What Is A Nice Fish? 2025
Tyson Holman reply :
I cuaght this three pound smallie the other day. It was about 3 lbs. It got be thinking about what people consider a large fish. Because the size bass get varies from northern states to southern states. I figure peoples idea of a nice fish varies as well. Here in Nebraska we would consider a 5 lb largemouth to be a very big fish, and a smallmouth i would consider 3 lbs to be very nice as well. So what do you guys consider to be a big fish? based on area? I am really interested to see how much it varies.
Thanks
Tyson
Mccallister25 reply :
A trophy is in the eye of the beholder. Depends on your area, and the individual waters you fish. I fish neighborhood ponds and consider 5# fish to be great for the ponds I fish.
I take pictures of every 3#+ fish I land.
Catch and Grease reply :
In my local lake 5+ is pretty big
Alonerankin2 reply :
Yea , of course I believe the water you fish and you're location in the world does have to be considered.... I say that you're 3 pound smallmouth is a good fish... In Florida we would catch loads of 8 pd. fish LMB .... It was sorta like yea it's ok.... But we were hunting 10 to 16 pd. fish... And yes we were spoiled. But where you fish and the availability of fish types and growth rates has to be considered!
Happy fishing.....
BassinLou reply :
Here are my personal ranges for me...
2-3lbs nice
3-4lb Nice chunks
4-5lb Nice piggies
5lb-6lbs Nice pigs
6-7lbs Pigs
7-8lbs Holy Moly!! Hawg Category
8+ I have seen and touched only once, and it wasn't my catch.
Mccallister25 reply :
On 7/2/2014 at 6:20 AM, BassinLou said:Here are my personal ranges for me...
2-3lbs nice
3-4lb Nice chunks
4-5lb Nice piggies
5lb-6lbs Nice pigs
6-7lbs Pigs
7-8lbs Holy Moly!! Hawg Category
8+ I have seen and touched only once, and it wasn't my catch.
Nice stuff, right here. I couldnt agree more.
DogBone_384 reply :
Talk about laying up a softball! A nice fish is the one YOU just landed, isn't it?
Avalonjohn44 reply :
On 7/2/2014 at 6:37 AM, DogBone_384 said:Talk about laying up a softball! A nice fish is the one YOU just landed, isn't it?
I'll take this as my answer too.
Catch and Grease reply :
I've gotten in the habit of no matter what size fish I hook I start saying "oooooo this is a nice one, yup its a nice one" even if its a dink haha
RoLo reply :
Whether I'm in Florida or Canada, a 'Nice Fish' to me is a 3-lb largemouth bass (~17.5").
I hasten to add, I catch more Un-nice fish than Nice fish 
Roger
ww2farmer reply :
My standards based on the lakes I fish, area of the country (WNY) I am in, etc....
Small keepers: less than 2lbs
Decent: 2-3 lbs
Above average 3-4lbs
Big: 4-6lbs
Trophy's: 6-8lbs
Fish of a lifetime: 8+ lbs
einscodek reply :
I prefer to judge a fish by its length.. I think anything in the over 18"+ range is a big fish
You could fit yer fist easily in their mouths.. thats big
RoLo reply :
On 7/2/2014 at 9:20 AM, einscodek said:I prefer to judge a fish by its length.. I think anything in the over 18"+ range is a big fish
You could fit yer fist easily in their mouths.. thats big
I wish more anglers judged fish by their length rather than their weight.
Length is a far more intuitive metric than weight (funny how we mock fat people, but put obese bass on a pedestal).
An 8-lb bass might have a 1-lb shiner in its stomach, but if it regurgitates that baitfish during the battle
you're going to land a 7-lb bass. However, with or without the 1-lb baitfish, the length of the bass
will remain unchanged (7-lber = ~23").
Roger
A-Jay reply :
I'm going with - It all depends what's available on the water one's fishing.
On Lake Erie - a 4lb smallie could be considered a dink.
On Lake Baccarac in Mexico - a 6lb largemouth is definitely a dink.
However, both of those fish are trophies on ALL of my home waters . . . .
