How Often Do You Catch Lunkers? 2024
Huntrava reply :
Okay, so I realize the premise of this question is extremely relative. But it's been on my mind since I pulled my first PB lunker out of the water yesterday. After weeks and weeks of fishing, finally some paydirt. Now I'm kinda worried that I might have peaked for the season. What I want to know: assuming an experienced bass fisher is targeting big bass, is pulling a 5lb bass out of the water every trip...? Or once a week? Once a month? Once a year? I fish by myself, so it's hard to gauge exactly how well others do in this regard.
lectricbassman reply :
Im new to bass fishing. I started april this year and have only caught 1 "lunker". So i guess my record is once in a lifetime...so far
Man those are terrible odds now that i think about it...
Raul reply :
Depends a lot on where you fish, don't you think ? For me is not Impossible to catch a 5 at my everyday lake on every trip because a 5 is not uncommon for that lake.
bassinOUT89 reply :
Define lunker
Josh Smith reply :
The lake I've been concentrating on this year seems to have mostly 12" to 14" bass. Very healthy. Are there bigger ones in there? Likely. Being Northern Indiana, though, I am betting there aren't many bigger.
I am still studying the lake, though, and could be wrong.
Josh
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 9/15/2014 at 10:58 AM, Huntrava said:Okay, so I realize the premise of this question is extremely relative. But it's been on my mind since I pulled my first PB lunker out of the water yesterday. After weeks and weeks of fishing, finally some paydirt. Now I'm kinda worried that I might have peaked for the season. What I want to know: assuming an experienced bass fisher is targeting big bass, is pulling a 5lb bass out of the water every trip...? Or once a week? Once a month? Once a year? I fish by myself, so it's hard to gauge exactly how well others do in this regard.
On 9/15/2014 at 11:33 AM, Raul said:Depends a lot on where you fish, don't you think ? For me is not Impossible to catch a 5 at my everyday lake on every trip because a 5 is not uncommon for that lake.
On 9/15/2014 at 12:17 PM, bassinOUT89 said:Define lunker
He said it's relative, which it certainly is. A big fish for Raul is a fish that almost doesn't exist where I fish.
For me, anything over 4 pounds is a really solid fish. I usually catch one about that size every 2 or 3 full day fishing trips. I go on a lot of short trips to the local lakes that don't have many fish that size in them, but if I catch 1 or 2 over that make out of them a year then it was a good year on those lakes.
jaysen reply :
location, fishing pressure, fishery size are all factors. i have one lake where i catch at least four between 4 and 5.5 lbs each day i am out. another lake where i get at least one 6+ lber each trip. some places have so much pressure that the bigger fish just wont hit anything if they arent already all fished out.
Tuckahoe Joe reply :
It's already been said. Completely relative to your location and the water your fishing. I started fishing in 2012. The fish in the lakes that I fished in the 2012 and 2013 seasons were on the smallish side. Fished pretty much every other day and don't think I caught or saw anything caught over 2 lbs. I moved this past winter and now the only lake I fish is known for its big largemouth. I've caught at least four 5 pounders this year and everything else has been in the 3.5-4 pound range and I've seen pics of others who have been catching some that were pushing 7. It's all about your location.
SirSnookalot reply :
As a recreational fisherman my objective is just to enjoy myself, size really takes a back seat. The areas of Florida I fish will limit my chances of a super duper big bass. I keep 2 marks on my rods, one at 20" and the other at 25", gives me a rough idea of what I've caught. Most of the larger ones I've caught probably didn't happen because I'm a great fisherman. They happened as a result of being there with the exact perfect timing to throw that cast where the fish was in the right "mood", 15 seconds earlier or later may have been a blank cast. I play the numbers game, the more casts the better my chances.
jaysen reply :
On 9/15/2014 at 2:46 PM, SirSnookalot said:As a recreational fisherman my objective is just to enjoy myself, size really takes a back seat. The areas of Florida I fish will limit my chances of a super duper big bass. I keep 2 marks on my rods, one at 20" and the other at 25", gives me a rough idea of what I've caught. Most of the larger ones I've caught probably didn't happen because I'm a great fisherman. They happened as a result of being there with the exact perfect timing to throw that cast where the fish was in the right "mood", 15 seconds earlier or later may have been a blank cast. I play the numbers game, the more casts the better my chances.
i have friends in your area that fish the drainage areas and have pulled out double digits, though very uncommon. you are right, fishing should not be about catching a record.
