What Do You Consider A Trophy-Sized Fish?

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Just curious. How big would a fish have to be for you to consider it a trophy fish? Like, if you wanted a fish to mount and put on the wall (not that im into that), how big would you want it to be?

[SirSnookalot]

First and foremost the fish has to be legally caught, not an accidental snag and if it's an over slot fish it has to be released regardless. That said taking measurements and a photo would be cool for a replica.

IMO a trophy is a fish that is no less than 75% or the regional record. Catching a 10# bass in Florida may be a once in a lifetime event, great thrill and a fish very worth of mounting or having a replica made, but I would have trouble calling it a trophy.

I do a lot of snook fishing and my largest snook went 35#, seeing as the record is over 50# my catch was short of being classified a trophy. I see snook caught often around that size, I did nothing special, in no way am I diminishing the excitement I had, but just the way I view it. Mine is purely an opinion, I'm sure others will disagree.

[Bluebasser86]

10 pounds is kind of the benchmark for what a lot consider to be a truly big bass. That being said it will depend a lot on the area. A vast majority of anglers that don't get the chance to fish for Florida strain largemouth will never catch or see a fish over 10 and something like 7 or 8 is a pretty special fish. Then you go to California and those big bass guys don't hardly bat an eye at a 10 pound fish, it probably needs to be a teener to even get their attention. Like Snook said, if it's big to you and you were excited to catch it, then it's a trophy.

[rockchalk06]

I consider everyone a trophy at the hook set. lol

I would condsider any fish that makes or breaks your own personal best a trophy. I caught a 4.2 pound LM out of Lake Hefner in OKC last year. While thats an average fish for these parts, for that lake it was a giant. Largest LM taken from there, that was reported, was 5 pounds so I guess you could say mine was a trophy for that lake.

[Quillback]

Here in the Ozarks, a bass over 8 lbs. is something to be proud of.

[fishking247]

anything 6+ is considered a trophy up north where i am especially in the heavily pressured lakes and ponds. many guys fish their whole life for a fish over 6 up here and it doesn't happen especially. i would never kill one just to put it on my wall. thats what a picture is for.

[Highhawk1948]

Here in Florida I would think that fisherman would consider a 10 pound or over a real trophy. I always release them but long ago I did have two mounted. Wouldn't do it today.

[OkobojiEagle]

A 22" smallmouth in my waters. A couple of good photos would be sufficient to enhance my memory.

oe

[FishinChris]

Here in the Ozarks, a bass over 8 lbs. is something to be proud of.

x2

8lbs is considered huge in the midwest/ozark country.

I really do believe this question greatly depends on your location.

Since my personal best is about 5lbs,I would be pretty excited for anything over 6lbs!

[moguy1973]

9lb largemouth, 5lb smallmouth around here...

[Will Wetline]

6 lb. smallmouth throughout New England

[Dwight Hottle]

Like others have said it really depends on what waters you fish. I used to think a 5lb smallie was a big deal but now I consider a 7-8lb smallie to be my trophy fishing the great lakes. Northern strain largemouth anything over 5lbs is a good fish & 7lb up is a trophy in my book. Florida strain largemouth 7-9 lbs is a good fish and over 10lbs is a real trophy.

[bassinbrian]

Here In Minnesota 7lb+!

[roadwarrior]

Around here 5 lbs is considered a nice fish, brown or green.

A "trophy" largemouth is still 10 or better; 6 is probably what

most guys consider a prize smallmouth.

Although a new State Record (14+) was reported on Pickwick,

the largest weighed in tournament this year was 11.4 I think.

My fishing partner, Speedy Madewell, caught the biggest smallmouth

I have ever seen. I netted and weighed the monster: 10 lbs even!

The fat fish in my avatar weighed just over 7. The other fish is my

PB. It was about 4" longer than the Walmart girl, but only a pound

heavier.

[Helluva_Engineer]

Using the definition of trophy as something I would get mounted (or replica depending), it's really a degree of novelty to the catch. For example, I would get a marlin mount for pretty much any marlin I caught whereas I would want a large bass before I considered mounting it.