A-Jay
jignfule reply :
It's all relative. In January a 1-1/2# is a nice fish.
livetofish28 reply :
It depends on location and what you personally think of a big fish as. In VA a 5# bass is a big fish with anything bigger getting into the awesome fish category with 8# plus being HAWG category a couple weeks back when i was in NY I caught one that was larger than 7# and knew that that was a down right awesome fish. It just depends where you are at
tight lines
Andrew
Dwight Hottle reply :
On 7/2/2014 at 9:52 AM, A-Jay said:I'm going with - It all depends what's available on the water one's fishing.
On Lake Erie - a 4lb smallie could be considered a dink.
On Lake Baccarac in Mexico - a 6lb largemouth is definitely a dink.
However, both of those fish are trophies on ALL of my home waters . . . .
A-Jay
Well said. Lake Erie smallies start at 5lb to 6lbs for a nice bass. Six pounds and up are considered special. Seven pounds to eight pounds are true trophies. Eight to nine lbs is state record fish and the fish of a life time. I have personally caught 35-45 smallies over 6 lbs but only one over seven. Tough nut to crack if you are a trophy hunter.
Denea reply :
I consider a nice fish to be any fish I am able to catch. I have gone summers where I can catch 1-2/day to 25-30/day smallies in my local creek. The tributary to Lake Erie is amazing, and there are a ton of smallies in the creek. I would like to catch a nice big smallie like Dwight always flaunts around (jk, but you are a pro at catching some disgusting pigs on LE, and I look up to that). I enjoy the time on the water, that one monster hit, that jump, that one that takes the drag to be considered a nice fish. I used to be about how heavy it was, but then realized the biggest they can get in the creek are about 4#, but the ones I love the most, are the ones that fight like a pig, and end up being a solid, beautiful 2# fish.
OroBass reply :
I agree with 23 inches or more is a nice LMB.
Bluebasser86 reply :
A 3 pound largemouth or smallmouth are both nice fish around here. 4 pound smallie or 5 pound largemouth I consider big fish. A smallmouth over 5 or a largemouth over 7 are both rare creatures. Smallmouth over 6 or largemouth over 8 are probably once in a lifetime unless you have access to some great private water.
Bankbeater reply :
Around here anything over 5 is considered a hawg.
Mainebass1984 reply :
For the areas I fish in Maine and Vermont:
1 pound : dinker
2 pounds : keeper
3 pounds: decent
4 pounds: good one
5 pounds: nice fish
6 pounds: hawg
7 pounds: lunker
8 pounds: trophy
9 pounds: Once in a lifetime
10 pounds: You must be dreaming or a liar
Biggest fish I have caught is a 9 lb 1 oz
In reality anything over 5 lbs is big
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
^ I'm with him.
einscodek reply :
On 7/2/2014 at 9:45 AM, RoLo said:I wish more anglers felt like you.
Length is a far more intuitive metric than weight (funny how we mock fat people, but put obese bass on a pedestal).
An 8-lb bass might have a 1-lb shiner in its stomach, but if it regurgitates that baitfish during the battle you're going to land a 7-lb bass.
However, with or without the 1-lb baitfish, the length of the bass will remain unchanged (7-lber = ~23").
Roger
Exactly..
Fish Murderer 71 reply :
I'm grateful for every fish I catch, dink to hawg...
Steveo-1969 reply :
For a fish's size, I can't say anything different than what's already been said. So how about this? I think a nice fish is one that bites my bait and holds on long enough to let me set the hook, gives me a good fight and doesn't throw the hook. And I'm always nice back by telling them "thanks buddy", gently setting them back in the water, and letting them bite my thumb while they are getting their strength back before they swim away.
THAT'S a nice fish!!
jigabooyah reply :
Ever seen the Bass Pro KVD 3 DVD collection. He says almost every catch. "Nice fish, yeah". and then releases it.
where I live over 3lbs is pretty nice but I am happy with 2+ lbs.
Jar11591 reply :
16"+ is when I consider a bass to be "nice". 18" and up is "big".
FishChaser1 reply :
One that compliments you and doesn't talk behind your back
FishChaser1 reply :
One that compliments you and doesn't talk behind your back
ColdSVT reply :
3 solid fish!
4 good fish!
5 d**n good fish!