Tuckahoe Joe reply :
On 9/15/2014 at 2:46 PM, SirSnookalot said:As a recreational fisherman my objective is just to enjoy myself, size really takes a back seat. The areas of Florida I fish will limit my chances of a super duper big bass. I keep 2 marks on my rods, one at 20" and the other at 25", gives me a rough idea of what I've caught. Most of the larger ones I've caught probably didn't happen because I'm a great fisherman. They happened as a result of being there with the exact perfect timing to throw that cast where the fish was in the right "mood", 15 seconds earlier or later may have been a blank cast. I play the numbers game, the more casts the better my chances.
That's a truly excellent idea. I think I'm going to do that myself. Seems a lot easier than rummaging for a scale or measuring tape whenever I catch a big one.
Lund Explorer reply :
On 9/15/2014 at 10:58 AM, Huntrava said:Okay, so I realize the premise of this question is extremely relative. But it's been on my mind since I pulled my first PB lunker out of the water yesterday. After weeks and weeks of fishing, finally some paydirt. Now I'm kinda worried that I might have peaked for the season. What I want to know: assuming an experienced bass fisher is targeting big bass, is pulling a 5lb bass out of the water every trip...? Or once a week? Once a month? Once a year? I fish by myself, so it's hard to gauge exactly how well others do in this regard.
The answer is extremely relative as well.
In my honest opinion, if your efforts are getting you "Lunkers" with any degree of consistency, then you need to do one or two things and perhaps both. First, you may want to redefine what makes a lunker. Secondly, you may want to consider putting your skills to the test by entering the field of competitive tournament fishing.
Catch and Grease reply :
I just broke 5lbs for the first time.... I fish a tough lake that alot of people have a hard time catching any bass out of so I feel its a great accomplishment for me, there is one guy that catches big bass there consistently but he has been fishing that lake for years and years and years
bassinOUT89 reply :
my post was meant as a joke. The biggest I've caught this year was just shy of 4 pounds I believe. Me being from south florida, seeing and hearing about these 8+ lb bass, I'd categorize that as a lunker.On 9/15/2014 at 12:59 PM, Bluebasser86 said:He said it's relative, which it certainly is. A big fish for Raul is a fish that almost doesn't exist where I fish.
For me, anything over 4 pounds is a really solid fish. I usually catch one about that size every 2 or 3 full day fishing trips. I go on a lot of short trips to the local lakes that don't have many fish that size in them, but if I catch 1 or 2 over that make out of them a year then it was a good year on those lakes.
bassinOUT89 reply :
The 8lb+ fish that is.
slimshad reply :
Mostly during the spring. Big mommas get tough after the spawn. I get a few in the summer at night but most of my lunkers come in the spawn or pre spawn. I am hoping to get a few lunkers in my two day fall classic. Biggins should get active when the shad move up. Good luck to all this fall season.
Raul reply :
It´s a matter of perspective, I may be able to catch a 5 lber on every trip I make to my everyday lake ( it´s almost a certainty ) however, there´s a big bunch of guys that also beat the heck out of that lake and a 5 lber is not their everyday catch ( it ain´t my compadre´s everyday catch either and we fish from the same boat at the same time), I must say that most of them don´t have never pulled a 5 from that lake, not even a 4. 5 lbs is a very nice fish no matter where you´re at, down here in the deep South a 5 may not be the WHOA ! to many of us that have had the good luck of catching bigger, up North a 5 is bordering the really big class.
So how about setting the bar ? 5 lbs IS a loonker.
