# Giant Bass



## bear7722 (Nov 24, 2014)

Hey everyone I have a question. Last year during a heavy rain in my local North East Ohio lake I hooked and brought up out of the water a largemouth bass that would easily of passed 10lbs. Now I know everyone has their fish stories lol but I've caught a decent amount of 4 to 5 lb bass and my personal best was a 7lb 1 ounce I weighed on a digital scale and this fish I lost dwarfed those. Now I'm not a biologist but this seems like a fish of a lifetime for Ohio. The spawn will be here in a couple of months and I can only imagine how big that fish will be if it's a female. Now my question is how rare really is a fish of that size? Has anyone ever seen any largemouth over 10 lb or smallmouth over 6 lb?


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## WalleyeFever (Jan 8, 2015)

I guess the question is what lake. Because by me 10 pounder is very unlikely... Very very


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## bear7722 (Nov 24, 2014)

It's actually a lake with a couple canals connected to it which has absolutely no fishing pressure at all. I would name it but it's close to home and I've been trying to keep it kind of off the radar. It's large but couldn't handle a ton of pressure.


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

Smallmouth over 6 can be done fairly easily (from what I understand) if you fish Lake Erie. A largemouth over 10 is a trophy ANYWHERE. I completely understand your reasoning behind keeping your lake a secret. Tight Lines!


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## ldrjay (Apr 2, 2009)

We've seen a couple 8lbers and caught several5-6 lbers in one of our lil reservoirs I fish. I can see it happening. My dad also caught a 5 lb smallie at pyma trolling for walleye. Again I see I can happen but not often. Lake Erie smallies get big.


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## bear7722 (Nov 24, 2014)

Yeah lake erie has giant smallmouth. Are there any big largemouth in there?


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## bountyhunter (Apr 28, 2004)

isn,t the state record 13# or close to that?


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## bear7722 (Nov 24, 2014)

13.13 pounds caught 20 miles from me. It's crazy though if I caught a fish that big I wouldn't mount it. I really wouldn't want it to die.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

with the ohio state record at over 13# it would be reasonable to catch a 10# fish in ohio. the state record sb for ohio now stands at a little over 9# so 6# sm should be caught but smaller fish in the 4# to 5# fish are more common. and with the sb gorging themselves on gobies that lake erie record could be broken at any time. good luck to all you bass fishermen out there be it lb or sb.
sherman


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## set-the-drag (Jan 13, 2013)

funny this thread popped up about 4 years ago my brother and I along with a buddy where casting for eyes early fall at ladue. my brother landed a 10lb 26" largemouth. I never seen one so big other than on tv. needles to say the only person that got pics of it was our buddy and yesterday he found his old phone w the pics and gave it to me. now I just need to upload them somehow. I will post the pics when I do


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## bear7722 (Nov 24, 2014)

That's crazy. You should definitely post those pictures.


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## Dave_E (Apr 6, 2004)

It is rare. 
I caught one and I was POSITIVE it was a 10+ pounder a few years ago night fishing on a private lake.

I put it on the digital scale and it was a hair over 7lbs. I then tried my buddy's scale twice and it showed the same weight.

Ever since then I doubt my own ability to judge huge fish. 2-4 pounders I can estimate pretty good though.


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## REEL GRIP (Jan 11, 2013)

There was a 10 lb. plus reported from Wolf Run A few years ago.
And one from the AEP lake pictured in Bassmaster magazine.
Also a freind was at Deercreek in Stark county a few years ago,
and a guy was at the ramp with a 10 and an 8. He called ODNR
to see if they wanted to see or take scales, whatever, and they 
told him, your 3 lbs. of the state record, not interested.
He was in a black Ranger with gold letters, said BLACK MAGIC,
Maybe someone knows him.


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## nickyfins (Jan 8, 2015)

Its not a ridiculous concept just a really nice fish for any area of michigan. Its not florida/california up here.


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## amazingslinger (Apr 16, 2009)

I've personally witnessed and weighed a 10.8 several years ago On Turkeyfoot caught by a perch fisherman. Ended up on a stringer and then their table I imagine...shame.
I've seen several upper 7 to low 8lb fish on the portage chain including Nimi.
Mogadore Bait and Tackle has had pictures of several 9's and a few 10's over the years. Supposedly from Mogadore res, but while I trust Mogadore Bait and Tackle was TOLD that, I've always secretly believed the pictures were of Largemouth that we're caught and re-released every year at old Buck's Pet Shop ponds. 
21 inch may be a Fish Ohio Award, but if you catch a largemouth over 24 inches or 8 lbs. in Ohio, it's a true trophy. My avatar is a 24.5 inch from Portage several years ago, and it still was only 7 3/4.


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## squidlips2020 (Jul 3, 2012)

I've lost a couple on nimi that would probably go 7 


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## flylogicsteelhead (Oct 4, 2006)

My largest smally in 7.4# on erie off the bubble by Perry


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

I had 2 bass come into the baitshop the weighed over 10lbs. Both were caught from local strip pits using live bluegill and crappie. I've personally caught a couple out of Lake Rockwell that were 10+. As you can see by the posts, these giant fish are mostly caught from low pressured or private bodies of water.........Mark


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## Bassbully 52 (Feb 25, 2014)

Is amazing how much bigger a bass looks when its lost by a Fisherman.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

amazingslinger said:


> Mogadore Bait and Tackle has had pictures of several 9's and a few 10's over the years. Supposedly from Mogadore res, but while I trust Mogadore Bait and Tackle was TOLD that, I've always secretly believed the pictures were of Largemouth that we're caught and re-released every year at old Buck's Pet Shop ponds.


I'm not dismissing your suspicions, just sharing my personal experiences on Mogadore. The 2 of biggest bass that I've ever caught came from Mogadore back in the mid to late 80s. One that I weighed that was 6 lbs. 10 oz. on a digital scale, and one that I didn't weigh that was bigger than the one I weighed. 

Anyhow ..... one time I was fishing with a buddy, we were fishing hollow bodied rats on the east side of Congress Lake Rd. He had a fish hit about 10 feet from the boat. When he set the hook, only the head of the bass came out of the water. Now I got a very good look at this bass' head, and I'll admit that I may have "big eyed" it. But from its nose to the back of it's gill plate was at least 10". I have no doubts that it was at the very least an 8 lb bass, so I have no doubts that Mogadore has 9 and 10 lb bass in it. 

My avatar is also a bass that was caught from Portage Lakes I caught it last year. I didn't weight it, but it is definitely one of the biggest bass I've ever caught. My conservative guess is that it was 6 1/2 lbs. Here's a bigger picture of it.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

I caught my PB LM in Springfield Lake several years ago-guessing 6-7#. I'm convince that Wft and/or Mogadore holds a new state record fish. To answer your question abt how "rare" a 10#er would be! I'd have to have more info on where you hooked into that fish!


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

Here is my largest caught and it was just over 6 pounds. Im 6' 5" 250 pounds maybe to give perspective.


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## ldrjay (Apr 2, 2009)

Ok ill throw my pb in 6.5#


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## timsquatch (Jan 13, 2015)

True 10lbers are rare in these parts but they are around "few & far between" my personal best was an 8lb4oz. last spring at lil pond by house , i would keep it tight lipped too lol , largemouths are getting bigger around ohio tho, last spring at a tourney at clearfork there was a 28lb 5 fish limit weighed in & clearfork is pretty heavily pressured , good luck & go get her this sring but be sure to post a pic or 10 lol


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## savethetrophies (Jul 4, 2014)

As far as the smallmouth go. A 5 or 6lber in dale hollow is not uncommon. A friend of mine is a guide down there and his biggest smallie is over 8lb and it was caught during snow and ice in february


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## savethetrophies (Jul 4, 2014)

World record smallie caught dale hollow. 11lb 15 ounces. Some fellow trolling for walleye


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

Smallmouth can definitely get to that size in Lake Erie....but it's a bona fide trophy.

