Bassmasters top 100 bass lakes 2019 2024

WRB reply :

1. St. Lawrence River (Thousand Islands) NY

2. Lake Guntersville AL

3. Sam Rayburn TX

4. Clear Lale CA

5. Lake Fork TX

6. Chickamuaga Lake TN

7. New Melones Lake CA

8. Lake St. Claire MI

9. Seante Copper (Marion & Moultre) SC

10. Lake Erie NY

Always interesting and with a few surprises.

Tom

Big Mike in Fl reply :

I believe at least second year in a row a Florida lake hasn’t made it in the top 10... seems used to be lake O, stick marsh, even the Kissimmee chain used to make it in the top 10s. Pretty sad.

MN Fisher reply :

I'd love to see the lakes...but the slideshow doesn't function for me. They use to publish the list, where is that?

StretcherJockey reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 9:45 AM, Big Mike in Fl said:

I believe at least second year in a row a Florida lake hasn’t made it in the top 10... seems used to be lake O, stick marsh, even the Kissimmee chain used to make it in the top 10s. Pretty sad.

All ebbs and flows of ecosystems if I had to guess. 10-12 years ago some of the Texas lakes were struggling (relative to what they had been and are now) and now they are flourishing. Guntersville is back with a vengeance after a down 3 or so years earlier this decade. Won’t be long until the FL fisheries will be back in business.

Johnbt reply :

Top 100 lakes and the first one is a river? Color me confused. :wall:

WRB reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 9:58 AM, MN Fisher said:

I'd love to see the lakes...but the slideshow doesn't function for me. They use to publish the list, where is that?

Someone more skilled at copy and paste can add the entire 100 list published in Bassmaster mag June/July 2019.

Tom

Johnbt reply :

Okay, they managed to put Virginia in the Northeast. The census bureau only includes 9 states in the northeast and Maryland and Virginia aren't included.

But anyway, I clicked through the list of the region's best 25 and what do I find in addition to the Potomac River. Jeez, the entire upper Chesapeake Bay.

That's no lake either.

2019 List Of Bassmaster Magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes

RANK	FISHERY	STATE
Top 10
1	St. Lawrence River	New York
2	Lake Guntersville	Alabama
3	Sam Rayburn Reservoir	Texas
4	Clear Lake	California
5	Lake Fork	Texas
6	Chickamauga Lake	Tennessee
7	New Melones Lake	California
8	Lake St. Clair	Michigan
9	Santee Cooper Lakes	South Carolina
10	Lake Erie	New York

Northeast
1	St. Lawrence River	New York
2	Lake St. Clair	Michigan
3	Lake Erie	New York
4	Lake Erie	Ohio
5	Burt/Mullett lakes	Michigan
6	Lake Champlain	New York/Vermont
7	Bays de Noc	Michigan
8	Saginaw Bay	Michigan
9	Lake Charlevoix	Michigan
10	Grand Traverse Bay	Michigan
11	Potomac River	West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland
12	Oneida Lake	New York
13	Cayuga Lake	New York
14	Presque Isle Bay	Pennsylvania
15	Upper Chesapeake Bay	Maryland
16	Smith Mountain Lake	Virginia
17	Webber Pond	Maine
18	Green River Lake	Kentucky
19	Lake Cumberland	Kentucky
20	China Lake	Maine
21	Great Pond	Maine
22	Candlewood Lake	Connecticut
23	Chautauqua Lake	New York
24	Lake Winnipesaukee	New Hampshire
25	Kentucky Lake	Kentucky/Tennessee

Western
1	Clear Lake	California
2	New Melones Lake	California
3	Lake Perris	California
4	Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta	California
5	Diamond Valley Lake	California
6	Don Pedro Reservoir	California
7	Lake Berryessa	California
8	Lake Coeur d’Alene	Idaho
9	Shasta Lake	California
10	Lake Havasu	Arizona/California
11	Roosevelt Lake	Arizona
12	Lower Colorado River	Arizona/California
13	Alamo Lake	Arizona
14	Potholes Reservoir	Washington
15	Lake Washington	Washington
16	Brownlee Reservoir	Idaho/Oregon
17	Sand Hollow Reservoir	Utah
18	Elephant Butte Reservoir	New Mexico
19	Lake Mohave	Nevada/Arizona
20	C.J. Strike Reservoir	Idaho
21	Siltcoos Lake	Oregon
22	Owyhee Reservoir	Oregon
23	Lake Pleasant	Arizona
24	Lake Mead	Nevada/Arizona
25	Columbia River	Oregon/Washington