Time to go ketch them boyz !, specially you Yanks, winter is comin ´ and purty soon water is gonna be solid.
einscodek reply :
a lunker is relative some think its a big fish.. some think its the biggest of the big
all of this is then also obscured by "poundage"
theres a difference between big and fat
for example, in Cali, Florida, and Texas they can catch 24" bass weighing 15 pounds
a 24" bass where I'm sitting would likely only come in at around 8 depending on the season
but in my opinion it dont make it any less BIG
WRB reply :
Jack Wingate coined the term Lunker for his guest fishing in Florida. B.A.S.S.. Lunker award was for any bass over 6 lbs., back in the 70's. What Is a Lunker bass? Any bass that is big to you!
Tom
Todd2 reply :
My definition is anything over 3 on my regular lake. I talked to a guy that I consider to be way better than me and he's only caught two over 4lbs in 20 years on the lake. It's all relative.
Jar11591 reply :
In the waters I fish I would consider anything over 4 pounds to be a lunker, although there are much bigger fish in these waters. I consider 5 to be in the trophy class. I wish I could say I caught a lunker every time out, but that's far from the truth. This year I have yet to break 5 pounds, but I did it a couple times last year. Plenty of 4 pounders this year, just nothing above 5.
David P reply :
Depends on the state, the lake, the time of year, and what types of baits you're throwing... It's entirely possible in California to catch 5 sometimes 10 fish all between 5-7lbs in a single day of fishing, not that it happens on every trip out, but certainly very plausible.
Don't give up and think you've peaked though. Few years back I caught a 12lb6oz beast that was my PB at the time, and just a couple of months later broke it with one over 13lbs.
If big fish are what you're after, learn how to target them more specifically.
Don't give up and goodluck!
bassfactor reply :
I try not to focus on catching lunkers day in and day out my goal is to improve my 5 fish limit every trip to a lake which helps me alot more than catching one 6 pounder.
einscodek reply :
Thats thinkin like a tournament angler!
August was good .. caught a 20" fish every week.. biggest was a 22" 6 pounder some dudes wanted to keep..not!
So far in September I've caught two.. one was a 21" I posted on the forum..
People dont think theres big fish in the waters in NJ.. many anglers dont even know but there is.. heres more evidence from a waterway I frequent:
http://www.stripersonline.com/t/808531/i-think-i-just-released-the-state-record-largemouth-bass
Ratherbfishing reply :
You might as well be asking me how often I get appendicitis. True lunkers are few and far between. Fortunately, I'm happy with even small fish. Not AS happy, but happy.
boostr reply :
On 9/16/2014 at 3:48 AM, einscodek said:Thats thinkin like a tournament angler!
August was good .. caught a 20" fish every week.. biggest was a 22" 6 pounder some dudes wanted to keep..not!
If those calculations are correct, that's close or would be a state record. Which stands at 10 lbs and something oz
So far in September I've caught two.. one was a 21" I posted on the forum..
People dont think theres big fish in the waters in NJ.. many anglers dont even know but there is.. heres more evidence from a waterway I frequent:
http://www.stripersonline.com/t/808531/i-think-i-just-released-the-state-record-largemouth-bass
boostr reply :
So far I'm pulling 2 to 2 1/2 lbs regularly when I go out to the spots I fish, which is a good fish up here. What really drives me nuts is there are people fishing the same spots that are catching 4 to 6lbs and that's from the bank. Sooner or later I will be on one of those Lunkers. For me anything over 3 lbs is a Lunker.
Sam reply :
Not often.
Maybe once or twice a year will clear 7-pounds but that's about it.
einscodek reply :
On 9/16/2014 at 4:09 AM, boostr said:
On 9/16/2014 at 3:48 AM, einscodek said:Thats thinkin like a tournament angler!
August was good .. caught a 20" fish every week.. biggest was a 22" 6 pounder some dudes wanted to keep..not!
If those calculations are correct, that's close or would be a state record. Which stands at 10 lbs and something oz
So far in September I've caught two.. one was a 21" I posted on the forum..