Any largemouth over 8 lbs in Ohio is rare, IMHO. They're out there but are a "once in a lifetime" catch, IMHO.

The State Record Largemouth was an anomaly of sorts. If I recall the story correctly, it was caught in a lake that was used as trout hatchery....or something to that effect. It got to be that size b/c of it's unusual diet of a nearly unlimited supply of trout fingerlings. 

Once more, while there have been documented 10lb largemouth over the years, I don't think that there have been any 11 or 12 pound fish. To me, it makes the record very unlikely to be broken. For a LM to get to that size, it has to survive a LOT of winters.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

10 lb bass are very rare in Ohio, and most of them are caught in strip mine lakes or private ponds. Catching one in a public lake is not unheard of by any means, just extremely rare.


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## Frankie G (Aug 18, 2014)

I wouldn't go as far to say that it's a once in a lifetime catch but I will say extremely rare! Hunt that thing down in the spring and document the catch. Would love to see pics.


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## The Ghost (Jul 3, 2013)

I have never seen a "documented" 10 anywhere in OH outside of the record. Most are a fuzzy photo and a dubious claim, although the big one Solomon Curtus got in 2011 looked legit. The state has never documented any of that size in NE ohio public lakes, although I put a 9 3/4 lb fish from private water on a certified scale in 2012. I've never seen another OH fish even come close to that however.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

I don't know about the Largemouth but I have caught 2 Smallmouth -- 7lb. 4 oz. and a 7 lb. 8oz. out of Lake Erie in the same year with a dozen or better 6lb'rs. over the years. I ran a Charter Boat on Lake Erie for 35 plus years and can tell you this.. The world record swims there, it just hasn't been caught yet. 
While fishing on East Sister one day we had 2 fish on that were in the 19" range and swimming with one of them while on the line was one that DWARFED the 19"r we boated. I threw in at it a couple times to watch it move towards my bait only to be outrun by a smaller one..grrrrr. I fished that island for 2 weeks solid with my trips trying to catch that fish and never did. I know it was a double digit fish and there's got to be many more there. 

Pops


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## dfox (Jul 15, 2004)

funny to read post below about walleye fisherman catching big bass. I used to bass fish ladue a bunch, never fished much for eyes. 4th of july weekend 10+ yrs ago I had a tough morning with the bass (skunk), so just to feel some kind of a tug on the line switched to a crawler harness. couldnt have been 30 minutes later I landed a 9.5 walleye. Jim at the bait store even put it in the newspaper cause there was a turny the next weekend. Anyway, a year or so a different guy at the one stop recognized me, said that he had a log of litterally hundreds of eyes over the years, never had one over 9#. Almost to embarrased to tell him Im a bass fisherman, the eye was a mistake


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## PJHarris30 (Jul 11, 2013)

While we're on the topic, I caught this at a private pond out in Lisbon. I caught it a 5'6 ugly stick with 8# test on it. 

Needless to say, it was a fun ass ride getting it in. I had a cheap digital scale there and it registered in at 3.9lbs...but I think it was a bit heavier. 22". 

Anybody gotta "professional" opinion? 











-Paul Harris&#127907;


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## flylogicsteelhead (Oct 4, 2006)

That looks closer to 6


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## etheostoma (Dec 25, 2014)

A buddy of mine works for the DNR, and he has never personally shocked up a bass bigger than 8-9 pounds.


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## Slab assassin 55 (Jan 27, 2013)

I talked to a dnr guy on mogadore two years ago in the spring while crappie fishing. He said the past fall the biggest bass shocked up in northeastern Ohio was from Mogadore and it was over 25inch sooooo if that was over two years ago there is a pretty good chance there is a 10 pounder in there. 


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

It is safe to say that 99% of the 10 pound bass you hear about in Ohio are the ones that got away.


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

I have saw giant bass following my jerkbait in large reservoirs that are all rock none over 10 though but I can see it in a small lake or huge pond that doesn't get fished and has plenty of food. I have seen a few 6+ smallmouth out of Lake Erie mounted though not alive 


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

All Eyes said:


> It is safe to say that 99% of the 10 pound bass you hear about in Ohio are the ones that got away.


I have caught a legit 6# bass. I also believe I have seen larger bass cought by other people. However, I never carried a scale when I was younger. Also, fish lost at the boat, at shore, and long ago are prone to being remembered as better than they may have actually been.

However, at a local quarry, where fishing is very tough because of plentiful food, clear water, and massive amount of vegitation, there are lunkers hiding. I have caught several 5#'s there and watched some larger ones swim by. A good friend of mine fishes there all the time and we have a standing bet on a bass we have both seen. And, yes, we both think it is in the 10# range.

The ONLY reason I believe it can be that big is because there are a massive amount of gills in this quarry that should have over run it by now. I have never seen anyone catch more than 1 or 2 fish in a trip there. (Not that it hasn't or can't happen) Best ive done was 3. 
The exception of when it gets the annual trout stocking. People slay those trout. But you can sit and watch thosebtrout get slammed by the bass too!


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## The Outdoor Connection (Jan 21, 2012)

berkshirepresident said:


> If I recall the story correctly, it was caught in a lake that was used as trout hatchery....or something to that effect. It got to be that size b/c of it's unusual diet of a nearly unlimited supply of trout fingerlings.


 That bass lived a privileged life!


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## The Ghost (Jul 3, 2013)

Slab assassin 55 said:


> I talked to a dnr guy on mogadore two years ago in the spring while crappie fishing. He said the past fall the biggest bass shocked up in northeastern Ohio was from Mogadore and it was over 25inch sooooo if that was over two years ago there is a pretty good chance there is a 10 pounder in there.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


The longest we ever shocked out of Mogadore was 21.46". The longest bass shocked anywhere in NE Ohio in the last 10 years went 22.4" (7.50 lbs).


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

The Ghost said:


> The longest bass shocked anywhere in NE Ohio in the last 10 years went 22.4" (7.50 lbs).


I'm assuming this fish was full of eggs? If not it was one extremely healthy fish.


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## ldrjay (Apr 2, 2009)

Thats neat. My bass lake ive caught a 23 incher that was 6#. My dad caught one that was 24inch 6-7 lbs dont remember the weight exactly. We also found a 26 inch dead one just after spawn that was huge.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Bassbme said:


> I'm assuming this fish was full of eggs? If not it was one extremely healthy fish.


Even then, that fish is carrying some extreme weight for it's length....


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Bad Bub said:


> Even then, that fish is carrying some extreme weight for it's length....


Agreed .... I've caught probably 10 bass that were that length, or very close to that length, and they were all between 5 1/2 - 6 lbs.


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## CudaJohn (Aug 26, 2014)

Bassbme said:


> I'm assuming this fish was full of eggs? If not it was one extremely healthy fish.


Or it had one heck of a muffin top.


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## Slab assassin 55 (Jan 27, 2013)

Ghost is there a place where you can see shocking records? I'm just relaying what the ODNR guy had told me he could have been exaggerating but I figured if anyone were to tell the truth about a fishes true size it would be a dnr guy.


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

What about all fish nobody says anything about? Like being longer than 23in or so?


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## savethetrophies (Jul 4, 2014)

That's the ugliest muffin top I've ever seen lol


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## bear7722 (Nov 24, 2014)

It's crazy to me all the people that replied but I love reading everyone's stories and opinions. With that being said I have measured all my fish over 4lbs and and their lengths were all different. I think as a general rule length does matter but you could have an 8lb 22 inch and a 4 lb 22inch. My 7lb was an inch and a half smaller than my last 5lb but he was just built like a football. Another thing that was strange was 95% of my largest bass were caught on super finesse lures. I'm talking 3inch baits and crappie jigs. The other 5% has been on weightless lizards and buzz toads. What about you guys? What have you caught your big ones on?