Central
1	Sam Rayburn Reservoir	Texas
2	Lake Fork	Texas
3	Sturgeon Bay	Wisconsin
4	Toledo Bend	Texas/Louisiana
5	Mille Lacs Lake	Minnesota
6	Lake Falcon	Texas
7	Lake Conroe	Texas
8	Lake Minnentonka	Minnesota
9	Caddo Lake	Texas/Louisiana
10	Table Rock Lake	Missouri
11	Lake Lyndon B. Johnson	Texas
12	Millwood Lake	Arkansas
13	Caney Creek Reservoir	Louisiana
14	Lake Dardanelle	Arkansas
15	Lake Ray Roberts	Texas
16	Lake Texoma	Texas/Oklahoma
17	Lake Ouachita	Arkansas
18	Lake of the Ozarks	Missouri
19	Lake O’ the Pines	Texas
20	Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees	Oklahoma
21	Lake Columbia	Arkansas
22	Bull Shoals Lake	Arkansas
23	Lake Wanahoo	Nebraska
24	La Cygne Reservoir	Kansas
25	Newton Lake	Illinois

Southeast
1	Lake Guntersville	Alabama
2	Chickamauga Lake	Tennessee
3	Santee Cooper Lakes	South Carolina
4	St. Johns River	Florida
5	Lake Seminole	Florida/Georgia
6	Pickwick Lake	Alabama/Mississippi/Tennessee
7	Jordan Lake	North Carolina
8	Rodman Reservoir	Florida
9	Lake Murray	South Carolina
10	Falls Lake	North Carolina
11	Lake Tohopekaliga	Florida
12	Shearon Harris	North Carolina
13	Lake Eufalua	Alabama
14	Lake Istokpoga	Florida
15	Watts Bar Reservoir	Tennessee
16	Stick Marsh/Farm 13	Florida
17	Lake Wateree	South Carolina
18	Lake Okeechobee	Florida
19	Wheeler Lake	Alabama
20	Cherokee Lake	Tennessee
21	Clarks Hill Lake	Georgia/South Carolina
22	Lake Jordan	Alabama
23	Fellsmere Reservoir	Florida
24	Roanoke River	North Carolina
25	Lake Lanier	Georgia

soflabasser reply :

That list is a joke. They put the Saint Lawrence River of New York over the Rodman Reservoir, Stick Marsh, Lake Kingsley, Kenyan Lake, Lake Okeechobee, and other well known trophy bass fisheries in Florida? Earlier this year a man caught a 15 pound, 13 ounce largemouth bass out of Orange Lake in Florida and hundreds of 8 pound or better bass get caught every year in Florida. I doubt you will see that type of fishing from the Saint Lawrence River! I bet there are dozens of ponds and lakes in Central/North Florida that has better trophy bass fishing than the Saint Lawrence river has. Florida does not have smallmouth bass but we do have peacock bass which are far more beautiful and pound for pound more powerful fish than a smallmouth bass. The Everglades is well known for +100 bass days (some people have had +200 bass days) so the Saint Lawrence does not compare with numbers of bass caught in 1 day of fishing either.

MN Fisher reply :

It's nice to see Minnetonka on the list - gives me hope that I'll catch something good this year.

Chowderhead reply :

Michigan is in the Northeast? Learn something new every day...

On 7/2/2019 at 10:16 AM, Johnbt said:

23

Lake Wanahoo

Nebraska

That is only 30ish minutes from me - did not expect to see that (or any Nebraska pond/lake/stream/river/watering hole) on this list. I’ve had better luck fishing the subdivision pond near my house then I ever have at Wanahoo.

Bluebasser86 reply :

Wish they'd stop putting lakes from Kansas on the list. Fishing sucks here, go to Table Rock or Lake of the Ozarks instead.

j bab reply :

Seems like they roughly throw this list together based on incomplete tournament bag data.

It's not a flawless list, but it does the job well enough.

NorcalBassin reply :

Ruh roh! There was a day I thought my home lake didn't get the respect it deserved, and now it's #7 nationally and #2 out west with its neighbor #6 out west. They're both plenty big and out of the way enough that it probably won't affect the pressure on either of them very much, but it is crazy seeing the national attention.