People dont think theres big fish in the waters in NJ.. many anglers dont even know but there is.. heres more evidence from a waterway I frequent:
http://www.stripersonline.com/t/808531/i-think-i-just-released-the-state-record-largemouth-bass
boostr, round valley is clear, deep and full of trout.. I cant imagine there is NOT a state record bass in there..
boostr reply :
On 9/16/2014 at 4:52 AM, einscodek said:boostr, round valley is clear, deep and full of trout.. I cant imagine there is NOT a state record bass in there..
Funny you mention that, I was at Dicks last Friday over in Rockaway in the Fishing section obviously. ( An 2 level store with one of the largest fishing sections I've seen besides BPS or CABELAS) Me and the fishing section sales assistant were talking about different lakes, ponds and reservoirs in the area, and how there are Lunkers just waiting to be had. To note the sales assistant knew what he was talking[] about when it came to bass fishing products also. Dicks also just started a contract with Duckett... shweet my next new rod.
mjseverson24 reply :
In MN I classify a bass over 4 lbs to be a kicker fish(44.4% the state record LMB). I would say that I catch a kicker fish at least every other outing. if you want to classify a lunker as a fish over 5 lbs (55.5% state record LMB) I catch a "lunker" probably 1 out of 4 outings.
Mitch
Jtrout reply :
I'm from maryland and the lake I usually fish is 37 acres the biggest I've got outa there is 3.55 and they are good fighters. The lake is fished pretty hard. And most people can't buy a bite . I've seen 5-6 lbs come from there but I'm shore there's bigger. In the last few weeks I've gotten 5 that went 2.79-3.55 and to me those are fun but I'm looking for the hogs lol
Bankbeater reply :
I would say where I am, anything 4 lbs and up is a lunker. Some years are better than others, but on average I get one or two a year.
skeeter1980 reply :
In Delaware I catch lunkers every night.But then I wake up.LOL
starcraft1 reply :
On 9/15/2014 at 12:59 PM, Bluebasser86 said:He said it's relative, which it certainly is. A big fish for Raul is a fish that almost doesn't exist where I fish.
For me, anything over 4 pounds is a really solid fish. I usually catch one about that size every 2 or 3 full day fishing trips. I go on a lot of short trips to the local lakes that don't have many fish that size in them, but if I catch 1 or 2 over that make out of them a year then it was a good year on those lakes.
As with Rual, a 5 lber. is common place out west (clear lake, Cal. Delta, ect.) For a spot, 6 lbs. could be considered a "lunker", Smallies, 5 (to me) would also be concidered, as for large mouth, 7 to 8 is a nice fish. Thropies are 10 and over.
That being said, a couple of times each yr.
geo g reply :
The bigger fish seam to come in spurts. I will have a day or week when I catch 3 or 4 big fish at one time and then a long dry spell with no Kodak Moments.
The real big double digit fish are far and few on normal ecosystems. Huge bass may be more common on compounds where the government spoon feeds them live trout several times a year, and catch and release is mandatory. Under normal conditions, double digits are rare. If you want a good shoot at a huge D/D bass, go to where they live, or it may cost you a half a million casts! 
FrogTosser88 reply :
Caught 2 today that were 4+... A week before that I caught a 4-5lb fish. The last couple weeks I have been landing alot of healthy fish, so this month has been my best fishing.
SirSnookalot reply :
On 9/17/2014 at 4:42 AM, geo g said:The bigger fish seam to come in spurts. I will have a day or week when I catch 3 or 4 big fish at one time and then a long dry spell with no Kodak Moments.
The real big double digit fish are far and few on normal ecosystems. Huge bass may be more common on compounds where the government spoon feeds them live trout several times a year, and catch and release is mandatory. Under normal conditions, double digits are rare. If you want a good shoot at a huge D/D bass, go to where they live, or it may cost you a half a million casts!
Seems that way around here, days when I catch mostly larger ones and days when just the smaller ones are active.
