Northern Strain Bass? 2025

boondocks reply :

After reading the 10lb bass thread, it got me wondering what you guys think the maximum size potential of a northern strain bass is? Are they capable reaching 10lbs. Or are most ten lbers Florida strain? Forgive me if these are dumb questions. Up in the northern part of the country where I live(ND) most all the state records are in the 8lb range. That including MN,SD,ND and MT. Just curious if they get much bigger. Thanks

roadwarrior reply :

Most "record bass" are northern strain. The Florida strain just

produces bigger bass! They have been introduced into a number

of states and Mexico. The monsters from California are mostly

Florida stain.

8-)

Pigsticker reply :

I believe the biggest northern strain bass ever caught was out of Mass. and weighed 15.5. That is an INCREDIBLE NLMB. Just an insane catch.

Jeff C. reply :

The Michigan state record is just over 11 pounds..

thats huge.. 15 would be WOW,, for north...

Jeff

MichiganFisherman reply :

Like the guy above me said, our state record is only 11.94, one caught in 1959 and the other caught in 1934... I've never caught anything more than 3-4 pounds so it always amazes me to see those huge florida monsters some of you guys catch. A 5+ pounder is a trophy fish up here.

basspimple reply :

funny thing is, our state record(ky) is like 13 lbs.(lm), just a pound and some change from our record smallie.

BossierBassHunter reply :

man, im lucky i live in LA I guess. Our record is like 15.97 or something, which isnt the biggest ever, but it beats those Wolverines up there, lol.

The main thing is just that I have probably only caught like 30 or 40 bass since i started fishing again, but have gotten quite a few in the 4-6 range, so I guess that's the advantage of being down south

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

Northerns broke the 10lb mark awhile ago

As for how big do they get, we'll have to wait till I break the record to see : ;D

Raul reply :

The biggest northern strain LMB I 've ever seen was a 6 kilos ( 13.2 lbs ) female we had in a pond in the state aquaculture center.

Flywatersmallie reply :

Biggest here in Wisconsin on record is 11lbs 3oz. The gap is shrinking though with responsible management. I have broken 5lbs a half dozen times in the last week (I fish every day) and 6 twice. I watched a gentleman catch a legit 8lber bluegill fishing a couple days ago. The state record has stood since 1940, I believe.... One would have to think that it will fall in the next few years. These fish are protected better than ever before. How big they get, I dont know but I do know they are getting bigger HERE. Off season purchase will be a swim bait rod!

swilly78 reply :

Here in Illinois, the record is 13 lb 1 oz, caught in 1976 outta stone quarry lake. Ive had a couple of 5 lb'ers this season, but mostly 2-4 lb'ers. Hopefully one of those grow up to be the next record bass in Illinois.

pokey reply :

Connecticut state record 12lbs14oz.

fishizzle reply :

I know of 3 10's caught in CT...wow

The 12 lb record won't stand for much longer

J Francho reply :

There are some pretty big herring fed girls that have been reported caught in Mass. Bigger than most of the surrounding waters where alewife are the forage.

Matt 825 reply :

The Biggest Northern LMB is the Mass 15 Ib 8 oz state record. It was caught through the ice in 1975 in a pond very well known for producing very large fish. I fish the very spot it was caught all the time. It was not caught in the pond listed on the record and also it was caught on a tip-up that was left unattended overnight with a shinner on it.

Its tough to think that there is another Northern bass that big out there somewhere. That fish truly was a freak of nature, and there has never been another Northern Bass caught anywhere that even comes close to that one. There are a few 10's caught every year and a couple 12's caught every few years in the general area of that 15 Ib 8 oz bass, ( many of these ponds have sea run Alewives & Herring which provide a great forage base) but I have never heard of any bass approaching the 15 pound mark. Any 10 Ib Northern Bass is a real trophy anywhere in the country, anything bigger than that is just gravy.

riverfisher reply :

New York record is 11.4

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7935.html

George Welcome reply :

When you talk northern strain I think you really mean northern state strain. Intergrade (Northern strain bass mixed with Florida strain) are found as far south as the St John's river in Florida. George Perry's bass was either an intergrade, (mixture of Northern and Florida), or a northern strain but not likely northern. If it was a Florida strain someone transported it there and planted it.