Mike L reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 10:54 AM, soflabasser said:

That list is a joke. They put the Saint Lawrence River of New York over the Rodman Reservoir, Stick Marsh, Lake Kingsley, Kenyan Lake, Lake Okeechobee, and other well known trophy bass fisheries in Florida? Earlier this year a man caught a 15 pound, 13 ounce largemouth bass out of Orange Lake in Florida and hundreds of 8 pound or better bass get caught every year in Florida. I doubt you will see that type of fishing from the Saint Lawrence River! I bet there are dozens of ponds and lakes in Central/North Florida that has better trophy bass fishing than the Saint Lawrence river has. Florida does not have smallmouth bass but we do have peacock bass which are far more beautiful and pound for pound more powerful fish than a smallmouth bass. The Everglades is well known for +100 bass days (some people have had +200 bass days) so the Saint Lawrence does not compare with numbers of bass caught in 1 day of fishing either.

Couldn't have said it better.

Obviously the criteria they use is limited and flawed.

Has been for years.

Mike

Jleebesaw reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 10:54 AM, soflabasser said:

That list is a joke. They put the Saint Lawrence River of New York over the Rodman Reservoir, Stick Marsh, Lake Kingsley, Kenyan Lake, Lake Okeechobee, and other well known trophy bass fisheries in Florida? Earlier this year a man caught a 15 pound, 13 ounce largemouth bass out of Orange Lake in Florida and hundreds of 8 pound or better bass get caught every year in Florida. I doubt you will see that type of fishing from the Saint Lawrence River! I bet there are dozens of ponds and lakes in Central/North Florida that has better trophy bass fishing than the Saint Lawrence river has. Florida does not have smallmouth bass but we do have peacock bass which are far more beautiful and pound for pound more powerful fish than a smallmouth bass. The Everglades is well known for +100 bass days (some people have had +200 bass days) so the Saint Lawrence does not compare with numbers of bass caught in 1 day of fishing either.

The article I read in the email from bassmasters stated that the list was compiled by averaging bag weights in B.A.S.S tourneys. If the fish are so big down there, you boys need to start putting together better bags in your derbies.

I know that during the elite tourny on the st lawrence last year, they constantly talked about having more 20lb+ bags every day of the event than any event in elite series history. Maybe that has something to do with it.

Troy85 reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 8:00 PM, Jleebesaw said:

The article I read in the email from bassmasters stated that the list was compiled by averaging bag weights in B.A.S.S tourneys. If the fish are so big down there, you boys need to start putting together better bags in your derbies.

I know that during the elite tourny on the st lawrence last year, they constantly talked about having more 20lb+ bags every day of the event than any event in elite series history. Maybe that has something to do with it.

Yeah, I think they go by average tourney weights.

Its similar fishing the tidal marshes of SE Louisiana as well . You can go out and catch 50+ bass on good days, but the weight just isn't there. You come back with anything over 4lb and chances are you will win big fish(I think the biggest I've ever seen weighed in at a tourney I fished was 5lb). If MLF does a top 100 lakes, the marsh I fish might make the cut.

A-Jay reply :

I've posted a lot of big fish here from #5 on the "Northeast" list.

"Northeast" ? - Maybe that explains my funny accent.

I always thought those bodies of water were part of the Lake Menderchuck Chain . . . . . .

Who Knew ?

:smiley:

A-Jay

Tennessee Boy reply :

When did they move Kentucky Lake to the Northeast? I was planning to fish there this weekend. Now I don't even know where it is. ????

Fishing_FF reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 7:17 PM, Mike L said:

Couldn't have said it better.

Obviously the criteria they use is limited and flawed.

Has been for years.

I’m fine with the flaw, more for us Flocals. ????

813basstard reply :

They must’ve been following me around for the last 2 weeks here in the Fla.

I heard giggling coming from the hydrilla and had a bass come out the water, look at me and say ‘brah...come on. You should take up karate instead..’

Been that rough.

TnRiver46 reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 8:58 PM, Tennessee Boy said:

When did they move Kentucky Lake to the Northeast? I was planning to fish there this weekend. Now I don't even know where it is. ????

Hahahahaha I saw that too. What in the world ........

CrankFate reply :

I’m going to give Cayuga Lake a try this summer. And a few other lakes in the area. Heck, I might even try and catch a few trouts since my current PB is tied between rainbows and browns at 4 ounces.

soflabasser reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 7:17 PM, Mike L said:

Couldn't have said it better.

Obviously the criteria they use is limited and flawed.

Has been for years.