The places I bass fish in Florida hold some decent fish but a DD is going to be pretty rare. Fishing these ponds and canals on foot is not the same as a "bass factory" with a guide.
tomustang reply :
On 9/16/2014 at 3:48 AM, einscodek said:People dont think theres big fish in the waters in NJ.. many anglers dont even know but there is.. heres more evidence from a waterway I frequent:
http://www.stripersonline.com/t/808531/i-think-i-just-released-the-state-record-largemouth-bass
That was a terrible example.
Slade House reply :
How often? I fish lake casitas, and here are the days or afternoons i fished and how big they were . Pretty much if i don't catch a 5lb once a week then that's uncommon. That explains why having 19lbs or even 20lbs for a day tournament won't usually even get you in the top 5 at my lake.
9/8 - monday - 5.43, 6.24, 3.77
9/9 -tuesday 5.56, 5.38, 5.41, 5.03 (all in the last 2 hours of the day, that day I watched my friend lose a 10-11lber when it bent the hooks on his zara spook and jumped out of the water just afterwards.)
9/11 3.83, 3.34, 5.22
I didn't fish the rest of the week or the weekend.
Yesterday i had 3.88, 3.98, 4.88
And historically my lake is having the least number of 10+lb fish caught , they're used to be around 65 10+lb caught from March to June
geo g reply :
On 9/18/2014 at 12:19 PM, Slade House said:How often? I fish lake casitas, and here are the days or afternoons i fished and how big they were . Pretty much if i don't catch a 5lb once a week then that's uncommon. That explains why having 19lbs or even 20lbs for a day tournament won't usually even get you in the top 5 at my lake.
9/8 - monday - 5.43, 6.24, 3.77
9/9 -tuesday 5.56, 5.38, 5.41, 5.03 (all in the last 2 hours of the day, that day I watched my friend lose a 10-11lber when it bent the hooks on his zara spook and jumped out of the water just afterwards.)
9/11 3.83, 3.34, 5.22
I didn't fish the rest of the week or the weekend.
Is this lake one of those California Ponds that were stocked with our Florida Strain Bass, and then served up trout as a food supply? Is it also a catch and release compound? I know some California lakes exist that defy the Laws of Nature.
Yesterday i had 3.88, 3.98, 4.88
And historically my lake is having the least number of 10+lb fish caught , they're used to be around 65 10+lb caught from March to June
NDH Fishing reply :
Well for me it seems like every time I get a lunker its on a noticeably perfect cast, with topwater, at first light.
einscodek reply :
On 9/17/2014 at 4:35 PM, tomustang said:That was a terrible example.
Why was that a terrible example? If that was a legit pic, it wouldve been a state record 10 pounder.. it looked bigger than any I caught here..
Heres a 4.5lb 20 incher I caught this morning.. is this a good example?
Mainebass1984 reply :
It is all relative. Where you live. The size of fish your targeting. The lake your fishing. I like to target big bass. It is what I live for. I fish a few select waters in my home state of Maine. In Maine a 5 lber is a big bass, a lunker. This year I have fished my favorite big bass waters in Maine 22 times and have caught 46 largemouth bigger then 5 lbs, including 10 over 6 and 2 over 7. I go there to specifically target big bass. The numbers are good as well. Usually catch between 20-30 bass each day. I would call anything over 8 a fish of a lifetime. I know very few people in Maine who have caught 8 lb plus fish.
RMcDuffee726 reply :
On 9/23/2014 at 2:54 AM, Mainebass1984 said:It is all relative. Where you live. The size of fish your targeting. The lake your fishing. I like to target big bass. It is what I live for. I fish a few select waters in my home state of Maine. In Maine a 5 lber is a big bass, a lunker. This year I have fished my favorite big bass waters in Maine 22 times and have caught 46 largemouth bigger then 5 lbs, including 10 over 6 and 2 over 7. I go there to specifically target big bass. The numbers are good as well. Usually catch between 20-30 bass each day. I would call anything over 8 a fish of a lifetime. I know very few people in Maine who have caught 8 lb plus fish.
Not to be rude Mainebass considering i defended you in the Southern New Hampshire forum, but would you say you are pulling these big fish all the time because you understand the waters so well because you fish the same places quite often? Say I gave you a new place to fish, which still held the same size fish that you catch, just in a different location. Do you think you would still pull the same size fish even if it was new water? I'm actually just extremely curious of what you think. Cheers!
