Where Will World Record Bass Be?

[WRB]

It really is a shame that Florida the home of Florida strain LMB that grow to giant size doesn't have the natural ecosystems to take full potential of these magnificent bass. What Florida could do is escavate some deep spring fed lakes and manage them for giant bass growth, catch and release only, well stocked with golden shiners and smaller sources of prey for the baby bass to get a good start.

All Califironia did was transplant pure Florida strain bass into a few deep structured lakes and kept them closed to give the bass a good start, the rest is history.

I remember talking to Doug Hannon years ago and he was surprised that California's FLMB lived to be 15 years old, in Florida the same bass rarely lives beyond 10 years. The answer was obvious; cooler deep water.

What limits the FLMB range is cold water during the winter, they can't survive water under 45 degrees.

When you consider the late Doug Hannon caught over 600 DD bass, only 1 was 17 lbs, his PB.

I have caught 5 bass over 17 lbs, not because I am a better angler, it's becuase of where I fish...California. You can't catch a giant bass if it doesn't live where you fish.

Tom

[merc1997]

i will have to agree that lakes with high water temps do no equate to longivity for a bass.  falcon is a great example.  because of fishing pressure, low water, and high water temps the size of bass out of falcon is shrinking at a very fast rate.

 

extended growing season is a must.  food source and deeper cool water also fits into the equation.  fishing pressure is another factor.  bass to grow a long time and get big, need to be able to escape fishing pressure.

 

i am not familiar with lake baccarac in mexico.  given growing season, food source, water depth, if that lake has all those right elelments, maybe.  but, how many big bass are taken home to eat by locals, and netters?

 

bo

[LARGEMOUTH ANGLER]

Not to be rude but to me it sounds like you asked a question but refuse to listen to anybody else's answers, no matter what evidence they provide.

if that's your opinion than ok lol

[LARGEMOUTH ANGLER]

Florida has never produced a LMB in the 20 pound class. The few that were ounce listed proved to be invalid.

The reason may be a combination of very warm year around climate and shallow water that stays warm and not enough high protein prey fish to sustain growth. Another reason is Florida guides target bed bass with live bait and their clients keep their trophy. The odds are not in Florida's favor.

Same problem with Mexico and Cuba, the bass must survive gill nets and poachers.

Very few authentic 20 lb LMB exists outside of California and don't expect to see more anytime soon.

California LMB populations are poorly managed, unlike Texas where they research and grow giant bass.

If I had to choose a location in California today it would be Delta area or one of the foothill lakes. The reason is SoCal is too highly pressured and trout plants have stopped in most of the lakes that have potential to grow a record size bass. We have 1 lake that is closed for dam repairs that remains a high % to produce a 20+ and every SoCal trophy bass angler will be there when it opens!

Don't overlook South Africa, they producing 18 lb+ LMB.

The odds favor Japan for another 20+, then Califorina and possibly S.Africa.

Tom

high protein prey fish lol dude bass eat mullet and greenie here, do you know what kind of fish is that? that's what 200 pound tarpon eat and snook eat them too

[LARGEMOUTH ANGLER]

It really is a shame that Florida the home of Florida strain LMB that grow to giant size doesn't have the natural ecosystems to take full potential of these magnificent bass. What Florida could do is escavate some deep spring fed lakes and manage them for giant bass growth, catch and release only, well stocked with golden shiners and smaller sources of prey for the baby bass to get a good start.

All Califironia did was transplant pure Florida strain bass into a few deep structured lakes and kept them closed to give the bass a good start, the rest is history.

I remember talking to Doug Hannon years ago and he was surprised that California's FLMB lived to be 15 years old, in Florida the same bass rarely lives beyond 10 years. The answer was obvious; cooler deep water.

What limits the FLMB range is cold water during the winter, they can't survive water under 45 degrees.

When you consider the late Doug Hannon caught over 600 DD bass, only 1 was 17 lbs, his PB.

I have caught 5 bass over 17 lbs, not because I am a better angler, it's becuase of where I fish...California. You can't catch a giant bass if it doesn't live where you fish.

Tom

I strongly agree with you sir. but I still think that theres a world record bass

[webertime]

South Africa and Mozambique are producing giants. I'd go with Japan though.

[GoneFishi'n]

If you are really chasing the record then you better get a camera.

Florida doesn't have a snowball's chance of the record. Too warm, too shallow.

I think I remember him saying he had a pic of it but doesn't want to post it because he is only postin pics from when he joined and the future(if I remember correctly). It was either that or his friend had the pic and won't send it to him or something. I like to beleive story's with no pics when there is stuff to back it up but a 15Lb and no pic, just seems fishy to me.

[Fish Chris]

In the water

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seriously though, a genetic fluke, could pop up anywhere.

 

Case in point, the MA state record is over 15lbs !!! The second biggest bass ever caught from MA, was slightly over 11, and that state record, had held for decades, before that total genetic fluke of a bass came along, and destroyed it.

 

So if MA could jump from an 11, to a 15, then Texas could jump from an 18 to a WR, LA, could jump from a 17 to a WR, etc, etc.

 

All of this said, the odds say, So Cal, or Japan (and not anywhere in Japan... just maybe 1 or 2 lakes)

 

 

Fish

[LARGEMOUTH ANGLER]

I am from Florida, and it would be great if Fl caught the next record, but its not happening. I hate to disagree with another Floridian, however our environment, although it produces big beautiful bass, is not conducive to hold a 20+ pounder. Trust me, I would love to be wrong

what about the everglades? tamiami trail. lake Okeechobee? I really believe that Florida has the next world record somewhere in our waters

[Highhawk1948]

I hope it is not caught.  I like the original record.