Mike

We are blessed to live in the Fishing Capital of the World and know very well how good the bass fishing is here. It is common for a Florida bass fisherman to have a PB bass of over 8 pounds and there are many with +10 pound PB bass. Same cannot be said for the Saint Lawrence River and other northern waters where bass do not grow as much. That list is extremely flawed and anybody with decent bass fishing knowledge knows this. Maybe next year they will say Nebraska, Indiana or some other below average bass fishing state has better bass fishing than Florida? LOL

Big Mike in Fl reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 11:00 PM, 813basstard said:

They must’ve been following me around for the last 2 weeks here in the Fla.

I heard giggling coming from the hydrilla and had a bass come out the water, look at me and say ‘brah...come on. You should take up karate instead..’

Been that rough.

I gotta say, when the water temp is at 90* it can be awful hard putting together a successful day.

jbsoonerfan reply :

I can think of a couple lakes in Oklahoma that are better than Grand or Texoma, not sure who compiled this list and where the data came from.

Glaucus reply :

No Illinois fishery belongs on this list.

greentrout reply :

a politically correct list ...

Mike L reply :

2 drunks are sitting at a bar in "Anywhere USA"

Drunk 1...Wanna go bass fishing?

Drunk 2...Sure, where you want to go?

Drunk 1...Bassmasters said the best place to go is the St Lawrence River.

Drunk 2...Where the heck is that?

Drunk 1...Someplace NE of here

Drunk 2...Yeah but, if we're going all that way I want a chance to catch a 10+ and maybe another 50 while I'm at it.

Drunk 1...Well they did say it was better than Florida or Alabama or Texas

Drunk 2...I'm going home, I always said you couldn't handle your liquor.

Mike

Jleebesaw reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 8:31 PM, Troy85 said:

Yeah, I think they go by average tourney weights.

Its similar fishing the tidal marshes of SE Louisiana as well . You can go out and catch 50+ bass on good days, but the weight just isn't there. You come back with anything over 4lb and chances are you will win big fish(I think the biggest I've ever seen weighed in at a tourney I fished was 5lb). If MLF does a top 100 lakes, the marsh I fish might make the cut.

Come back with anything under 4 on the st lawrence and you wont be seeing a check.

TnRiver46 reply :

My friends that live in Chattanooga are thrilled that guntersville was ahead of chickamauga on the list this time........ for smokescreen purposes........

BassThumb reply :

I'm glad Mille Lacs fell from the top spot on the list. I wish they'd wipe it from the list entirely and forget it exists.

The added pressure over the last few years has turned the lake into a mind bogglingly difficult bass fishery for those who don't want to vertically deadstick a dropshot over a deep boulder pile. 5-10 years ago you could run and gun for 20-25-pound bags of brown bass, now it requires a frustrating level of finesse to get those 15-year old hogs to bite.

senile1 reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 12:20 PM, j bab said:

Seems like they roughly throw this list together based on incomplete tournament bag data.

It's not a flawless list, but it does the job well enough.

The phrase, "Roughly throw this list together," nails it. There is some truth to the idea that the list contains some of the best lakes but putting them in a particular order seems to be a fool's errand. I think the list is more a discussion piece than anything. I always check it out though.

Scott F reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 8:00 PM, Jleebesaw said:

The article I read in the email from bassmasters stated that the list was compiled by averaging bag weights in B.A.S.S tourneys. If the fish are so big down there, you boys need to start putting together better bags in your derbies.

I know that during the elite tourny on the st lawrence last year, they constantly talked about having more 20lb+ bags every day of the event than any event in elite series history. Maybe that has something to do with it.

The title “Top 100 Bass Lakes” is entirely misleading. If the results are gathered strictly by tournament results, that should have been made clear. But then, it wouldn’t sell as many magazines.

J Francho reply :

On 7/4/2019 at 2:11 AM, Scott F said:

The title “Top 100 Bass Lakes” is entirely misleading. If the results are gathered strictly by tournament results, that should have been made clear. But then, it wouldn’t sell as many magazines.

It's literally stated in the article, and has been compiled this way for decades. The list is mostly the same, year after year, with small changes.

*******************************************************************

As far as dissing the St. Lawrence, someone point to me in Florida where I can catch 25+ lbs. limits of smallmouth bass, regularly.

WRB reply :

B.A.S.S. Rational for selecting top 100 bass lakes includes the quality of the destination, local and national tournament bag weights and largest bass caught during sanctioned events.

Florida meets all the above criteria and should have at least 1 lake in the top 10. Everyone always complain about the annual lists and for good reasons. It's entertaining to look at listing and read replies.

It's appears smallmouth bass destinations have risen in status with B.A.S.S. and it's deserved IMO. Anyone who has fished the 1000 islands area of the St. Lawrence River understands how special this fishery is and beautiful the area is, it's outstanding.