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## icingdeath (Jun 2, 2010)

CudaJohn said:


> Or it had one heck of a muffin top.


keep ya warm in a shanty.


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## burnsj5 (Jan 30, 2014)

Here's a 24 inch from southern Ohio I caught this year and I know heavier fish have come out of the same body of water. I've caught one larger out of an off limits city water supply as a kid (northeast Ohio). This came on a large muskie lure and I've caught lots of average to large size bass while using these oversized lures. I'm wondering if these high pressured lakes do better with over/undersized lures as it's something new to them.


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## etheostoma (Dec 25, 2014)

As far as electrofishing goes, it is a great sampling technique, but it is not infallible. Before I had actually done it, I imagined that I would see every fish in the body of water. Not the case. It takes some skill for one thing. If you just cruise through a lake shocking, many, if not most fish feel it coming and get away. So you kind of have to find the right habitat, and step on the switch. It only works up to a certain depth. Some fish stun better than others. Many fish recover so quickly that you don't get a chance to boat them. That is just using a boat. Sampling streams with a backpack can have even more variables. 
I guess what I am saying is that don't assume because it has not been shocked up, that it is not there. Records are made to be broken.

It would be nice if there is a public database of electrofishing records. I imagine that they do not do that though. What if your favorite fishing spot happened to have half a dozen state record bass swimming in it. Picture what that same place would like a month after the info was released.

Also there are other organizations electrofishing besides DNR. EPA, ORSANCO, and various private projects funded by grants. So what you hear from one person who is out shocking may not jive with what you hear from another. Nobody is lying, they just have different data.


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## ldrjay (Apr 2, 2009)

bear7722 said:


> It's crazy to me all the people that replied but I love reading everyone's stories and opinions. With that being said I have measured all my fish over 4lbs and and their lengths were all different. I think as a general rule length does matter but you could have an 8lb 22 inch and a 4 lb 22inch. My 7lb was an inch and a half smaller than my last 5lb but he was just built like a football. Another thing that was strange was 95% of my largest bass were caught on super finesse lures. I'm talking 3inch baits and crappie jigs. The other 5% has been on weightless lizards and buzz toads. What about you guys? What have you caught your big ones on?


Lol buzzbait and chatter bait


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Carolina rigged Zoom Ultravibe Speedcraws, 3/4 oz Fat Free Shad, Texas rigged Zoom Ole Monster worms.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Sometimes, bass can be long and not as heavy as a shorter fish. I saw an 11.98 bass that was 25" long, and a nine that was 26 1/2" long.
This was one my nephew caught that was over ten pounds. she was 25 3/4".
http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/comm...ttachmentid=101127&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1409081646


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## The Ghost (Jul 3, 2013)

Bad Bub said:


> Even then, that fish is carrying some extreme weight for it's length....


I would argue not so much. Most of the six pounders we sample from our NE Ohio reservoirs measure maybe 21 to 21.5 inches. The 22.5 we sample lines up with those, the big 23.5 that weighed almost 10, and the 25" state record fairly well. Egg weight probably contributes less than 10% to even the most gravid females, although I'd have to revisit our figures. Bass aren't like walleye that carry a quart plus of eggs. What I would say however is that 1) we sample a bass with a completely stuffed stomach just as well as a starving fish, whereas anglers have to get the fish to eat, and 2) many very good anglers measure fish in a manner that somewhat inflates the weight. They should be measured on a bump board with mouth closed and tail compressed.


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## The Ghost (Jul 3, 2013)

The closest thing we publish is our fishing forecast (http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/fishing/fishing-forecasts-and-reports), but it doesn't provide specific numbers. Give us a call at our district office if you are interested in more detailed info.


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## etheostoma (Dec 25, 2014)

NCbassattack said:


> Sometimes, bass can be long and not as heavy as a shorter fish. I saw an 11.98 bass that was 25" long, and a nine that was 26 1/2" long.
> This was one my nephew caught that was over ten pounds. she was 25 3/4".
> http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/comm...ttachmentid=101127&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1409081646


That is a healthy one for sure. You lucky southerners with your long growing seasons. I suppose NC is not too different from Ohio. But you have seen more than one fish over 10 pounds. I don't think many of us in Ohio have even seen a ten pounder in our home state. Great fish!


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## murphy13 (Jun 30, 2013)

etheostoma said:


> That is a healthy one for sure. You lucky southerners with your long growing seasons. I suppose NC is not too different from Ohio. But you have seen more than one fish over 10 pounds. I don't think many of us in Ohio have even seen a ten pounder in our home state. Great fish!


I believe stories about 10lb bass(in Ohio ) as much as I do stories about bigfoot or the chupacabra.


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

well to people who don't think Ohio has good LMB fishing I have got 3 fish this year over 6 for sure this is one of them that would be pushing 6 this is next to a 7ft Abu Garcia veritas baitcasting rod the fish is 1 inch or so above the butt of the rod


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

burnsj5 said:


> Here's a 24 inch from southern Ohio I caught this year and I know heavier fish have come out of the same body of water. I've caught one larger out of an off limits city water supply as a kid (northeast Ohio). This came on a large muskie lure and I've caught lots of average to large size bass while using these oversized lures. I'm wondering if these high pressured lakes do better with over/undersized lures as it's something new to them.


That's a toad!!! And I also think that "something different" is key sometimes to larger fish in high pressured lakes. As I'm sure you know, aggressive bass will snap at fish equal to their own size, so what's a 8 or 9 inch bait to a 20 plus inch bass? They eat fish that big all the time. I've always wondered why there weren't larger baits designed for them.


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

All Eyes said:


> That's a toad!!! And I also think that "something different" is key sometimes to larger fish in high pressured lakes. As I'm sure you know, aggressive bass will snap at fish equal to their own size, so what's a 8 or 9 inch bait to a 20 plus inch bass? They eat fish that big all the time. I've always wondered why there weren't larger baits designed for them.



They make a magnum super fluke and a magnum trick worm and big swimbaits


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

jake222 said:


> They make a magnum super fluke and a magnum trick worm and big swimbaits


They do make some large bass baits like the Flukes and Monster Shads, but not too awful many. I'm talking more about large crankbaits than plastics. It seems like they would be more popular than they are


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

The strike king 25XD is a nice sized bait but it dives like 25ft


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## etheostoma (Dec 25, 2014)

We have all seen muskie baits. Wonder how often they pick up largemouth?


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Has the ODNR ever done any shock surveys at the AEP lakes in central Ohio? Some of the biggest bass I've ever seen in the state came out of there. I would highly doubt that any of the small remote holes in those hills are ever really surveyed, but I'm not sure. You have to walk miles to get to some of them ponds. Or at least it was that way back in the 90's when I last fished there. I remember some of the pics on the wall at the store called "Old Man's Money" that were just ridiculous. I don't know about any 10 pounders, but real tanks nonetheless. That's where my PB bass in Ohio were caught.


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## The Ghost (Jul 3, 2013)

We have sampled some of the AEP ponds. I'm not intimately familiar with the data, but my recollection was that we saw a lot of dinks and a few very nice fish. Nothing in the 10 lb class though.


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

The Ghost said:


> We have sampled some of the AEP ponds. I'm not intimately familiar with the data, but my recollection was that we saw a lot of dinks and a few very nice fish. Nothing in the 10 lb class though.



When did this happen? Everyone always talks about AEP and the state record comeing out of it someday&#128533;


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## burnsj5 (Jan 30, 2014)

etheostoma said:


> We have all seen muskie baits. Wonder how often they pick up largemouth?