For the context of this discussion, 15 lb bass would get mounted for me even though 10 is a great fish and the universal lunker standard.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Really enjoyed reading everyones replys. Like I said, Im not really into mounting and all that. Just curious about the sizes. Sounds like I've got a ways to go for my trophy bass. Everything Ive caught so far has only been between 1 and 3 pounds or so.

[Gotfishyfingers?]

I say it depends on the region your in. FL has to be double digits..

[WRB]

You should first divide the country into regions simialr to the In-Fishermans awards program. Then you need to separate bass into different categories; northern LMB, Florida strain LMB, smallmouth bass and spotted bass.

LMB above the Mason-Dixon line: 8 lbs.

LMB below the Mason-Dixon line 10 lbs. (PB = 12.2 lbs)

FLMB in every state where they are established: 12 lbs. (PB = 19.3 lbs)

Smallmouth and spotted bass: 6 lbs. ( PB = 6 lb smallie)

No reason to kill a bass for a mount, replica mounts are available; good photo, length and girth measurements.

Tom

PS; just realized you ask a general question regarding trophy fish.....the a lot bigger can of worms then just bass!

[GeorgiaBassBros]

anything over 10 would be a trophy for me, but it would have to be a replica mount. i would never kill a fish that big.

[retiredbosn]

I agree that the area you live in determines whether a fish is a trophy. Like many others have stated I would have a replica made v/s a skin mount. The WV state record largemouth is right at 12 lbs, anything around six and ppl take notice. A four pound smallmouth used to be considered trophy, now its around six. The slot limit on the Greenbrier and new river has greatly improved the quality of fish being caught. BTW the state record smallmouth is 9.75lbs

[bigbassfan]

Like said before, in the north anything over 6lbs is worth bragging about. Down here in TX, double digit is just about the cut.

[NEjitterbugger]

Would love to get a mount someday.. Would definatley be a replica though.

[ww2farmer]

Bigger then what I have caught. I have multiple 6+ lb LM from our local waters under my belt. And while, I don't get a 6+ every year, enough of them show up in other anglers bags at tournaments, they are special, but not "rare". 7+ lbers are alot tougher to come by, but, happen . One lake around here kicks maybe one or two out a year during tournaments, and a handfull more through out the year, 8+ is what I would consider the fish of a lifetime around here for LMB, I know of 2 caught either in a tournament, or recreationaly (that one was 9+) in the last 10 years. SM are funny, because we have two very big bodies of water (Erie and Ontario) that can and do kick out 7+ lbers. I would be thrilled with a fish that size there, but on our smaller and not so giant, but big lakes (like Oneida) a 6+ is a trophy. I catch more 5-6 lb lmb in a season, then I have ever caught 5+ lb SM ever. Just to give you an example, I have caught 20+ 5lb LM this year with two of them being over 6. And thats just from one body of water. On the same lake, I have not caught a 5+ SM since 2010 (my biggest in the last two years so far was a 4.98 LOL), or a 6lber since 2008, and that was my only one..............ever. Even having been on Erie a few times.

[Bankbeater]

In this area 5 lb bass are hard to find, but they are around. I would say anything over 6 lb would be a trophy. I wouldn't have a replica made unless I caught one that would come close to a record. Pictures are easier to carry around and show off.

[Crestliner2008]

Very interesting discussion. To my way of thinking, all big bass, LM or SM, should always be released, unharmed, regardless of where they've been caught. Today replica mounts are much more cost effective and endure the environment so much better, that it makes skin mounts all but obsolete.

As far as trophy size up here in New England goes, I'd say a LM weighing in at just over 7 lbs. to qualify for that status. A SM would be anything over 5.5 lbs.. There are many larger bass caught up here each season, but to get one, of the mentioned proportions, would easily qualify as a trophy. (Believe it or not, there are quite a few 10+ LM's taken each year up here! Our state record is 15+ lbs.)