To get a guaranteed Florida strain bass you need to be fishing south of what is known as the weather line, (Tampa to south Melbourne).

Rich K reply :

I think the biggest part of the equation here is how old a big Northern strain bass will be compared to Fla strain. It does not take very long for Fla strain bass to get to 5 lbs - could be only 2-3 years old. It will take a Northern strain 6-10 years to get that big.

I have also heard the life expectancy of Northern Strains are longer than Fla strain - I guess "live fast; die young" holds true for them. A 10 lb Northern strain bass could be 15+ years old, where a Fla strain's life expectancy is 10-15 years.

I think that is the biggest reason why catching a true lunker up North is that much more of an accomplishment. You know that lunker has seen LOTS of lures and your presentation, location, and timing has to be spot-on to catch one.

However, I have also read that Northern strain bass are more aggressive than Fla strain - which makes them easier to catch. There are companies out that that have produced a hybrid (F1) bass that grows like the Fla strain yet tolerates cold and has the aggressiveness of the Northern strain.

Can you tell that I researched this a bit? I was looking to buy some stockers F1's for my local pond.

Here's a link if anyone is interested in reading more about the F1 strain.

Here's another one.

J Francho reply :

The term "F1" means first generation from the crossing of the two strains. The next generation would be refered to as F2 and so on. This isn't reserved for just hybrids. take two fish from the wild, spawn them, and their progeny will be "F1".

Matt 825 reply :

I have always thought that these Hybrid northern/florida bass could not survive the winters up north.

I'm sure if they could survive, then our waters would be loaded with these hybrids from people illegally stocking them now.

Rich K reply :

Quote
The term "F1" means first generation from the crossing of the two strains. .

Thanks for the clarification. I was thinking more in terms of auto racing. F1 = Formula 1.

WRB reply :

The California state record northern strian largemouth bass was 14.5 lbs, before pure Florida strian bass were introduced. I weighed a northern LMB for a fisherman back in 1960 that was 15.1, the bass was never offically recorded. IMO 15 to possible 16 lbs is the absolute maximum weight for pure northen strain LMB.

Florida strain or intergrades of FLMB and NLMB grow much heavier, not necessarily longer. The length to girth ratio of NLMB rarely exceeds 80%; the girth being 80% of the length. It is common for FLMB or intergrades to have girths that exceed 90%, much heavier bass, then the NLMB.

WRB

Paul Roberts reply :

Before you get too excited about non-native bass for your pond, especially F1 florida/northern, check out these articles:

http://www.bigindianabass.com/big_indiana_bass/research/page/2/

Scroll down to: It's All in the Genes

http://www.bigindianabass.com/big_indiana_bass/research/page/4/

Scroll down to: Texas Lunker Bass: Genetics Part 2

fishizzle reply :

Is the F1 those genecially superior Superbass I read about in Bassmaster a few years ago that a mad scientist was developing?

Matt 825 reply :

If there is a guy out there who is a mad scientist and also an obsessed bass fisherman working on super Bass, then no one better ever fall in the lake.

A giant 800 IB Largemouth will crush you like a topwater bait.

WRB reply :

I believe the bass refered to was a "mean mouth" bass, a cross between a smallmouth and largemouth. The only genitic engineered bass are those in the Share A Lunker program, where the university was playing around to improve the intergrade strains of FLMB and NLMB. This isn't selective harvest that was initailly the program goal where big female and males having good genes naturally were used for producing and stocking fry.

Out west we call 500+ lb bass, black sea bass and they will sometimes see a diver as something of interest to strike.

We are up somewhere around F34 for bass stocked into DVL. It's been my experience that pure Florida's and F1 grow to giant size where the ecosystems have the right mix of water temps and prey available.

WRB

J Francho reply :

Quote
I'm sure if they could survive, then our waters would be loaded with these hybrids from people illegally stocking them now.

Nah, they're just dumping snakeheads up here. >

swilly78 reply :

That snakehead stuff is a shame..... >

thetr20one reply :

The Ohio record is 13lbs 13oz. 26 1/16 inches long caught in 1976.

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