Mainebass1984 reply :
Consistency comes with experience. I think that in due time I would catch big fish for what ever lake I would be fishing. Its not like that I only fish one or 2 lakes. I have my favorite lakes like everyone else. I have caught bass over 5 lbs in 28 different lakes. To me fishing is like everything else. The more you do the better you get. Another part of what I do is that I keep a detailed fishing log that enables to replicate patterns lake to lake, season to season, given a few variables such as weather, wind, time of year and water temperature. My game plan for fishing for the day starts way before I get to the lake. Another aspect of fishing that it is very important is that you must have confidence. Confidence in where your fishing, what your fishing, and how your fishing it. I think that in time I would catch big fish from a new water. Probably not the first time or even the second but in time I believe I would catch some big fish. Three years ago I moved to Vermont. I had exactly zero experience on every lake that I fished. Over time I figured out some lakes and some patterns. It is true I haven't caught a 7 lber in VT yet. This year as you can see from a lot of my posts I have been fishing A LOT in Maine. In Vermont I have managed to catch some big bass, the biggest being 6 lbs 8 oz. I also won Angler of the year in my bass club in Vermont fishing waters that where completely foreign to me 3 years ago. There is one thing I have noticed about the way I fish compared to every one else I fish with. I like to fish very slow, "sift" methodically. The best way to get really good at fishing a particular lake is to fish it a lot under all conditions. That is why the pros are so good. They fish a lot under all conditions. They spend a lot of time on the water. I think that there is some quote that sums it up from BIll Dance. Someone was asking him how he caught so many fish, big fish and became a pro at the sport. His reply was something like " You want to get good at bass fishing ? Go early and stay late."
To sum it all up. If I was tasked to fish a new lake, given zero information on it, I think that there would be a good chance I would catch some quality fish based on my experiences fishing other lakes under every condition you can think of.
einscodek reply :
I think the next step up if you have the confidence, knowledge, and experience.. is to see how good you really are and see if you can make some money on the tournaments and move up compete with bigger boyz
Mainebass1984 reply :
On 9/24/2014 at 3:57 AM, einscodek said:I think the next step up if you have the confidence, knowledge, and experience.. is to see how good you really are and see if you can make some money on the tournaments and move up compete with bigger boyz
I need a bigger boat before I can really compete as much as I like. I did win some trophies and 400 bucks this year. I fished in 7 tourneys this year so far and finished 3 times in 1st place, once in 3rd, twice in 4th and once in 5th.
einscodek reply :
I'd say save up for a bigger boat then.. 3 times a winner is awesome
basseditor reply :
My club fishes 12 events per year some on decent lakes. Most times, something in the 7-8 lb range wins big bass. Occasionally a 9 or 10 wins (once per year or so for a 10 lb +.) personally I expect at least a 6 every time I go out. (Doesn't always happen, but enough to keep 6-7 as a Doable goal. Some lakes the minimum I'm happy with is 9+. But I've lived here 10 years and caught one 10 lbr. We've landed one 13.35 in my boat.
We have caught dozens from 8-9+ pounds. I get a 6 nearly every trip. I got 2nd place big bass and 2nd place ovearll last event. 6.6 lbs within a 21 lb bag.
When I fished in utah I expected to catch a 5-7 lb small mouth on every trip. I caught more than 50 of those.
primetime reply :
The great thing about Florida is we have hundreds if not thousands of ponds/lakes that are never fished due to poor access, private, or people just don't realize that some retention ponds behind shopping centers with garbage on the shoreline often hold trophy sized fish. I consider any fish over 7lbs a Big Bass and a fish you should be proud of here in Florida, and they are actually quite common in the right places if you take the time to find these "ponds" which I call lakes as on Long Island a 20-30 acre lake was a place we would fish all day.
