What are your biggest fish of the year so far? 2024

Fat-G reply :

Mine are as follows: (Largies)

8.16 lbs (skinny)-Jig

7.5 lbs (FAT!!!)- Spinnerbait

Couple of 6's- All on Jigs

Bunch o' 5's- Various

Ton of 4's/4.5's- Really Various

J Francho reply :

LMB: 6-8 prespawn, 3/4 oz. Outkast RT Jig w/ Superchunk & Megastrike

SMB: 5-0 on a bed, dropshot 4" Power Worm

DINK WHISPERER reply :

LMB= 8lbs 1oz caught on a 10" PowerBait worm in JuneBug

LMB= 7lbs 6oz caught on a 10" PowerBait worm in black

LMB= 7lbs 1oz caught on a 6" hand poured worm(local tackle shop)

LMB= 7lbs caught on a hand poured flippin' craw(local shop)

Man, i LOVE flippin FL slop!!!!! ;D

Maxximus Redneckus reply :

1 5 pounder =zoom lizard

2 4 pounders=rage toad

BTW im goin for the Maryland state record if this rain will stop, 15th was the day you can check them in.Right now im workin on a way to keep her alive .I have a 12 volt aerator in a rubbermaid container with a cap full of peroxide and have kept a 2 pounder alive for 4 days then let him go.Cross my fingers it works on a 12 pounder

cyph3r reply :

5lb2oz LMB- Rapala DT-6 Shad color (ripping off top of weeds)

22.5-23" LMB- Berkley 4" Zipper Worm Camo color (drop shot near edges of bluegill beds)

21" LMB- Berkley 4" Hollowbelly Pro Tube Bluegill color (deadstick near deeper water)

burleytog reply :

dmac14 reply :

5lb 12oz largemouth on a tube

Big Phish reply :

Nice fish burley. I like the overalls. are they osh kosh?

cart7t reply :

4.5lbs, KY lake roadtrip on a jig. Caught out of the back of my boat while Speedbead fished up front. I took the day off.

Catt reply :

Rattle Head Spinner Bait produced a pair of 7s

Muddy reply :

I just missed a 8.452 off the boat, I had it half when in when a bolt of lightning zapped it right off the line and messed my camera up.I have caught enough 4 lbrs to know it felt twice as big.

ring fry reply :

4.75 # is the best I've come up with this year on a hand poured swim senko type bait. I haven't been to Texas yet though.

basser89 reply :

6lb 9oz on a t-rigged lizard.

Tim1980 reply :

4-14 picture on left Wave Crawdude

4-04 caught it 50 yards after 4-14 Wave Crawdude

4-00 week before Black and Blue jig

SirSnookalot reply :

An exceptionally poor year so far, 1 snook around 20# and a tarpon maybe 40 or so, few 20 -25# cudas. Have no idea when I caught them or what I used, but I do remember each of their names.

MALTESE FALCON reply :

6lb-4oz LMB (new PB) White Rattle Head Spinnerbait.

6lb-2oz SMB Chartreuse Shad Pointer 78.

Falcon

roadwarrior reply :

Quote
6lb-2oz SMB Chartreuse Shad Pointer 78.

PLEASE post the pic again!

8-)

daviscw reply :

6lbs 14ozs on an *** Trick Stick in "Green Pumpkin Huh?"

hawgwalker reply :

We were working our way toward the check in boat at kentucky lake when I hooked this monster "largemouth" ;D

It was exiting for a little while. They call them horn pout up here and rarely get over a couple of lbs.

roadwarrior reply :

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David Hayes caught the World Record smallmouth bass in 1955 on Dale Hollow Lake.

Some believe the next World Record will be found on the Tennessee River:

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/smallmouth_record.html

Almost exactly four years ago, November 2004, my fishing partner and best friend,

Speedy Madewell, boated a 10 lb beauty. I netted the fish and weighed it, he released

the monster! Since that time we have had some luck with other big bass, including the

bronzebacks in my avatar (January, 2005).

Last Saturday Speedy and I fished the river with limited success: an assortment of species

including largemouth, smallmouth, Kentucky bass, striper, cats and drum. We may have

caught forty fish or so, but no size and most importantly, no browns of note. Around 11:00

things changed.

With poor results off either bank and limited water release by the TVA, we moved to the

"middle of the river". Actually, we decided to fish along the river channel, defined by

navigational buoys. The drop is well defined, but relatively small, only 3-5' in 15-25' water.

Still,this represents significant structure for fish in open water.

After landing a few nondescript fish, I got a nice strike drifting along the ridge.

I set the hook hard and didn't budge the fish. However, there was very little fight

and I saw another drum in my future. After 10-15 yards of retrieve, the drum dove

and turned into a big catfish, just digging to the bottom, but no run. As I brought the

fish closer to the boat, Speedy asked, "Gonna need the net?" Without any emotion

I replied, "Yeah, it's big and ugly."

