When is a Dink no longer considered a Dink? 2025
airborne_angler reply :
When we all fish,we all have different ideas of what a "short" fish is . They have different names,one of them being a "Dink"
Whats everyones criteria about LMB. How big does a fish have to be before it can stop being considered a "Dink"
In my mind id say 1-1.5# and at least 13 inches its no longer a "Dink"
Elite Image Fishing reply :
Anything longer than the legal limit.
Grey Wolf reply :
Any bass that is below the legal length to keep , is a dink in my book.
fourbizz reply :
3lbs
roadwarrior reply :
Quote3lbs
Senkoman12 reply :
QuoteAnything longer than the legal limit.
x2
5bass reply :
I say 14" and above
Bassin_Fin@tic reply :
Anything thats on the end of my line when no one else is looking. 
trevor reply :
When I can't buy a bite.
RoLo reply :
The answer would depend on where you live.
If you live in California, Florida or Texas, I'd say about 17 inches.
But lets say you live in Tennessee, then anything over 12 might be a keeper.
Of course we'll never know for sure until Roadwarrior remembers his camera.
Roger
kms399 reply :
2 lbs, 4 is a good fish 5 is great anything over 6 is unheard of in my boat. :-/
slonezp reply :
When it becomes a squeeker.
Squeeker= a fish you have to double and triple check against the bump board before weigh-in.
Here in IL that would be 14".
Big Tom reply :
How I would rate them:
<15" is a dink.
15"-17" is a decent fish.
18"-19" is a good one.
20"+ is a hawg.
scaledriver reply :
hehe I like Rolo's answer, I live in NW indiana and Bass 2 Pounds and up make me happy. Bet if I lived in texas, Cali or Flordia I would probally feel diffrent.
Hey I have fun catching bass whatever size 
Missouribassman95 reply :
13in and under is a dinker for me!
sockey reply :
When it's the only fish of the day 
preach4bass reply :
When is a dink no longer considered a dink?
As soon as it is released and your fishing buddy can't make you weigh him to PROVE he isn't a 5 pounder.
Goose52 reply :
My local bass club rules say that a fish 10" or bigger is a keeper so a dink around here is under 10". Leaving aside that technicality, I don't get too worked up over a fish until it's 14" or larger.
jignfule reply :
Quotehehe I like Rolo's answer, I live in NW indiana and Bass 2 Pounds and up make me happy. Bet if I lived in texas, Cali or Flordia I would probally feel diffrent.Hey I have fun catching bass whatever size
It's all relative.
Nice_Bass reply :
QuoteWhen it becomes a squeeker.Squeeker= a fish you have to double and triple check against the bump board before weigh-in.
Here in IL that would be 14".
X2
Red reply :
For me anything under 2lbs is a dink. And recently thats all I can catch!!
Fishing Rhino reply :
There are only two possiblities for determining when a bass ceases to be a "dink".
The first being when it reaches some arbitrary size, be it length, girth, weight or whatever appropriate measure.
However when it is your personal best, a bass is no longer a "dink" even if it does not meet the measuring standard.
;D ;D
salmicropterus reply :
QuoteWhen it becomes a squeeker.Squeeker= a fish you have to double and triple check against the bump board before weigh-in.
Here in IL that would be 14".
;D that's funny there!
Matt Fly reply :
When that dink wins ya a $30,000 + dollar Skeeter and a Legend bass boat every year.
When that dink gives you a shot a 3 Triton Tr 17's every year.
Thats 5 boats for the largest dinks caught every year at 3 great tournaments here on Lake Fork.
Bass Junkie reply :
Around 12 3/4"....
grimlin reply :
QuoteAny bass that is below the legal length to keep , is a dink in my book.
Same here.
Raul reply :
QuoteWhen we all fish,we all have different ideas of what a "short" fish is . They have different names,one of them being a "Dink"Whats everyones criteria about LMB. How big does a fish have to be before it can stop being considered a "Dink"
In my mind id say 1-1.5# and at least 13 inches its no longer a "Dink"
Anything under 5 pounds is a dink.