I have caught a lot of bass on muskie baits. Last year at least 4 alone in the 3-5lb range on a top water lure called a butcher top raider.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

My memories of camping and fishing at AEP back when it was Ohio Power seem surreal to me now. My friend and I would drive to a spot and walk so far it seemed like 20 miles but was probably not even a quarter of that. There are smaller ponds next to larger ones that go on forever, and we would get lost back in there. Top water poppers were our go to baits in the early eve and boy were they fun. We caught a lot of really nice bass there. I've always said, if I ever was going to be a record chaser, that's where I would be. If someone was really into hiking and fishing, that place was as good as it gets in Ohio IMO.


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

I'll have to look for the picture of the 10lb 4oz bass one of my customers caught out of a pit in North Canton about 6 years ago. I posted it years ago on OGF, but can't seem to find it through the search. This thing had one of the nicest baskets I've ever seen on a bass.He caught it on a live crappie under a bobber. I used to have the picture posted on the bait fridge when I worked out of my garage. I'm sure some of my customers will remember seeing it. If I can't find it, you'll have to wait till the camping season starts to see the pic, he's a seasonal camper at Tuckaway and frequents my baitshop in the spring, I'll post it then................Mark


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

They make a lot of baits that are for targeting over sized bass. But like with any endeavor that targets true giants of any species, it's a lonely process. There is no doubt that the chance of hooking and landing a 10 lb. bass would be higher in a private or smaller less pressured body of water. That doesn't mean a highly pressured lake doesn't have a fish that size in it though. Actually ..... I have a feeling we'd be surprised at the number of bass approaching 10 lbs that are swimming in some of our better lakes. My guess is, those fish aren't caught because they inhabit a part of the lake that isn't normally targeted for bass. The examples of muskie fisherman that catch truly big bass while trolling over deep open water, is pretty much a testament to that line of thinking. 

We're not talking about a mythical creature here, like Bigfoot. We're talking about a species that truly exists. As far as the question posed earlier about what kind of baits have we members big bass been caught on ..... 

I know big bass can be caught on some very small baits, but most of the big ones I've caught have been on a jig and trailer, a spinnerbait, or a hollow bodied frog. The one in the picture I posted earlier in this thread was caught on a 4.20 Sweet Beaver. 

If I had to rank big bass baits I'd have #1 as a 5 1/2 -6" hollow bodied swimbait. I've never caught a bass under 3 lbs on one of those, and I've lost some real toads on them.


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## BigFish614 (Jan 27, 2011)

Im surprised that nobody else has seen the pictures of the 10+ lb bass that ive seen. Some of them are posted at Buckeye outdoors. I didnt see it in person but they look to be 10.

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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

etheostoma said:


> That is a healthy one for sure. You lucky southerners with your long growing seasons. I suppose NC is not too different from Ohio. But you have seen more than one fish over 10 pounds. I don't think many of us in Ohio have even seen a ten pounder in our home state. Great fish!


I wonder though, about smallmouth. Our record smallie came from Lake Hiwassee in the mountains, ten pounds two oz. Looks like the smallmouth would get bigger here too, but not sure of that. I fished Lake Erie out of Buffalo a few years ago, and we had four fish pushing five pounds. Most we caught ran one to three. Biggest I ever caught here was four pounds two oz. My brother did get a six out of the New River. We rarely catch smallmouth bigger than three pounds here.

Biggest LM bass I ever saw here in person was a fish guide Phil Cable weighed in during a two day tourney at Jordan Lake. Don't recall the length, but she weighed 14 pounds five oz.


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## etheostoma (Dec 25, 2014)

Lake Erie aside, I think you have higher numbers of good sized smallmouth down there. If we throw lake Erie in the mix, I suppose we are comparing apples to oranges. Ohio has some good smallmouth fishing, but I would not consider our inland smallmouth fishery as great. The Kokosing, the Big Darby, and the Stillwater come to mind as some of our better smallmouth streams. I am familiar with those three. I am sure there are plenty more that I am not familiar with.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

etheostoma said:


> Lake Erie aside, I think you have higher numbers of good sized smallmouth down there. If we throw lake Erie in the mix, I suppose we are comparing apples to oranges. Ohio has some good smallmouth fishing, but I would not consider our inland smallmouth fishery as great. The Kokosing, the Big Darby, and the Stillwater come to mind as some of our better smallmouth streams. I am familiar with those three. I am sure there are plenty more that I am not familiar with.


Maybe, not sure. I know smallies in our foothills and mountain rivers run on average 10-14 inches, with some to five pounds. In our mountain lakes we get bigger ones.
You can fish the New River and catch 120 fish in a day, but five or fewer will be over three pounds.


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

It seams like the olentangy river is full of SMB around 6-8in long. Am I wrong on this?the biggest I have hooked down there is around 10in.


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## etheostoma (Dec 25, 2014)

My local river is the little Miami and the average SMB is about 8-10 inches. I have caught the odd fish that is 17+ but in a day of fishing if I catch a 14 or two, I am doing pretty decent.

I have not fished the Olentangy, but the size that you are mentioning seems a bit small even for Ohio, but does not seem out of the norm. A river in Illinois that I fished a few years ago was the Vermillion. A place called Garvana. The quarry of choice there is the shortnose gar. Compared to a longnose it is quite the fine gamefish. After catching my fill of shortnose and mooneye, I decided to fish a 50 yard long riffle for smallmouth. It was then that I realized how poor my home river was. I caught over a dozen smallies in this riffle, and they averaged 13 inches. I am not claiming that this was great, but it was much better than Little Miami fishing, and not only bigger fish, but more bigger fish.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

Up North here it takes a long, long time for any bass to make 5 lbs. That is an old fish.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

My niece's boyfriend tells tales of a bigfoot bass in Nimisila Res. He claims he had the big girl hooked and wore out at the boat before she came unbuttoned. EVERY bit of 12 pounds. 
He tells that story with a straight face which makes it even funnier.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Saw a growth rate chart from Pennsylvania, which I would conclude similar to yours in Ohio. It takes three years for a bass (lm) to attain 12 inches there on average.
In NC, that same fish would be 14-15 inches.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

It won't be too much longer til the big females start ng. Down here, from the end of February til the end of March, jerkbaits and Texas rigged lizards, and jig and pigs (pork trailers for you young guys) do well.
One lucky dude I know caught three ten pounders in one day at High Point City Lake last March. That's the lake where my nephew got his ten plus. Rick had a ten two, a ten six, and a ten seven. All were caught on Rattlin Rogues, in five to eight feet of water. Only three bites he had! Water temp was 52 degrees and the color was a light stain. Avocado is the best color Rogue out there.
My son and I got five over five there two years ago. So it won't be long now....


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## Nipididdee (Apr 19, 2004)

Pretty good samplings via fish that are dumb and get caught...no 10's yet. 

There's always at least one a season that is sworn to have gotten away 

I'd suppose a 10lbr is smart though 

http://www.dobass.com/08EEI/DEERCREEK/FOURTH.jpg 7.39lb

http://www.dobass.com/lado4304/springopen04.html 7.89lb

http://www.dobass.com/History/dobass.html

Have seen and caught many 6lb smallies on Erie only...

I love WINTER!

nip


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## hopin to cash (Sep 14, 2010)

I don't think the small mouth record is in much danger of being broken since we now have a closed season. With that being said somebody may find an early spawner in April that could break the record though.


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

If you spend the time and money to throw a huge swimbait you should have a shot at a record LMB seams like a lot of big fish are caught on a big swimbait they should have a few videos on Wired2fish. Good luck guys!


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

The Ghost said:


> The longest bass shocked anywhere in NE Ohio in the last 10 years went 22.4" (7.50 lbs).


Does this account for OEPA, DNR, University, or private entities permitted to electroshock? 

Where's the data? Interested in a public records request.


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## etheostoma (Dec 25, 2014)

One thing for certain is that the quoted electrofishing data does not account for private bodies of water.