Speedy runs the trolling motor on the forward platform of a BayRanger 2180,

center console. So, with the net on the floor opposite me, it takes

a minute to get set up. With little current, we let the boat drift.

This time of year the water clarity on the Tennessee is about 3, maybe 4 feet.

As my partner came over to my side he asked, "What's ya got?" I replied, in a

steady voice and without inflection, "The biggest f***ing smallmouth I have ever seen."

The fish appeared to be a Trident submarine as it rose toward the surface so both of

us could get a good look at her, but then she bolted. She initially ran about 15 yards

forward, then after a 90 degree turn, another 20 yards toward the middle of the river.

My situation was precarious. I'm in the middle of the boat and have to hustle to get to

the front, around and over the trolling motor while at the same time maintaining rod

position with a sizzling drag. I was starting to have some fun!

The pig came up, but did not jump. I got her turned around, but she had already decided

she didn't like the Ranger. When she was halfway back, she bolted again, but this time

dove deep. It took a few minutes to get her a little closer.

Most smallmouth, especially biggun's, tend to fight the best on the first run after a close

encounter with the boat, but even later, they never give up. This fine lady staged at rod

length, tugged mightily and would not come up. I asked my buddy what he thought

I should do? He responded, "Doesn't matter. That fish ain't ready and she's going

to do anything she wants!"

Well, I've caught a few big fish and I was in no hurry. My rod appeared parabolic with the line

straight down into the river. I said to my friend, "This is when you have to believe in your equipment."

And then.......the line snapped.

stupid, Stupid, STUPID!

We weren't catching anything interesting, so although I noticed a burr on my line before

the last cast, I didn't do what I always preach: "If it ain't perfect, it ain't good enough."

When there is any doubt, retie your line, leader or hook.

So, could that smallmouth have been the New World Record? I don't know, but it wasn't boated,

so it doesn't count. You might ask, "Really now, how much do you think she weighed?"

I don't know the answer to that either, but what I can tell you is, she was...

HUGE!

Under the Radar reply :

LMB all

1 @ 7+

1 @ 6+

5 @ 5+

It ain't over 'til it's over.

Wayne P. reply :

7-12 largemouth

avid reply :

7 1/4 just last week on a ratLtrap.

but you shoulda seen the one that got away.

bassman31783 reply :

9lbs. Lake Fork 4/3/09

SammyLee reply :

Maybe an ounce over 2 pounds, LMB. I know, just a big dink for most of you but a heck of a nice fish for me. My day is gonna come because I am not going to quit trying.

I'll hit the local lake at 0500 tomorrow in my float and Saturday, I am going to the "little" lake at Meeman State park where most folks don't or can't fish. I'll bet there is a fish I want to meet for a few seconds swimming there right now!

It's about 96 degrees outside right now but I'll still go.

mlpauley reply :

9lb 2oz lmb. Caught it today!!

midnighthrasher reply :

4.1 smallmouth Rapala Subwalk in silver

3.12 largemouth green pumpkin/watermelon laminate 5"senko

skeetermike reply :

BIGGER THAN UR'S IS SON!!! Not really.... a lota fishing pressure around here. Anything over 5lbs is a quality fish. I've caught 3 or 4 that size this yr. Here lately its been a 4lber each time out. We had 40+ up lake levels for a month or so that kept everyone off the water for a while. Sucks, need bigger lakes, less pressure and more water capacity!

benito reply :

8lb, 4oz.....Caught about seven or eight in the 5-7 pound range.

However, the same "Monster" that I hooked/lost last year beat me again this year - on a Private Pond that I fish occasionally, there is an absolute BEAST - guessing 12-14 pounds, or even bigger (haven't ever caught one that big, so it's hard to guess)

This year, in same day I saw the 8-04 and the "Beast" very close to each other, both bedding....The "Beast" was SIGNIFICANTLY bigger than the 8-04 I caught....I mean looked double the size. I got the biggun to bite once, she ran and the 65# Braided line cut on a small rock about 2 seconds later. I almost cried......She jumped a few seconds later, and haven't seen her since.

TWO YEARS IN A ROW!!!

Not that I'm bitter or anything....She still haunts me.

BEN

TheMightyQuinn reply :

Hey Muddy that fish was bigger. If it was the same fish that I had come unbuttoned at that one lake it went an easy 10. I seen that thing when I was about to lip it, and he spit my lure right back in my face. I have caught plenty of 8's to know this was AT LEAST 10, maybe even 12? I feel you pain.

dman reply :

Quote
Mine are as follows: (Largies)
8.16 lbs (skinny)-Jig

7.5 lbs (FAT!!!)- Spinnerbait

Couple of 6's- All on Jigs

Bunch o' 5's- Various

Ton of 4's/4.5's- Really Various

;D

KVD is that you!?

