WRB

What appears to lost in the translation is; you can't predict a bass weight bassed on age. Mature female bass always out weigh mature male bass of the same age, when everything else is equal. Every bass is a little different in how aggressive it may be. The more aggressive, the more they eat, the bigger they can grow and the faster, however they can also be harvested faster because of their aggressive behavior. Climate has a major impact on growth rates; cold low water conditions verses warm high water has a major impact on recruitment and prey sources in the same lake. To say a 15" bass is 4 years old is simply wrong, it could be 2 or 12 years old! The only way to know for sure is to examine the inner ear, scale rings are not reliable, you can estimate the age with a scale exam. The fastest bass growth rate that I know of was lake Isabella during the late 80's; several 18 lb bass were 8 years old, varified by biologist examination. However the Isabella bass never had a chance to grow larger due to severe drought and over harvesting. WRB

Here's the post. http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1213780421/6#6 Suggest reading the entire thread; Lusk clearly states the bass's growth is controlled by the available food source. San Diego's average year around temperature is 70 degrees, rarely above 90 or below 60, day and night, right in the middle of Lusks optimum temperature growth range. The big issue with northern bass is the extreme water temperatures; ice over to high temp/humidity. Little growth going on when the water freezes over and good growth for a few months before high temps/humidity take over. California purduced 15 lb NLMB before the FLMB were introduced, due to optium growth conditions for bass. WRB

You can figure length to weight, there isn't a accurate formula for length to age, too many variables. Mass can be calculated, the IGFA formula doesn't work well for bass, it was developed for tuna. Use L x L X G/1200 for bass as a basic formula weight to length formula that is appropriate for bass. L = length with mouth closed to center of the tail, G= girth around the widest area with the dorsal fin down. Age is dependant on the water temperature during the yearly cycle, available food, cover and species of bass. For example a bass could live for 10 years and only be 2 or 3 pounds, if the lake or pond was over populated for the food available. The longest living bass recorded was 23 years, a smallmouth bass in Mass, as I recall. The longest living largemouth would be about 18 years. In California the Florida strain bass live about 15 years maximum, 12 years on average. Northern strain up to 17 years, both under ideal conditions. WRB

Lunar affects on all living plants and animals is a topic of great debate and discussion, several books have been written on this topic. Most bass fishermen will agree that the full moon affects the spawning period. IMO lunar cycles have a major affect on bass activity year around; with the 3 days before and after both the new and full moon periods being good for bass fishing, depending on the seansonal period. Keep in mind any day on the water is a good day, some days are better than others. WRB

First you need to locate bass. Use you electronics to find fish on the major point before wasting a lot of time fishing it. Keep your rod on the deck and meter the point; start at the shallow water and follow the point out as far as possible, then make a loop turn and follow the opposite side of the point back to shore. Now you have a some idea of what the point has to offer and where the bass or bait are located on or near the point. No bait, no bass, then go to the next major point and repeat your survey. The main reason bass hold on main lake points is to ambush baitfish that swim over or around the point; no bait = few or no active bass. Bait fish tend to hide in shore line wood or weed cover during the night, then move out into deeper water as the sun rises. So go back and vist the main lake points during the day, bass tend to follow the bait fish and trap them agianst the structure or push the bait up towards the surface. A point can have no bass at 7AM for example and be covered with bass and baitfish at 9AM. Right place at the right time or camp out and wait for the bass. WRB

Suggestion; learn to fish a jig where you know the bass bite is on. For example you are catching bass on a Texas rigged worm, then try the jig in the same area. Start by using a spider type jig; Yamamoto or Chompers twin tail hula grub on the stand up style jig head. Also give a shakey head jig/worm combo a try. Fishing any lure more than an hour without a bite is not the way to learn, you will loose confidence, concentration and miss bites. WRB

This topic will take more time to answer than I have at this moment. First remember that your sonar is displaying a history of what you have already passed over, so the target is already behind you and could be off to one side or the other. Slow downand use your trolling motor to get on top of the target before marking a GPS way point or mark 2 way points; 1 as you first pass over, then turn around and mark a 2nd when you pass back over. The actual target should be in between the 2 way points. Depending on the depth and type of structure or cover, plus the seasonal period should help to determine what presentation or lure to use. WRB