There are some big bass in farm ponds. Some pond owners are doing same sex stocking, and growing some huge bass very fast. There are even some sources of pellet trained largemouth. One of these pond owners will beat the record soon enough just because of good management.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

etheostoma said:


> One thing for certain is that the quoted electrofishing data does not account for private bodies of water.
> 
> There are some big bass in farm ponds. Some pond owners are doing same sex stocking, and growing some huge bass very fast. There are even some sources of pellet trained largemouth. One of these pond owners will beat the record soon enough just because of good management.


Our state record here (15 pounds, 14 0z) was a farm pond fish.
That being said, I don't think fish that have been tampered with in unnatural situations should be allowed to qualify for records.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

NCbassattack said:


> Our state record here (15 pounds, 14 0z) was a farm pond fish.
> That being said, I don't think fish that have been tampered with in unnatural situations should be allowed to qualify for records.


No doubt. At a bare minimum they should have an asterisk beside them and the ledger should read "cheated"


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

NCbassattack said:


> Our state record here (15 pounds, 14 0z) was a farm pond fish.
> That being said, I don't think fish that have been tampered with in unnatural situations should be allowed to qualify for records.


Same with ours...


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## etheostoma (Dec 25, 2014)

NCbassattack said:


> Our state record here (15 pounds, 14 0z) was a farm pond fish.
> That being said, I don't think fish that have been tampered with in unnatural situations should be allowed to qualify for records.


I don't disagree. Then for arguments sake, shouldn't your state record be disqualified? Unless a fish is caught in a public body of water, then there is no way to be certain that it has not been tampered with. Not likely, but one could have a quarter acre pond stocked with nothing but baitfish and one bass. With no competition, no spawning, that bass would grow! Is that unnatural? I just don't know where the line would be drawn, unless it was drawn at state waters only.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

jake222 said:


> If you spend the time and money to throw a huge swimbait you should have a shot at a record LMB seams like a lot of big fish are caught on a big swimbait they should have a few videos on Wired2fish. Good luck guys!


Not necessarily true. There are a lot of guys in Ohio that throw swimbaits religiously, on some of the best private bodies of water in the state, yet most will tell you that the odds of a fish even coming close to touching the state record being caught on a swimbait are less than slim. If I'm not fishing in/practicing for a tournament, I'm out chunking the big baits. I've caught some big ones on them, but my top 3 fish lifetime have came on a jig. I just don't believe big fish in Ohio are as keyed up on eating giant bait like they are out west. Our lakes have tons more cover that fish tend to bury up in than lakes in southern California (for instance) and a bait like a jig or crankbait is just more efficient at drawing fish out. Those giant bass roam open water, and use the depth of the lake for cover, while they follow those stocked trout or a bait fish called a "hitch" around. If you research a little bit about the So.Cal. lakes, and the fish catch records, it's easy to see the direct correlation between giant bass and trout stocking. A few of the lakes that they were hammering the giants out of in the 90's ceased their trout stockings due to funding and low water levels. Those lakes now struggle to put out 10#ers. Its more than just throwing something big. If the fish don't eat big bait in a particular body of water, you'll be hard pressed to convince them to start...


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

Bad Bub said:


> Not necessarily true. There are a lot of guys in Ohio that throw swimbaits religiously, on some of the best private bodies of water in the state, yet most will tell you that the odds of a fish even coming close to touching the state record being caught on a swimbait are less than slim. If I'm not fishing in/practicing for a tournament, I'm out chunking the big baits. I've caught some big ones on them, but my top 3 fish lifetime have came on a jig. I just don't believe big fish in Ohio are as keyed up on eating giant bait like they are out west. Our lakes have tons more cover that fish tend to bury up in than lakes in southern California (for instance) and a bait like a jig or crankbait is just more efficient at drawing fish out. Those giant bass roam open water, and use the depth of the lake for cover, while they follow those stocked trout or a bait fish called a "hitch" around. If you research a little bit about the So.Cal. lakes, and the fish catch records, it's easy to see the direct correlation between giant bass and trout stocking. A few of the lakes that they were hammering the giants out of in the 90's ceased their trout stockings due to funding and low water levels. Those lakes now struggle to put out 10#ers. Its more than just throwing something big. If the fish don't eat big bait in a particular body of water, you'll be hard pressed to convince them to start...



I didint even think of that! It would make sense they wouldent be keyed in on big fish because as far as i know we don't have big bait fish here. I didint even think of us not haveing the super clear water that makes useing a swimbait more likely to catch fish. It's interesting how much goes into bass fishing!


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

jake222 said:


> I didint even think of that! It would make sense they wouldent be keyed in on big fish because as far as i know we don't have big bait fish here.


I definitely agree with Bad Bub concerning the reason California's giant bass being tied to trout stockings, I don't agree that Ohio doesn't have big bait fish. Gizzard shad get very big. 12-14" Gizzard shad are not that uncommon. If you've ever fished the Ohio river in the fall and witnessed the schools of thousands of 12" and bigger shad that hang around in the mouths of feeder creeks, you'll see what I mean. 

Several years ago my dad and I were fishing the sand and gravel bar at the mouth of Wheeling Creek on the Ohio side during mid October. There were literally thousands of 12"+ shad all around us, and the smallmouth were after them. I don't know how many times we watched smallmouth hitting these fish to stun them, and then I assume, eating them. We ended up catching three smallmouth that day, with the biggest one weighing just over 4 lbs. But we lost bigger ones. It was actually the best big smallmouth day I have ever had, as far as fish landed and fish I had on. 

A story from that day about one of the fish I lost, ... but I gotta share just because. lol We were holding the boat downstream of the bar and throwing crankbaits up on to it. I get a hit and set the hook and a giant smallie comes out of the water, then starts heading towards the boat. I can't catch up with the fish, it goes under the boat as I jammed my rod in the water and I have a 4#+ smallmouth jumping out of the water on the other side of the boat while my rod is down in the water on the opposite side. lol It was nuts !!!

Anyhow .... while I personally wouldn't throw the size swimbaits they throw in California, I wouldn't hesitate to throw a 6"-8" swimbait in Ohio. And other than fishing in heavy hard cover, I'd expect just as good a chance at catching a 7#+ bass on that size swimbait as I would any other bait I've ever used.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

We do have big gizzard shad. 100% agree with that. But I just don't feel like they key in on them like they do the trout out west. Too many other meals within easy reach.


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## Gotworms (Jan 29, 2015)

I've seen bass at ladue school the shad to surface in twenty ft of water look like eight to ten inch shad jumpin everywhere. Looks like the fish in the ocean feeding at times


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

etheostoma said:


> I don't disagree. Then for arguments sake, shouldn't your state record be disqualified? Unless a fish is caught in a public body of water, then there is no way to be certain that it has not been tampered with. Not likely, but one could have a quarter acre pond stocked with nothing but baitfish and one bass. With no competition, no spawning, that bass would grow! Is that unnatural? I just don't know where the line would be drawn, unless it was drawn at state waters only.


I agree to a point. If for example, they could prove that some type of growth altering agent was involved, absolutely vacate the record.
But there are thousands of farm ponds here, and this record was from 1991, so it's been a while, and like you said, would be difficult to prove.
We know that that in our coastal counties, some black bears grow to enormous sizes, the world record (880 pounds) came from that region of the state.
Hogs from there are almost certainly fed growth hormones, and many of our super large bears come from the coastal plain. The bears feed on stillborn piglets or dead adult swine. It's not at all unusual to see bears in excess of 500 pounds from the coast, yet our mountain bears rarely hit 400 pounds.
You take run off from fertilized fields and possibly you can get super large fish.
I think it's something that needs to be looked into.