JellyMan reply :

9lbs 3 ounce

No pics due to a female. GRRR!!!

Paul Roberts reply :

midnighthrasher reply :

4lb and bigger is a good fish round here....

CWB reply :

6-9 on a Rage Tail Lizard while wading!

ChazfromVA reply :

no pics to post but my biggest this year(and actually my PB) is a 9.6 lber off a shakey head; on 6lb line that was a hairy fight !.. and i also had a 8.6 lber i caught on a shad rap in the prespawn .. along with about 10 other fish over 5 lbs thus far.

Busy reply :

37# Flathead, caught out of Stranger Creek when it was flooded out. Shad sides.

Biggest bass would be about 3#. I'm still learning. I've begun to catch more and more bass but just not bigger bass. So I keep going.

A-Jay reply :

Quote
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Hayes caught the World Record smallmouth bass in 1955 on Dale Hollow Lake.

Some believe the next World Record will be found on the Tennessee River:

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/smallmouth_record.html

Almost exactly four years ago, November 2004, my fishing partner and best friend,

Speedy Madewell, boated a 10 lb beauty. I netted the fish and weighed it, he released

the monster! Since that time we have had some luck with other big bass, including the

bronzebacks in my avatar (January, 2005).

Last Saturday Speedy and I fished the river with limited success: an assortment of species

including largemouth, smallmouth, Kentucky bass, striper, cats and drum. We may have

caught forty fish or so, but no size and most importantly, no browns of note. Around 11:00

things changed.

With poor results off either bank and limited water release by the TVA, we moved to the

"middle of the river". Actually, we decided to fish along the river channel, defined by

navigational buoys. The drop is well defined, but relatively small, only 3-5' in 15-25' water.

Still,this represents significant structure for fish in open water.

After landing a few nondescript fish, I got a nice strike drifting along the ridge.

I set the hook hard and didn't budge the fish. However, there was very little fight

and I saw another drum in my future. After 10-15 yards of retrieve, the drum dove

and turned into a big catfish, just digging to the bottom, but no run. As I brought the

fish closer to the boat, Speedy asked, "Gonna need the net?" Without any emotion

I replied, "Yeah, it's big and ugly."

Speedy runs the trolling motor on the forward platform of a BayRanger 2180,

center console. So, with the net on the floor opposite me, it takes

a minute to get set up. With little current, we let the boat drift.

This time of year the water clarity on the Tennessee is about 3, maybe 4 feet.

As my partner came over to my side he asked, "What's ya got?" I replied, in a

steady voice and without inflection, "The biggest f***ing smallmouth I have ever seen."

The fish appeared to be a Trident submarine as it rose toward the surface so both of

us could get a good look at her, but then she bolted. She initially ran about 15 yards

forward, then after a 90 degree turn, another 20 yards toward the middle of the river.

My situation was precarious. I'm in the middle of the boat and have to hustle to get to

the front, around and over the trolling motor while at the same time maintaining rod

position with a sizzling drag. I was starting to have some fun!

The pig came up, but did not jump. I got her turned around, but she had already decided

she didn't like the Ranger. When she was halfway back, she bolted again, but this time

dove deep. It took a few minutes to get her a little closer.

Most smallmouth, especially biggun's, tend to fight the best on the first run after a close

encounter with the boat, but even later, they never give up. This fine lady staged at rod

length, tugged mightily and would not come up. I asked my buddy what he thought

I should do? He responded, "Doesn't matter. That fish ain't ready and she's going

to do anything she wants!"

Well, I've caught a few big fish and I was in no hurry. My rod appeared parabolic with the line

straight down into the river. I said to my friend, "This is when you have to believe in your equipment."

And then.......the line snapped.

stupid, Stupid, STUPID!

We weren't catching anything interesting, so although I noticed a burr on my line before

the last cast, I didn't do what I always preach: "If it ain't perfect, it ain't good enough."

When there is any doubt, retie your line, leader or hook.

So, could that smallmouth have been the New World Record? I don't know, but it wasn't boated,

so it doesn't count. You might ask, "Really now, how much do you think she weighed?"

I don't know the answer to that either, but what I can tell you is, she was...

HUGE!

RW - Great story ! Sorry it had the ending we all Hate -

One thing is certain - Nothing is as final as broken line ! :'(

A-Jay

A-Jay reply :

5.2 lb SMB (my PB) ~ *** Swim Jig

A-Jay

fishinfiend reply :

I did not have a scale, but here are pics of my two biggest of the year. The first one was caught an a Lucky Craft RC 2.5 in MS American shad on the Alabama river. The second one was caught on a chart/white cavitron buzzbait from a nearby pond.