Black bass family are sunfish. LMB, SMB are very similar, short stocky body shape that has evouled to make sharp turns and short burst of speed to catch prey in or near cover. Compare a true bass like a striped bass, longer body designed to make fast forward speed to catch prey in open water. Musky or pike are both long body predators deigned to make quick starts, fins near the tail and fast longer runs to chase down prey in open water. Good luck with your study. WRB

Lake Dixon is all about bed fishing and Dottie was caught off a bed every time she caught. I don't have a problem with that, it's just not for me and a few other trophy bass fisherman. Bed fishing is a major part of this topic. I will end my participation on the thread. Thanks Matt and everyone else, it's time to fish. WRB

The initially planted FLMB in DVL will attain maxium growth becuase the bass and stripers started at the same time. Stripers are very aggressive fish that take over the outside feeding zones, the LMB must move inside. DVL doesn't have a lot of inside cover or ambush areas. The stripers dominate the trout plants and the hold over trout become big fast in DVL, too big for bass prey. If you are targeting a giant bass at DVL, get there now! WRB

CA used to have opening day for trout May 1st and bass June 1st, about 50 years ago. Today we have year around bass fishing. Since I grew up not bed fishing and thought that bed fishing wasn't ethical, I don't bed fish. It's a legal practice within the regulations, good sportsmanship, that is an issue each individual must make. WRB

When you step back and look at giant bass, Florida bass to be specific, one factor comes into play; these bass are geneically wired to eat large bait fish; golden shiners. Planted rainbow trout are very similar to golden shiners and where legal, golden shiners are excellent giant bass bait fish. The ideal bait for these bass is long and slender; like both trout and golden shiners. Threadfin shad are high protein bait fish, it takes sereval shad to equal one larger bait fish. Crappie are a little easier for bass to eat, bluegill are a lot more difficult. Fresh water smelt or hitch are good giant bass prey fish and one reason the CA delta and NorCal lakes have developed good giant bass populations. Prey must be both plantiful and accessible year around to the bass to attain giant growth potential. The bass must also have a safe sancturary to retreat to and avoid angler pressure. The giant bass are extremely vulnerable to catch and keep from weekend anglers, the primary factor to boom and bust giant bass cycles. The population reaches a point where they are targeted relentlessly and population crashes. The high motality rate for giant bass occurs because of excessive handling; pictures are taken and the bass is kept in a livewell too long before being released, that is simply human nature. It's been over 15 year since I have put a giant bass in a livewell or haul one back to the marina to offically weigh. However it's been that long since I caught my last PB, otherwise I would be transporting the bass back to the marina like everyone else. WRB

From the above stats I would agree that Fork is still a potentail giant bass fishery and may be able to break the Texas state record someday. Texas has several lakes that are producing similar size bass. The California delta has several hundred miles of fishable water with giant bass, a few 18+ lbs size bass have been caught there. Northern CA is producing some giants; 17 to 18 lb bass in there larger reservoirs. The 1% bass population is more like .0001% or less, giant bass are extremely rare fish and difficult to catch 10 months of the year. WRB

Matt, adding a trap or stinger hook to ant lure that is not designed specifically for that purpose is illegal in accordance with IGFA rules. Bass jigs do not come with a stinger hook, some walleye jigs do. Swimbaits can have an optional stinger hook hanger, most don't. My interpretation is you can add an imbedded stinger attached with a line or wire; if you attach it to a hanger manufacturered for adding additional hooks. You can't add a stinger attached to another hook or hook eye. Several trophy bass fisherman have modified swimbaits that are illegal I.A.W. the IGFA rules. There is no excuse for trap hooking a jig, or fishing with a treble hook in a bed. Lake Fork is past it'e prime, no bass over 15 lbs in 10 years. WRB

note to would be record chasers; trap hook rigged lures are not legal for IGFA records. A trap is a hook added to a lure that isn't designed to have additional hooks. It is nearly impossible to hook any bass in the top of the back with a standard jig, unless the jig was trap hook rigged. WRB