People catch fish in the 9-10 lb range often, and my goal is to get a teener as I consider that a true "Trophy" or fish of a lifetime. I will go on lunker hunting trips in areas I know hold double digit fish and are rarely fished, and I will throw nothing but large lures and my goal is for 1 strike, but getting a 10lb Bass on an artificeal in the lakes where everyone fishes is tough, and getting tougher each year.....On Long Island a true 21-22" 5lb bass was a trophy and I still get excited with any bass 19" or roughly 4lbs every time.
when I tell friends who visit that a pond we are going to fish is 2 acres and loaded with fish 2-5lbs and has more than a few in the 7-10lb range and larger they assume that they will catch a 10lber...we have fished for 2-3 hours and caught big fish approaching 7, but in order to get a fish larger to strike, even in a "puddle" all it takes is a live bluegill or live 12" shiner. Crazy part is how fast you can catch 2 giants over 24" easy on a giant wild shiner, yet those fish passed up every thing we throw all day. They get really big for a reason, so I never doubt that much larger fish live in any body of water that has a good forrage base and I lived in front of a pond less than 1.5 acres that I was convinced only had stunted bass, and for 2 years would simply use it to test out new lures, reels etc..Then one day I toss out a 1 ounce silver spoon on my new round baitcaster only to land a bass that weighed all of 8lbs and it was the heavy lure that allowed me to hit a spot on the far shoreline I had never attempted.....It must have been living on 6-9'' bass as I caught her a few more times on bass colored jerkbaits before she vanished.
tholmes reply :
How many "lunkers" do I catch? Not as many as I'd like, but enough to keep me goin' back.
Tom
einscodek reply :
I catch a 20"+ fish every week on good months and every other week on slower months
biggest this year was 22" which isnt as fat as a southern fish but it was big..its the length that gets me
Primetime,
I cant wait to retire and hit those Florida ponds full of fat 10 pounders.. do my Doug Hannon impersonation
I wanna see a 27" fish with a HUGE head
I saw some real lunkers on Disney property this year..
iabass8 reply :
I visit Raider's sister once a month so.....12 times a year /w colder months being a better shot at my PB.
bmlum415 reply :
For me I've pulled at least 4+ lb fish out every trip jig fishing. Although I'm fishing some pretty productive water with larger fish(Cali delta).
Slade House reply :
Tom on here from California has probably the most experience catching lunkers than anyone i know. He has caught at least 5 or 6 fish that are over 15lbs.
For me though , 12lbs is my goal , then 15lbs. only thing that needs to happen is the stupid biological assessment needs to happen to resume them stocking trout in my lake. which if its over 1000 acres its a lake right? someone called it a pond.
deep reply :
One about every hundred hours spent fishing for them. The "fishing for them" part is important, because I'll occasionally fish for small bass, especially during summer- I call that fun fishing. Lunker = 7+ lbs NLMB for me.
P.S. Slade, if it was created by damming a creek or a river, I call it a reservoir. I don't care if it's 50 acres or 10,000. Everything I know about structure fishing still applies.
primetime reply :
On 9/26/2014 at 4:32 AM, einscodek said:I catch a 20"+ fish every week on good months and every other week on slower months
biggest this year was 22" which isnt as fat as a southern fish but it was big..its the length that gets me
Primetime,
I cant wait to retire and hit those Florida ponds full of fat 10 pounders.. do my Doug Hannon impersonation
I wanna see a 27" fish with a HUGE head
I saw some real lunkers on Disney property this year..
You are doing something right and obviously know how to find big fish because I am all about length as well, and for NJ, a 20" Bass is t a Big Bass and 22" is a special fish and the lake that fish came out of is a lake I would be fishing most often. My biggest fish from up North was 23" and estimated to be 6.5 lbs using the Rapala formula of measuring girth and length and plugging into a formula. The nice thing about that fish is the fact it has grown over the years, and is always a solid 7, and depending on who I am talking with, it may get longer and even hit 7.5.