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## Archer4life (Apr 16, 2013)

I know East Branch used to cough up some 7 and 8 pounders every year. My dad and I used to fish it alot in the 80s. the boat house kept a log and pictures.. One particular amish fisherman caught at least 2 or three in that weight class every year. He only fished jig and pork frog. Black.


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## ldrjay (Apr 2, 2009)

Archer4life said:


> I know East Branch used to cough up some 7 and 8 pounders every year. My dad and I used to fish it alot in the 80s. the boat house kept a log and pictures.. One particular amish fisherman caught at least 2 or three in that weight class every year. He only fished jig and pork frog. Black.


Hush that!


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Archer4life said:


> I know East Branch used to cough up some 7 and 8 pounders every year. My dad and I used to fish it alot in the 80s. the boat house kept a log and pictures.. One particular amish fisherman caught at least 2 or three in that weight class every year. He only fished jig and pork frog. Black.


Ah, the old black jig 'n' pig. I used to throw that all the time fishing February through March. Uncle Josh Bo Liz Pork Frog. Won a tournament on Badin Lake in 1990 with it, including a nine pound ten oz fish. Love that bait!


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

If East Branch were actually kept full of water all year, it would be a TREMENDOUS LMB fishery, IMHO.


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## amazingslinger (Apr 16, 2009)

Here's a thought - Maybe the reason there are so few of the 8lb+ Ohio Largemouth caught IS because they _only_ eat larger forage, and so few people in Ohio are using bait's big enough to attract a bass that size.
Not saying big bass aren't caught on small lures, but obviously a bass that large has higher caloric needs than a bass half it's size.

There are plenty of studies that show why trophy Largemouth waters are capable of producing such fish, and one of the main reasons will be forage base. 
Here is a great link to understanding what it takes produce a huge Largemouth.

http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/building-world-record-bass


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

amazingslinger said:


> Here's a thought - Maybe the reason there are so few of the 8lb+ Ohio Largemouth caught IS because they _only_ eat larger forage, and so few people in Ohio are using bait's big enough to attract a bass that size.
> Not saying big bass aren't caught on small lures, but obviously a bass that large has higher caloric needs than a bass half it's size.
> 
> There are plenty of studies that show why trophy Largemouth waters are capable of producing such fish, and one of the main reasons will be forage base.
> ...


First... this guys has way too much money and time on his hands.
Second, the growing seasons here in the north will always restrict the average growth rate of bass. In Texas, people don't post pictures on fishing forums of the 5 lber they caught that weekend... people can say "throw big baits to catch big fish" all they want. But in reality, a bass' sole mission in life is to survive and procreate. And it's going to survive by eating whatever food it can get ahold of regardless of size.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Bad Bub said:


> First... this guys has way too much money and time on his hands.
> Second, the growing seasons here in the north will always restrict the average growth rate of bass. In Texas, people don't post pictures on fishing forums of the 5 lber they caught that weekend... people can say "throw big baits to catch big fish" all they want. But in reality, a bass' sole mission in life is to survive and procreate. And it's going to survive by eating whatever food it can get ahold of regardless of size.


No doubt. I have caught 8 pounders on Carolina rigged Zoom UV Speedcraws, which are a small 3 inch bait. I have caught two pounders on Zoom Magnum Ole Monster worms, which are a foot long. Bass eat what's available, period.
A lot depends on what forage they are feeding on that particular day.








This was caught this morning on a Lucky Craft 78 Pointer.


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## amazingslinger (Apr 16, 2009)

Bad Bub said:


> First... this guys has way too much money and time on his hands.
> Second, the growing seasons here in the north will always restrict the average growth rate of bass. In Texas, people don't post pictures on fishing forums of the 5 lber they caught that weekend... people can say "throw big baits to catch big fish" all they want. But in reality, a bass' sole mission in life is to survive and procreate. And it's going to survive by eating whatever food it can get ahold of regardless of size.


 First I live at the lake so I am able to fish every morning before work, and I am saving for toys like everyone else, lol.

Growing season and growth rate are the whole reason we DON'T have more fish in the 8lb+ up north.

Throwing a larger than average bait will definitely target larger fish.I have thrown larger than average baits for years looking for big fish over numbers because I believe a big bass wants to use as little energy as possible consuming prey. I love the umbrella rig because it gives a large bass a huge opportunity for successful feeding.

A large fish has to optimize it's opportunities/per success. A large predatory fish has to expel alot of calories to get a meal, and that meal has to gain them more calories than they used.
There is a term called OFT, or "Optimal Foraging Theory" . It can be described here and elswhere:
http://www.bigindianabass.com/big_indiana_bass/big-baits-big-bass-big-myth.html
Using OFT and what you said about a bass going to eat whatever it can to survive, that that wouldn't stop me from throwing larger baits, but it would present a strong case that the larger the bait, the slower the presentation.


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

No disrespect intended, but do you think a bass' brain really works that way? I think such theories or formulas give you little to no usable feedback. They may help explain one particular lake but no more......IMHO.

I would opine that any predator simply wants to/needs to eat: as many calories as possible with the smallest risk of injury in the process. And that's it.

While some smaller baitfish MAY be too quick for a large bass to catch, I don't think there is anything stopping them from eating a bunch of smaller "meals" if they can obtain them easily enough. In addition, a large fish will be more difficult to swallow/digest.

How many times have we heard about people catching pike or musky while panfishing....or getting their largest LMB on an ultralight while they were targeting smaller fish?

Furthermore, every lake or pond is unique to itself with its own biodiversity, PH level, O2 level, etc.

Just my two cents.


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## etheostoma (Dec 25, 2014)

If it expends more calories than the meal provides, it loses weight. So bigger fish require larger meals.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

That's pretty much true, but I have seen seven pound bass ripping schools of two inch shad, and had one 15 inches long vomit up a gizzard shad nearly eight inches long in a live well.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Especially when talking "Bass", predator fish in freshwater are more likely to use an ambush technique, than a "chase it down" hunting method. There's a reason why bass tend to be caught in cover areas. (Docks, weeds, lay downs, etc...) with the exception to open water schoolers, which use numbers of predators vs numbers of bait fish to increase odds of success, a predator fish is hanging out waiting for an easy meal, regardless how big of a meal it is. I believe throwing big baits does more to deter smaller fish than it does to attract larger fish. Which also goes against my belief that the only way a bass knows if he can fit something into his mouth is by trying. I throw the big baits because I'm addicted to doing it. I like showing them something that 99% of bass fishermen in Ohio would laugh at. I'm actually in the process of building 2- 13" floating rat swimbaits that I hope to catch a few giants with. Not because I think I'll catch more big fish with it, but because I hope to not catch the smaller ones. To me, on any given day, location is the single most important factor in catching big fish.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

berkshirepresident said:


> No disrespect intended, but do you think a bass' brain really works that way? I think such theories or formulas give you little to no usable feedback. They may help explain one particular lake but no more......IMHO.
> 
> I would opine that any predator simply wants to/needs to eat: as many calories as possible with the smallest risk of injury in the process. And that's it.


Also no disrespect meant, but if you believe a bass's brain can determine if eating a certain prey is going to injure it, how can you not believe that it could determine that it's going to take more energy to catch a certain prey, than it will gain by eating it? 

Would you say an 8 lb bass would eat a 5" bluegill? Ever get stuck by the dorsal fin of a bluegill? It hurts, right? 

While I don't completely agree with amazingslinger's earlier contention that big bass "only" eat big prey items, I do agree with him that a big bass is going to target bigger prey. Then how do you explain big bass being caught on a 2" crappie jig? The same way you explain a post on this web site a couple years ago of a guy catching a true monster flathead catfish at Mosquito, on a crappie jig? It just happens. 