6 beast!
7 monster!
8+ i have no word since i have reached that mark yet lol
tatertester reply :
One that is polite and doesn't hit on yur wife!
Big239Fish reply :
If it keeps or culls, it's nice enough.
SirSnookalot reply :
I'm desensitized to size and don't weigh them, for me it's fun and fight. I'd just as soon catch a 2# bass or peacock on a light power rod in a pond, than an 8# bass loaded up with 5# of weeds using heavier gear, which I find to be no fun at all.
Even in saltwater the fight isn't the same with all species, I target the ones that give me the most pleasure.
K_Mac reply :
I think 15-16" is about the "nice" level. 18" and above is my target on most lakes around here. I don't pay much attention to weight anymore, but I would say "nice" for me starts around 3#, good at about 4, and lunker over 7. Now I fish with people who will tell you their 4 pounder weighs 7.5...fishermen are notorious liers, except the members here of course.
Mainebass1984 reply :
On 7/3/2014 at 3:56 PM, K_Mac said:I fish with people who will tell you their 4 pounder weighs 7.5...fishermen are notorious liers, except the members here of course.
I also fish with people who "over guesstimate" the size of there fish. That is exactly why I always bring a scale. I find it pretty hilarious when I weigh my friends so called " 5 lber " and it weighs 2 lbs 10 oz. LOL. The look on there face is priceless.
paleus reply :
4 lbs is my threshold for it being a really nice fish. I enjoy catching them all, any size, any species (okay maybe not catfish or gar), but a largemouth over 4lbs seems to be more of an accomplishment.
FrogFreak reply :
Great question. I have a small lake that I can fish on and catch 20-40 fish in a morning but most of the fish are around 1 lb with some bigger ones mixed in on occasion. On the flip side, I have another lake that doesn't have the numbers but you're more likely to catch a 5lb plus bass (big for up here in Northern MN). Which is better? It really depends. I normally don't worry about size as much as numbers because I fish for fun but I do like to go after bigger fish from time to time as well.
Bottom line, a nice fish is the one that you catch, mostly because you're not at work.
Lunker5 reply :
I'm in jersey 5lb is quality but for me it's the fight.wheather they jump,pull,dance on top.to me any fish thats 2.5-3 lbs is nice because if you were in tournament that would be good to catch
AK-Jax86 reply :
Me I am a picture man when it comes to fishing so anything over 3lbs I consider a nice fish and is pic worthy.
My personal best is 8.1 you truly do not realize how big these 7lb+ fish are until you get one on land! So far I have only caught 4 in the 7-8.1lb range... Waiting on that fresh water whale (double digit)!
missouribigbass reply :
Whatever puts a smile on your face
Raul reply :
What Is A Nice Fish ?
Anything above 10 lbs ? 
They can be called "abundant" in my neck of the woods, but as incredible as it may seem, they are not everybody´s everyday catch, on the contrary they are not that regularily caught. I´ve caught " a few " 
, but actually a 5 lber will put a big grin on my face until it aches cuz I´ll be smiling for a looooong time
For me anything above 3 lbs ( coming from someone that lives where beeeg mommas are not uncommon ) is a nice fish.
geo g reply :
It depends where you live. Personally, a Kodak Moment for me, is anything over 5 pounds. The others I usually just return to the water without much ceremony.
RoLo reply :
A 'nice fish' is any fish that gives me a thumbs-up when I set it free.
Roger
Raul reply :
On 7/5/2014 at 5:32 AM, RoLo said:A 'nice fish' is any fish that gives me a thumbs-up when I set it free.
Roger
Sayin´ as it swims away --- > "I´ll be back ! "
S Hovanec reply :
All fish are nice, some are just bigger than others.
I don't get excited til the smallies get over 6#.
Perch are big to me once they hit 11".
Crappie have to be over 12" to get my interest.
Bluegill over 10" are nice....and tasty too.
Lost interest in largemouth years ago, so they don't even make my list.
FishTank reply :
Any fish that puts up a good fight.
ATX reply :
Nice one? I like the head shaking, drag pulling, line stressing, rod breaking hook bending mean ones! But I still get excited when they are green, have scales and a mouth!
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