Big Bait Fishing reply :

the 7 lb. 6 oz. lady in my sig. and a 6 lb. 3 oz. hog ( 7.6 was caught on a rage tail toad , the 6.3 was on a canyon plastics 4.5'' frog )

tkite16 reply :

6lbs 3 oz Rick Clunn trickster spinnerbait

wagn reply :

7lb 1oz LM is the biggest.

2 other fish about 6 pounds.

J-B reply :

LMB 8 lbs even with a little george.

TruflShufl reply :

Had to walk her from a ways so I didn't get a good picture, was in a hurry to get her back to water. Guessing around 5er.

I've been searchin for her ever since. 8-)

Aaron reply :

The fish in my profile pic is my biggest of the year and it weighed in at about 5#. I caught it right after dark pulling a black spinnerbait through a flooded roadbed a few months ago.

Cire reply :

Just this past Saturday, I caught a 5lb 15oz LMB which ends up being my best so far this year and my personal best ever. I caught it on a Booyah Boo Jig with a Cabelas Beast trailer.

Up here in MN, that is big (at least in my experience in the past 5 years here)! The numbers seem to thin out after about 4lb. I had the shakes for a bit after.

Eric

Dwight Hottle reply :

6.75lb smallie 23" long.

bass wrangler569 reply :

The smallmouth in my avatar, about 4.75lbs. Caught her on a pointer 128

etommy28 reply :

well dec. 30 i caught a 9 1/2 hog. but this year, I have one that went 7 some thing(pic) and several between 4 and 6 1/2(the 2nd 2 pics) there are others but I dont have pics of them.

Fishing Frenzy reply :

caught this fish on 4/9/09 on orange lake near gainesville. It weighed 9.4lbs on my digital it was also my personal best.

mynameisgeorgel reply :

My three biggest are

6.7 lbs

7.3 lbs

9.6 lbs

coryjames reply :

black and red spro 8-)

senile1 reply :

My biggest so far this year is 4 lb 12 oz.

Bubba_Bruiser reply :

Caught a 6 lber on a black & red Spro popper frog on 6/12/09.

ChiCityBasser reply :

My PB is 3lbs on a Strike King Black/White Gizzard Shad shallow diver

jimmieO reply :

Eufaula-5.50 on spinnerbait

West Point-4.50 on spinnerbait

Harding-3.00 flipping soft plastics

roadwarrior reply :

There are some beautiful fish on this thread, but this is my favorite:

Quote
6.75lb smallie 23" long.

IDbasser reply :

5lb 1oz smallie caught on an *** 4 inch trick stick.

Micro reply :

One bowfin early in year, Boga read 7.5 lbs

Several blue cats early in year, biggest estimated at 20 lbs.

My biggest bass this year. Boga read just at 5 lbs. Have also caught many in the 3-4 range.

madfish reply :

Scale battery was dead, don't know how much she weighed but it was one heck of a fight.

fishinfiend reply :

^^^ That is a hawg!!

chief71 reply :

21 inches 6.25 lbs on a rage tail toad

Fishing Rhino reply :

6.5 pounds. BooYah jig (pigskin, river craw color) with an *** Beaver trailer (watermelon/red), with the flappers dipped in JJ's Magic methylate.

Did I get all my sponsors in?

Dwight Hottle reply :

Its not a bass but it is my biggest so far this year. 49" long by 21.75" girth. 32 lbs. ;D

madfish reply :

Nice fish Dwight must have been a great fight

Sam reply :

please wear your pfd when in a boat fishing, burley.

LCpointerKILLA reply :

im jealous lol

Jeff C. reply :

Nothing over 4# yet.. all on hand pours..

a lot of fish in the 3# range..

it can be tough in inland Michigan.

last nites tourament big fish was only 3.5.

my big last nite was only 2.55

donbeatya reply :

Mine is this 10.22Lb beast caught on a zoom trick worm black/blue sapphire on a 1/8 spot remover shakey head and JJ'S magic.

this one was caught on a watermelon senko

this one was caught on a white spinnerbait

D4u2s0t reply :

mine is in my avatar, which is deceiving since i had to hold the fish and take a pic myself. it was just about the same size as the pic right above me, the one that says caught it on a spinnbait. didn't have a scale, so i'm not going to guess, but that's the biggest of the year so far.

On my lake we catch them 1.5-3 pounds all day. they've been getting bigger over the last few weeks which is looking promising.

Bankbeater reply :

This past spring has been the worst in a long long time. My largest so far is a 2-14 LM that I got a couple of weeks ago.

noway reply :

Quote
Nothing over 4# yet.. all on hand pours..
a lot of fish in the 3# range..

it can be tough in inland Michigan.

last nites tourament big fish was only 3.5.

my big last nite was only 2.55

5.25 on a inland lake in Michigan.

jamarkwe reply :

Biggest for me this year was 19lbs 6oz....

10198

What are your biggest fish of the year so far? 2024

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