If you scoff at my "It just happens" reply .... how do you explain catching a 5" bass on a 5" bait? There is NO WAY a 5" bass is going to eat a 5" jerk bait. With the above example, I'd actually say that bass target the biggest prey they can. A small fish stumbles too close, sure they may eat it. But they aren't going out chasing it on a consistent basis. Yes there are examples where bass can target smaller prey, but that's usually because the abundance of that size prey raises their hunting efficiency. 

I was fishing a tournament at Mosquito 2 or 3 years ago, and a guy brought his bag to the scales. His biggest fish was a hair over 3 lbs. As I was waiting in line to weigh my fish I happen to look at the table the scale was on and saw 2 cray fish, both were big but one was a giant. At least 7" long. The guy that weighed the bag of bass I was talking about found both of those crayfish in his live well. One of the bass had spit them up. So we're talking a bass barely more than 3 lbs was the biggest fish that could have eaten that 7" crayfish. 

IMO if you're using the way a 5 lb bass behaves as your basis for how an 8 lb bass' behaves, you're doing yourself a disservice. Two different fish. But, we're all allowed our own opinions, but this I know. If I'm targeting a true trophy Ohio bass .... a fish of 8 lbs or better. I'm going big,

Here's a couple of pictures. The small bass was caught on a 4 1/2" Red fin. and the catfish is the one I spoke of earlier'


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## Bassbully 52 (Feb 25, 2014)

I have caught 6lb bass on a bluegill fly and a 6" bass on a 8" worm..go figure.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Big bass can certainly eat five inch bluegill.
http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LE...UUTunxWo/RK=0/RS=DYpv1TNGJL8VHcQ_bIiqmc5ypYg-


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

No worries at all. We all have our opinions and ideas. We're all drawn to what we have learned and experienced first hand.

Good luck on your search for the lunker. Please post if you get it.



Bassbme said:


> Also no disrespect meant, but if you believe a bass's brain can determine if eating a certain prey is going to injure it, how can you not believe that it could determine that it's going to take more energy to catch a certain prey, than it will gain by eating it?
> 
> Would you say an 8 lb bass would eat a 5" bluegill? Ever get stuck by the dorsal fin of a bluegill? It hurts, right?
> 
> ...


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## The Ghost (Jul 3, 2013)

In my experience electrofishing bass and doing some diet work across Ohio reservoirs, big bass have pretty diverse diets, but there are a couple strong trends. First, seven to eight inch gizzard shad are very important to them. Probably the most important item large (lets say 4lb plus) bass eat. Surprisingly however, I don't think I've ever seen a shad bigger than that size in a gullet or stomach. This could well be the result of optimal foraging behavior. After big shad, crayfish are also very important, appearing consistently in diets regardless of season. Generally, the crayfish I have extracted from big bass aren't huge; research has shown that smallmouths select smaller crayfish, but the same research hasn't been done on largemouths. Other prey species are seasonally important; for example, sunfish early in the year and age-0 shad in the fall. The biggest item I ever flushed out of a bass gut was a 10" crappie, although I'm sure that on rare occasions they may tackle something larger. Gape limitation starts coming into play at that size range too though, and I have seen several large bass that died trying to get big items down.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

The Ghost, thank you very much for sharing that information. It's very useful, to be sure. I'd be curious as to what you would guess the average size cray fish is that you have taken out of bass larger than the 4 lb mark that you set?

Also, and this pertains to the picture of the two bass. What time of year did you find those fish? And was one male and one female? The only reason I ask is that in trying to figure out why a bass would try to eat another bass of that size, the only thing I can think of comes from watching bass spawn at Indigo Lake down in the CVRA.

I saw more than a couple of pairs of bass on their nests and they would grab each other by the mouth and shake. Sometimes rather violently. I assumed it was part of the spawning ritual. Do you know if it is in fact part of the spawning ritual? I thought that perhaps these fish were spawning and an accident happened. 

Is there any validity to my thinking? Time of year could certainly dispel my theory. Just curious.


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## The Ghost (Jul 3, 2013)

Those fish were found during our sunfish electrofishing on Turkeyfoot, which we were doing in mid-May that year. It's possible it was the result of some kind of spawning activity, although I still suspect predation. I've seen other instances where similar sized fish have tried to eat each other. Musky fry do it constantly.

I'd have to say most of the crayfish I've taken out of big bass were in the three to four inch range, from nose to tail.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

I have a pic somewhere of a white bass caught on a bait almost as big as it was. They'll try for bigger targets absolutely. Eating machines...


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

The Ghost said:


> Those fish were found during our sunfish electrofishing on Turkeyfoot, which we were doing in mid-May that year. It's possible it was the result of some kind of spawning activity, although I still suspect predation. I've seen other instances where similar sized fish have tried to eat each other. Musky fry do it constantly.
> 
> I'd have to say most of the crayfish I've taken out of big bass were in the three to four inch range, from nose to tail.


Ah ok, and thank you for the info on cray fish size. Much appreciated


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

That picture of the two bass locked up is where I get the "a bass doesn't know if he can eat it unless he tries" theory. They don't have mirrors to check themselves out in. No rulers to see just how big their mouth is. Heck, they can hardly see their own tail when at rest. They're opportunistic by nature. If they feel like they have the upper hand on something that looks like food, they're going for it.


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

This is what happens when two bass play chicken and forget they cannot see directly in front of themselves with their mouths open. Ive heard stories of this happening to ex-wives and ex-girlfriends too!


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## Shed Hunter 365 (Dec 3, 2007)

My monster bass caught about 4 years ago was 27" long. Caught in middle of summer on a 90 degree day. No it's not eating my kids arm. Not a 10 but caught at the right time would have been


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

For every fisherman that claims he has the ultimate method to catch fish, there is a monkey that knows a better way.


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## Wow (May 17, 2010)

Maybe just the folly of youth. --Tim


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

Wow said:


> Maybe just the folly of youth. --Tim
> 
> View attachment 106654
> 
> ...


That kid has pizzazz! And some desirable qualities not usually found in fish that live too long, unfortunately....


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

Mr. A said:


> Only when they meet each other!!


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## Shed Hunter 365 (Dec 3, 2007)

My 27" bass caught in a strip mine in Ohio.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Wow said:


> Maybe just the folly of youth. --Tim
> 
> View attachment 106654


If I had to guess it looks like that picture was taken at West Branch? East side, furthest northeast corner?


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

She's a long one for sure.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Brian Williams said he caught a 12# LM from Leesville..........


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Was that the one Obama netted for him? Then they went and had lunch with Elvis?


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Snakecharmer said:


> Brian Williams said he caught a 12# LM from Leesville..........


LMAO ..... Snake.... you come up with some good ones LOL


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

NCbassattack said:


> Was that the one Obama netted for him? Then they went and had lunch with Elvis?


I bet if you separate the two largemouth bass in Mr. A's picture you'll find Obama's birth certificate.


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## savethetrophies (Jul 4, 2014)

U aren't going to find his birth certificate in this country  haha...


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## jake222 (Dec 26, 2014)

Maybe we have a state record comeing in the next oh 2-3 months? The state record was just recently caught in Tennessee at 15lb 2oz caught on a Alabama rig. Do you guys think the best shot for a state record is April-may? Or maybe late fall early winter?


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## JohnJH (Feb 3, 2015)

my PB largemouth caught at Salt Fork. I was 9 and it was the coolest moment ever pulling that up. I'd guess it was at least 6#.


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## asterik (Apr 9, 2012)

All Eyes said:


> That's a toad!!! And I also think that "something different" is key sometimes to larger fish in high pressured lakes. As I'm sure you know, aggressive bass will snap at fish equal to their own size, so what's a 8 or 9 inch bait to a 20 plus inch bass? They eat fish that big all the time. I've always wondered why there weren't larger baits designed for them.