New Melonies in the foothills of NorCal has been a very good bass lake for decades and now has produced a few giant bass 17lbs to 18 lbs not memtioned by B.S.S.S. that more then likely pushed above the Delta that should be in the top 10. If smallmouth are deing promoted then include Havasu by far the top smallie lake in the west with 25 lb 5 bass limits. Can't make everyone happy.

Tom

moguy1973 reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 8:58 PM, Tennessee Boy said:

When did they move Kentucky Lake to the Northeast? I was planning to fish there this weekend. Now I don't even know where it is. ????

It's almost like they put the list together and when they got to #25 in the southern and central regions they said, "Oops, we forgot about Kentucky Lake and it belongs in one of those regions, but it's not as good as those lakes as it once was. Hey, I know, we can only come up with 24 really good lakes in the northeast region lets throw it on there and hope that no one notices!"

Bassin' Brad reply :

Maybe I missed it but I didn't think the definition of the list was "top lakes for catching your PB Florida Strain Largemouth Bass". I thought it was more about top fisheries that produce quantity and quality bass for that region during tournaments....

.ghoti. reply :

The list comes out every year.

Every year the List is soundly ridiculed here.

Life goes on.

Levi Howard reply :

My only complaint is that Pickwick lake is not in the top ten.(I could even argue it for 1 st place). The fact that you have the opportunity to catch 4-6 smallmouth and 8-12 largemouth all in the same day. Makes it the number 1 bass lake in the country.

r83srock reply :

On 7/4/2019 at 1:38 AM, BassThumb said:

I'm glad Mille Lacs fell from the top spot on the list. I wish they'd wipe it from the list entirely and forget it exists.

The added pressure over the last few years has turned the lake into a mind bogglingly difficult bass fishery for those who don't want to vertically deadstick a dropshot over a deep boulder pile. 5-10 years ago you could run and gun for 20-25-pound bags of brown bass, now it requires a frustrating level of finesse to get those 15-year old hogs to bite.

I went for the first time two years ago, the pressure reminded me of guntersville, just unreal. It’s crazy to me how many Angler’s take these lists seriously and go hunt the next trophy lakes. We need to keep growing this sport ya know. ????

Johnbt reply :

I admit the Chesapeake Bay has some nice bass, but why limited yourself to largemouth when there's something much tastier - and larger - to chase...

"The recreational record for Chesapeake Bay striped bass is 67 pounds, 8 ounces. The largest recorded striped bass was a 125 pound female caught on the North Carolina coast in 1891."

https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/Fish-Facts.aspx?fishname=Striped%20Bass

dh1337 reply :

On 7/2/2019 at 11:30 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

Wish they'd stop putting lakes from Kansas on the list. Fishing sucks here, go to Table Rock or Lake of the Ozarks instead.

idk I remember pulling in a couple 20 lb bags at cedar bluff 10 years ago. Webster and norman are tough though.

billmac reply :

The BASS collegiate tourney on the St. Lawrence in June broke the previous 3-day weigh in record by 1000 lbs (with 50 fewer boats). The average bag weight was 20 lbs. On day 1 a 20 lb bag was good for 84th place. By day three the angler's fingers were shredded from all the bass they were catching. The all time record BASS weigh in crowd was set in Waddington (pop: 952) at the St. Lawrence tourney in 2013.

When BASS first started coming to the St. Lawrence in the late 70s, the pros discovered an incredible largemouth fishery that the locals largely didn't even know was there, and it was soon considered to be one of the top largemouth fisheries in the country. That fishery is still there, although smallmouth get all the attention now because they are consistently bigger fish.

Bluebasser86 reply :

On 7/31/2019 at 1:45 AM, dh1337 said:

idk I remember pulling in a couple 20 lb bags at cedar bluff 10 years ago. Webster and norman are tough though.

There was a bit of sarcasm in my post, sort of. Cedar Bluff use to be a great lake until it almost dried up. Never fished Webster and have no idea what or where Norman is? Maybe you mean Norton? I fish mostly eastern Kansas. It's not terrible, but not top 100 in the country worthy or even close really.

cyclops2 reply :

Do the old guys really believe that Snakeheads do not wipe out everything in any waters they grow in ? Snakeheads have been sold in California for DECADES to Oriental & others . Who then release the fish to gain good luck. Add in the Asian carp eating all the Plankton. In waters that help them multiply.

