable (sorry had to bragg to ya guys  )


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## ohbassman (Mar 19, 2009)

imo, i think 5 or better is a true ohio lunker, and i agree with the fact that they are caught less than people think.


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