Bass_Fanatic reply :
Anything YOU catch is a dink...
Anything I catch is a hawg... ;D
Revo_Carrot Stix reply :
Quote13in and under is a dinker for me!
x2
13 seems like a magic number. I can tell a significant difference in the fight between a <12 and 13". Anything under 13" can be hydroplaned back to the boat or shore. 13" will fight somewhat.
zero reply :
under 6 lbs is dink for me
ChiCityBasser reply :
QuoteQuoteWhen it becomes a squeeker.Squeeker= a fish you have to double and triple check against the bump board before weigh-in.
Here in IL that would be 14".
X2
X3
BrASSmonkey reply :
QuoteAnything YOU catch is a dink...Anything I catch is a hawg... ;D
;D
tholmes reply :
QuoteAny bass that is below the legal length to keep , is a dink in my book.
Yep. On most of the waters that I fish, that's 15".
Tom
Glenn reply :
"When is a Dink no longer considered a Dink?" When I don't catch it!
flippin and pitchin reply :
When it becomes a ba-donk-a-donk. So when does a "rat" become a " knot head?" When does a " schooler " become a " tournament grade fish?" I'm confused by all this nomenclature. :-/
Shad_Master reply :
In my group there are three classifications of fish: Dinks, "club fish" and Missouris.
Dink = less than 12" - you can't score it for a tournament
"club fish" = 12" - 15" - these score points
Missouri = 15" and over - thise score "big" points
Of course, if the fish comes unbuttoned, it can be as big as I want it to be - you'd be surprised how many 20"+ fish come unbuttoned during a tournament season :
bigbill reply :
For almost 60 years i thought a bass was a bass and Dinks were panfish? Boy have i been out of touch. On any day any size bass on my line is a good day just give me a day of the 1.5lb dinks.(many) Heck i had a blast one day in a pond of smaller bass with the smallest panthermartin spinfly. They were lined up like my lure was an amusement ride i must have caught thirty little bass.
I seen a guy fishing the other day who wouldn't say a word to me. He was very serious about catching sunfish for some reason. I'm a man of very few words when fishing but not even a hi?
BassThumb reply :
Anything less than average size is a dink, IMO.
Mike 12345 reply :
If it measures it goes in the livewell.
SirSnookalot reply :
My measurement is in fun not size, being in Florida catching something over dink status is common. To be honest I think the smaller ones oz for oz give a better account of themselves than the larger ones, I just use light tackle and enjoy.
South FLA reply :
I'd say anything over 2 1/2lbs is not a dink anything under is, when it comes to S. Florida Largemouth.
Goose52 reply :
QuoteMy measurement is in fun not size, being in Florida catching something over dink status is common. To be honest I think the smaller ones oz for oz give a better account of themselves than the larger ones, I just use light tackle and enjoy.
X2. I think this is a key point. Folks fishing a MH or H rod, with 17lb mono/flouro, or 50lb braid, probably have one idea of what is a dink, and others using UL, L, or M rods, with 4 to 8lb test line, have another perception entirely...
In my lakes, there aren't many big fish and I normally use an M or ML power BC rod, and M, ML, L, or UL power spinning rod. Makes the small fish more fun.
TrippyJai reply :
I think this has to do with the lake or pond you are fishing. If your fishing a lake such as Lake Simcoe here in Canada that averages 5-6lb smallmouth bass easily, I guess anything under 2 pounds would be considered a dink.
When I fish at my local pond, a 2.5 pounder makes me feel like I caught a hawg on light spinning gear and I wouldn't consider that a dink at all. Anything under 12" then I would say dink.
That's how I see it.
Triton Jones reply :
Any bass under 13in.. :-/
Taylor Fishin 4 life reply :
In tournaments i would say 3 pounds
hookingem reply :
It really depends on what body of water I'm on and how the day is going. A 2 pound bass may be a monster to me one day on one body of water and the same fish the next day on a different lake is a dink. It all depends on the day and location.
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