I doubt the USA Fish & Game has done 1 thing to eliminate the invasives………… All money goes to more retirees.

Oh well

J Francho reply :

Ummmm....

flyfisher reply :

On 8/3/2019 at 2:34 AM, cyclops2 said:

Do the old guys really believe that Snakeheads do not wipe out everything in any waters they grow in ? Snakeheads have been sold in California for DECADES to Oriental & others . Who then release the fish to gain good luck. Add in the Asian carp eating all the Plankton. In waters that help them multiply.

I doubt the USA Fish & Game has done 1 thing to eliminate the invasives………… All money goes to more retirees.

Oh well

Huh?

And by invasive you mean the ones you don’t like, right?

cyclops2 reply :

Right

Asian jumping Carp. Snakeheads.

Mike L reply :

On 8/3/2019 at 2:34 AM, cyclops2 said:

I doubt the USA Fish & Game has done 1 thing to eliminate the invasives………… All money goes to more retirees.

Oh well

With all do respect...

Do some research

Mike

cyclops2 reply :

The let the Asian Carp into the Great Lakes by NOT turning on the required Electric barriers During a maint. job.

What are your hoorays ?

Hillbilly Bennett reply :

Since when did Kentucky relocate go to the northeast? It blew my mind when I woke up today and My state was on the eastern border of Ohio and the western border of PA but Lake Erie was STILL 6 hours away! On a serious note, is Guntersville really doing that well this year? I haven’t been since last fall but it would be hard to imagine that it’s doing better than Chickamagua right now. The last 3 trips I’ve taken to Chick have been just awesome and were far better than anything I’ve had at Guntersville since 2015. Could it be that Bassmaster is just trying to pump everyone up since the classic is at Guntersville next spring? Hmm....

dh1337 reply :

On 8/2/2019 at 12:46 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

There was a bit of sarcasm in my post, sort of. Cedar Bluff use to be a great lake until it almost dried up. Never fished Webster and have no idea what or where Norman is? Maybe you mean Norton? I fish mostly eastern Kansas. It's not terrible, but not top 100 in the country worthy or even close really.

yea I meant norton phone auto corrected it.

roadwarrior reply :

On 8/4/2019 at 9:20 AM, Hillbilly Bennett said:

Since when did Kentucky relocate go to the northeast? It blew my mind when I woke up today and My state was on the eastern border of Ohio and the western border of PA but Lake Erie was STILL 6 hours away! On a serious note, is Guntersville really doing that well this year? I haven’t been since last fall but it would be hard to imagine that it’s doing better than Chickamagua right now. The last 3 trips I’ve taken to Chick have been just awesome and were far better than anything I’ve had at Guntersville since 2015. Could it be that Bassmaster is just trying to pump everyone up since the classic is at Guntersville next spring? Hmm....

Chick was stocked with Florida strain bass several years ago and has produced some monsters. It's

a hike from here and I have never fished the lake, but am planning to next spring. Here is the story

on the Tennessee State Record: https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2015/02/14/teacher-catches-record-largemouth/23433607/

Hillbilly Bennett reply :

On 8/10/2019 at 9:06 PM, roadwarrior said:

Chick was stocked with Florida strain bass several years ago and has produced some monsters. It's

a hike from here and I have never fished the lake, but am planning to next spring. Here is the story

on the Tennessee State Record: https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2015/02/14/teacher-catches-record-largemouth/23433607/

Oh I know it. Those Florida strain have hybridized with the native northern strain to make bass that get huge but don’t mind the cold. I’m the 5 or 6 trips I’ve made to Chick I’ve never had a trip where we didn’t catch one at least 5 and 5 of my top 7 personal best have come from there. It’s a giant factory. My dad caught his PB 10-7 there last September and I backed that up with a 6-8. Out best 5 that day went a little over 32 lbs. That 3 day trip was the best fishing trip I’ve ever been part of both numbers wise and size wise. This spring my fishing buddy and I went down the last week of March. We didn’t put up huge numbers but we caught huge bass. Everything was 3 pounds and over and we caught a 27 lb limit in 20 minutes on one 25 yard stretch of bank. We caught an 8-1 a 6-1, a 5-3, a 4-8 and a 4-3 in about 10 casts. All on squarebills. Don’t get me wrong, Chick can be fickle and tough as nails too. It took a couple of tough trips to figure the lake out and when I go down now we still have plenty of really hard days. I can’t really say that about Guntersville. Pretty much everyday I’ve spent on the lake down there we’ve put numbers in the boat, just not the same average size that come out of Chick.

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