I was hooked on Smallmouth when I was in college and they were not as fat as they are now since Gobies were not part of the forrage base at that time (at least we were not aware if they were) and we would fish Tubes 90% of the time and my goal was always a 5-6lb Smallie but I could never get over the 4lb hump but the few that I did catch over 4lbs faught 3x harder than a largemouth of the same size. We would fish the Finger lakes where everyone would be fishing for Steelhead and Trout/Salmon and we would get laughed at targeting all the 2-3lb Smallies you could see and catch almost every catch with a small jig and grub...I am planning a trip to visit my Brother in the Spring and he lives near Candlewood so we are going to take the boat out for a weekend of Trophy hunting...I love that lake. Anyway, my point was to say a 21" Bass up North is tough to catch no matter how good you are, and to get one on an artificial is even more impressive. I would always hear stories of all the 5lb fish people were catching in lakes on Long Island and I am now certain that all the 5-7's we heard about were nothing more than the 19"-4's we were all catching, but anything larger than 19" was big and still is when I go visit...
Surpriser reply :
The TVA lakes in my area kick out some big bass, sometimes in big quantities; it's a special place.
Other than the dead of winter, and a few weeks in August, I'm able to catch 3 & 4 lb bass regularly mixed in with smaller ones. Anything 5 lb or greater, and I'll get the camera out. However, I fish exclusively from a kayak, so I'm sure guys with bass boats can be more efficient with their time on the water and dwarf the numbers I'm used to.
My goal is to break the 10 lb mark.
einscodek reply :
On 9/27/2014 at 9:56 AM, primetime said:You are doing something right and obviously know how to find big fish because I am all about length as well, and for NJ, a 20" Bass is t a Big Bass and 22" is a special fish and the lake that fish came out of is a lake I would be fishing most often. My biggest fish from up North was 23" and estimated to be 6.5 lbs using the Rapala formula of measuring girth and length and plugging into a formula. The nice thing about that fish is the fact it has grown over the years, and is always a solid 7, and depending on who I am talking with, it may get longer and even hit 7.5.
I was hooked on Smallmouth when I was in college and they were not as fat as they are now since Gobies were not part of the forrage base at that time (at least we were not aware if they were) and we would fish Tubes 90% of the time and my goal was always a 5-6lb Smallie but I could never get over the 4lb hump but the few that I did catch over 4lbs faught 3x harder than a largemouth of the same size. We would fish the Finger lakes where everyone would be fishing for Steelhead and Trout/Salmon and we would get laughed at targeting all the 2-3lb Smallies you could see and catch almost every catch with a small jig and grub...I am planning a trip to visit my Brother in the Spring and he lives near Candlewood so we are going to take the boat out for a weekend of Trophy hunting...I love that lake. Anyway, my point was to say a 21" Bass up North is tough to catch no matter how good you are, and to get one on an artificial is even more impressive. I would always hear stories of all the 5lb fish people were catching in lakes on Long Island and I am now certain that all the 5-7's we heard about were nothing more than the 19"-4's we were all catching, but anything larger than 19" was big and still is when I go visit...
Primetime, I know somethin' about how to fish for sure but the waterway is also good where I am here. People dont quite respect a good waterway.. they dont understand a good fisherman can fish their hearts out in an empty bucket and catch no fish. So everytime I go out I feel blessed..cleanup trash around the lakes when I see it.. keep lady lake happy. I grew up fishing eastern PA lakes and the big fish were harder to find cause of all the catch-and-keep fisherman.. first day of fishin season and the lakes were packed full of fisherman..no spots on shore at all! Stocked fish all gone within a few months..
I wish we had more smallmouths here.. I'm only seeing mostly largemouths..
My biggest was a 23-7 pounder as well and I'm still trying to beat it.. some waterways nearby are producing supposedly 26-27" lmb.. I dunno about that but I know only a handful of us locals are pulling big fish out of our holes in our area and the one guy is usin' shiners and beat my best by 2 pounds.. and these are real numbers..
Well you get to see bigger down south..enjoy yerself down there.. which is where this snowbird is eventually gonna end up too!
SirSnookalot reply :
I keep a 25" mark on my rods, I've surpassed it a number of times, don't carry a scale.
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