The bass that got me started "in pursuit of giant bass" was 14.7 lbs back in 1969 at Lower Otay, the lake record for 3 days. Try 40 years targeting giant bass, so far. WRB

I wasn't there so can only state what other folks who were there said; witnesses on a nearby dock watched this catch go down and they reported to the ranger that the bass was snagged with a white jig hooked into the bass's back, just in front of the dorsal fin. The information was not voluntary. After that report, the bass was released. There are more stories about giant bass catches than you can imagine, some true, some false, some outright lies. WRB

Hmmmm 22.70 - 21.11 = 1.59 lbs. I'm geeting old and was watching the Lakers game, but the numbers look right to me. DVL is an excellent fishery, however also has a striper population and that factor isn't good for giant bass beyond the initail planted adult fish. Butch Brown may be the trophy fisherman to watch this year. Butch is on top of his game and you couldn't meet anyone more helpful and honest. Don't confuse staying focused with ignoring people on purpose. Trophy bass fisherman will usually chat with people off the water at the end of the day. WRB PS; best big bass day so far in 2009 and I'm working!!!!!!!

As you read the different threads you will notice we all don't always agree on topics and thats is OK. Out west, in SoCal, the pre spawn is starting as I write this. This year has been rather warm here and cold most everywhere else. The water at 20 feet or so is 55 degrees and nearly 60 in the upper 3 foot layer, which means, weather permitting, the bass will move up faster than normal. WRB

1.6 lb difference when Jed weighed the fish, wow that doesn't make any sense, unless something was removed, like another fish or something. Back in the day I was hard over trying to release these giant bass alive and healthy, and it only caused more problems and questions then it's worth. Bet the next 20+ ends up on ice. There isn't anything wrong with trying to drag a few dog turds across the trail, IMO. WRB

The 3 anglers listed for lake Dixon all claim Dottie was the same bass, based on the black dot located on the lower gill cover. There isn't any scientific proof the only one gaint bass has a black dot living in Dixon at the time or today, however none have been caught after Dottie died. Dottie isn't resting in piece, she is frozen and being held for study. Dixon, like most small trophy CA bass lakes is deep and gin clear. After the spawn the giant bass tend to seek sanctuary in deep water or off limit areas near the dam. The giant bass are fairly safe until spring when they follow their spawning urge and migrate into shallower water. WRB

The Perry bass has been questioned for decades. The bass is listed as having a length of 32 inches and a girth of 28 inches. The bass in the photo doesn't appear close to those measurements using the boy and the man as references. I have always said the 32" length must have been measured with the mouth open, today that would be about a 30" length with the mouth closed. The bass in the photo looks like 15 to 17 pound fish, big head with average body mass, IMO. The bottom line; Perry's bass is the offical world record. The Crupi bass wasn't witnessed or inspected by a fish & game person, therefor California doesn't accept it as a state record catch. Big bass have a habit of swallowing heavy objects. To be validated, the bass must be checked by the DFG. Right now it is pre spawn in SoCal and the time I fish for giant bass. All my giant bass over 17 lbs were caught on custom hair jigs, during pre spawn, to date. There is an old saying " the whale that surfaces gets harpooned". It's better to keep under the radar when fishing our small trophy bass lakes. I don't make my living fishing, therefor no advantage in going public. I did write a few In-Fisherman articles serveral years ago. WRB

The Perry photo surfaced a few years back. Perry stated he and a freind caught the bass late in the afternoon and it was stormy with rain, took the bass to a post office to weigh it and went home and ate the bass. This photo was taken during a sunny day and no one has identified it as Perry to the best of my knowledge. WRB

That is the fish. WRB

Sue who? I let the fish go! Should have put her on ice and will if I ever catch another potentail record bass. 19.3 + 2 = 21+, not 22+ Dotty was caught at least 3 times, listed by Long and Dickerson currently. WRB