They do make larger baits and have for ever. It is just the fact that almost no one fishes them in Ohio. I don't even know of a tackle shop that carries any of the baits I fish. Ones that do have them for musky not bass and mostly those are junk compared to actual bass lures besides for some river 2 sea stuff like a S-Waver 200. Those are cheap and get bit all day. People think I am crazy throwing things like a Hudd or MS slammer or Deps 250 ect out here. Lets use Cali for example, anymore almost every boat now a days has a big boy rod with a 250 or a Hudd on deck ect. There are 10# out there its just rare it is far from out of the question and there is no doubt a record in the AEP lands or some backwoods pond where you need a float tube to fish and they gorge them selves on frogs and RES. Those 3-4# wil eat a 10" bait and I have caught ridiculous amounts of 2# fish on 8" hudds. A lot of it has to do with the body of water though. Some places are just better swimbait fisheries even though the fish are the same size. There are places I can hardly buy a bite and then some places they are ruthless and attack the same baits with no fear.


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## asterik (Apr 9, 2012)

Bad Bub said:


> Especially when talking "Bass", predator fish in freshwater are more likely to use an ambush technique, than a "chase it down" hunting method. There's a reason why bass tend to be caught in cover areas. (Docks, weeds, lay downs, etc...) with the exception to open water schoolers, which use numbers of predators vs numbers of bait fish to increase odds of success, a predator fish is hanging out waiting for an easy meal, regardless how big of a meal it is. I believe throwing big baits does more to deter smaller fish than it does to attract larger fish. Which also goes against my belief that the only way a bass knows if he can fit something into his mouth is by trying. I throw the big baits because I'm addicted to doing it. I like showing them something that 99% of bass fishermen in Ohio would laugh at. I'm actually in the process of building 2- 13" floating rat swimbaits that I hope to catch a few giants with. Not because I think I'll catch more big fish with it, but because I hope to not catch the smaller ones. To me, on any given day, location is the single most important factor in catching big fish.


Those rats are like a copy of a mini slammer I would think. Even though it's 9-10" a lot of it has to do with the girth on them eating it. A perfect example is jerkbaits and mini slammers catch 1.5#ers all day because of that. I know there is a small group of people who throw big stuff but its super rare and some lakes/ponds are just way more productive for swimbaits then others. The same thing goes out west also. They might have big fish at X place but its a skunk. Go to the next place with smaller fish and they jump right on it.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

asterik said:


> Those rats are like a copy of a mini slammer I would think. Even though it's 9-10" a lot of it has to do with the girth on them eating it. A perfect example is jerkbaits and mini slammers catch 1.5#ers all day because of that. I know there is a small group of people who throw big stuff but its super rare and some lakes/ponds are just way more productive for swimbaits then others. The same thing goes out west also. They might have big fish at X place but its a skunk. Go to the next place with smaller fish and they jump right on it.


Definitely agree with you! Here's a pic of my finished rats. And two good ones I caught this weekend on a family members pond. One came on the hudd gill, the other on a savage gear line thru trout.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

B.T.W. Happy to know there's someone else on here that knows their swimbaits. Don't know how far you are from Akron, but fisherman's central carries the megabass i-slide (not the 262), spro rats and jackall gantrals. I bought my i-slide 185 up there. If we ever get some decent water clarity, I plan on putting some time on it.


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## asterik (Apr 9, 2012)

Bad Bub said:


> B.T.W. Happy to know there's someone else on here that knows their swimbaits. Don't know how far you are from Akron, but fisherman's central carries the megabass i-slide (not the 262), spro rats and jackall gantrals. I bought my i-slide 185 up there. If we ever get some decent water clarity, I plan on putting some time on it.


Ya and thanks. I don't know how I feel about the i-slides. There are other glides I would much rather pick up. I really want to grab a few of the new hudd gills as I have the best luck with that profile vs trout. I caught a insane amount of fish last year on the Gan Craft S-Songs. I know land big fish had "some" swimbaits up there. They carried big hammers and soft Matt Lures like the gills and tourney perch ect. I think they moved there store though.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

asterik said:


> Ya and thanks. I don't know how I feel about the i-slides. There are other glides I would much rather pick up. I really want to grab a few of the new hudd gills as I have the best luck with that profile vs trout. I caught a insane amount of fish last year on the Gan Craft S-Songs. I know land big fish had "some" swimbaits up there. They carried big hammers and soft Matt Lures like the gills and tourney perch ect. I think they moved there store though.


Yeah, they bail to Tennessee or something. I've seen mixed reviews on the i-slide, but it's my first glide, so we'll see how it goes. I've got quite a few of Matt's baits, just wish they came in different sink rates in some of the baits I've got. For the price, the savage gear baits are tough to beat. I have a hard time not throwing them around trees and stumps, and it doesn't hurt as bad to hang one up. I've been eyeballing the s-songs, just never really heard a lot about them.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Guess I already posted about the two pond bass..... forgive me, I'm an idiot.


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## asterik (Apr 9, 2012)

For glides it's very hard to beat S-Wavers for the price. The 168 and the 200 get but all day and they are cheap. S-Songs are sorts pricy but you can find them cheaper on eBay or other places. You can also find jointed claws for cheap and those are solid also. Glides are so addicting to throw just because you control it all. Technique in fishing them becomes a huge skill and they have massive drawing power even if you don't get bit fish will show them self.


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## asterik (Apr 9, 2012)

You would be surprised the amount of glide you can get on a S-Song. It's nothing to get a good 2' glide from side to side on a quick half turn and stop. They get bit very well for me and are light. I think they weigh 1.25 oz and you can throw them on a regular M/H rod so that is nice. You can also throw S-Waver 168 on some standard gear.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

The swaver 168 is basically impossible to find right now. I've been trying to find a new one without paying double since January. It's why I bought the islide when I saw it.


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## asterik (Apr 9, 2012)

Just order stuff off tackle warehouse or any one of the other sites. There is tons of them. I can give you the names of some if for some reason you don't know where to look.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

I get most everything from tackle warehouse, but the 168's have been back ordered forever. Every online store is out except ebay, and what I've found there is either black or trout patterns. If I'm going to try one, it's gonna be in some type of shad pattern.


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## asterik (Apr 9, 2012)

TW says they have them in stock. I looked yesterday after reading your post. One thing I noticed thoigh is that the prices went up. I am pretty sure I used to pay $16 for a 168 and $30 for a 200 now the 200's are $45. I might be wrong but I don't recall paying $45 for my 200's


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

asterik said:


> TW says they have them in stock. I looked yesterday after reading your post. One thing I noticed thoigh is that the prices went up. I am pretty sure I used to pay $16 for a 168 and $30 for a 200 now the 200's are $45. I might be wrong but I don't recall paying $45 for my 200's


Everyone on swimbait universe has been saying all their prices went up. You're not imagining things...


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Thanks for looking out by the way, swaver 168 enroute to my mailbox!


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## asterik (Apr 9, 2012)

I dont know about swimbait universe. I am a swimbait underground kind of guy. It's the best of the sites.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

I'm on there too. Swimbait universe is a Facebook group. Many of the same guys. Lots more chatter though.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

bear7722 said:


> Has anyone ever seen any largemouth over 10 lb or smallmouth over 6 lb?


I have seen one smallmouth pushing (possibly over) 6. I have caught a 4.6 and 4.9 in Canada and this beast was "zero doubt, next level".

I love to fish rivers when nearly everyone else considers them "unfishable". This guy was fishing a river when I would consider it "unfishable".

Fish was caught about 9 years ago right about this time of year in Worthington (Olentangy) at the tail end of one of the "pools" (the tennis courts/fishing access pool, Wilson Bridge Rd) 1/2 oz leadhead jog, black twister.

Guy had a 55 gallon drum in the back of his pickup and took the fish home to put in his giant fish tank.

Think Delaware Reservoir, gates opened to near maximum flow rate. Like I said, I would not have considered the river fishable.


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