[GoneFishi'n]

Ca or Japan. I would say the reasons why but everybody explained it in depth really well. I've heard of the big bass in Mexico and Africa, but not as much as Ca.

[pbrussell]

I'm gonna go against the grain here and just let you guys know that the next world record is gonna come out of kansas, and it's gonna be caught by me. Don't be surprised when it happens, because you heard it here first 

[pbrussell]

I'll add what you guys don't know is i'm gonna buy a few florida strain LMB, keep em in a hot tub with a constant water temperature of 67.9 degrees. These fish will be handfed trout filets injected with growth hormones. When they get big enough, I will drop a senko in said tub. Rest is history fellers.

[Basswhippa]

^{Interesting thread.   Florida produces a lot of giants.   I've fished there maybe 5 times in my life and have seen a 16.75 pounder that was caught out of Orange Lake.  If GA can produce a world record, Florida can.   I don't believe it will though for all the reasons mentioned and the most important reason, there are too many people fishing there these days.   The world record was an old and unmolested fish.  Fish there these days are molested.  At one point in the 2000's a, 1,000 people a day were moving to FL.   The economy slowed that thankfully.} 

 

^{I've seen pictures of 18 pounders from FL.   They aren't documented well but I believe they weighed that.  That's a far cry from 22 pounds 4 ounces.}

 

^{CA and Japan have the better environments due to the trout stocking programs.   Trout are fatty fish.   They pack heavy weight.  Take the trout away and California fishing would be what it should be.  Pathetic and unfertile deep desert lakes with an occasional 10 pounder.}  

[Mattlures]

^{Interesting thread.   Florida produces a lot of giants.   I've fished there maybe 5 times in my life and have seen a 16.75 pounder that was caught out of Orange Lake.  If GA can produce a world record, Florida can.   I don't believe it will though for all the reasons mentioned and the most important reason, there are too many people fishing there these days.   The world record was an old and unmolested fish.  Fish there these days are molested.  At one point in the 2000's a, 1,000 people a day were moving to FL.   The economy slowed that thankfully.} 

 

^{I've seen pictures of 18 pounders from FL.   They aren't documented well but I believe they weighed that.  That's a far cry from 22 pounds 4 ounces.}

 

^{CA and Japan have the better environments due to the trout stocking programs.   Trout are fatty fish.   They pack heavy weight.  Take the trout away and California fishing would be what it should be.  Pathetic and unfertile deep desert lakes with an occasional 10 pounder.}  

What most people fail to realize is the CA bass eat trout about 4 months out of the year. The rest of the year they eat bluegill, craw fish and  other regular bass prey. Lake Hodges produces a 20 pound bass without ever having a trout in it. Clear lake doesn't have trout and teen bass come from there regularly. You could put trout in all the lakes in the states and it would help some but they still would not produce world class bass. Ca bass grow all year long and they live long lives. Mexican bass and FL bass start growing fast but they live short lives. If CA tried to grow big bass like TX does there would be 20 pounders caught every year. with the right conditions it would be easy. Have a slot limit where no big bass are kept. Stock trout for the 4 months that they can and then when its warm enough stock tilapia which are almost as good as trout. The Cali bass would be monsters. The bass in CA get big by accident. The trout are stocked for tout fisherman to catch. They only survive for a few months. There are no slot limits and there are no bass stockings with superior genetics like in TX. If the CA fish and game tried they could easily produce world records but they don't care.

[Basswhippa]

. There are no slot limits and there are no bass stockings with superior genetics like in TX. If the CA fish and game tried they could easily produce world records but they don't care.

 

 

Sounds like they care....just for the trout fisherman, not the bass fishing people.

[Mattlures]

In CA its about the water, not the fishing. All the reseviors are for drinking water. Its a billion dollar industry. The fisherman are not the priority. When its trout stocking time it brings out a lot more people. The shores are lined with trout anglers and the lakes actually make a profit. The rest of the year the lakes make less money with just the bass fisherman. CA politics are anti hunting and fishing. Despite all that if you want a cjance at catching a bass over 17 lbs then CA gives you the best chance.

[LARGEMOUTH ANGLER]

I think I remember him saying he had a pic of it but doesn't want to post it because he is only postin pics from when he joined and the future(if I remember correctly). It was either that or his friend had the pic and won't send it to him or something. I like to beleive story's with no pics when there is stuff to back it up but a 15Lb and no pic, just seems fishy to me.

I really don't care if it sounds fishy to you or I you don't believe me because I stated that I don't have the pic I made myself clear. I just got a gopro so I will be posting monster bass from now on

[SirSnookalot]

Being a Florida fisherman I agree with the posters that do not think Florida will yield a world record bass.  I've yet to catch anything close to a 15# bass, 200# tarpon or 50# snook, and I fish every day for the last 10 years.  I've caught some really nice fish but those numbers are in the stratosphere.  There are those that have a credible history on this site and claims of larger fish without a pic are more than believable, other claims may be a bit dubious IMO.

[GaBankFisher]

Being a Florida fisherman I agree with the posters that do not think Florida will yield a world record bass.  I've yet to catch anything close to a 15# bass, 200# tarpon or 50# snook, and I fish every day for the last 10 years.  I've caught some really nice fish but those numbers are in the stratosphere.  There are those that have a credible history on this site and claims of larger fish without a pic are more than believable, other claims may be a bit dubious IMO.

Every single comment you make is spot-on...i always enjoy reading what you have to say. Credibility in the bank makes all the difference.

[GaBankFisher]

This thread has some unusual aspects to it...

[GoneFishi'n]

Every single comment you make is spot-on...i always enjoy reading what you have to say. Credibility in the bank makes all the difference.

100%

[BassinLou]

what about the everglades? tamiami trail. lake Okeechobee? I really believe that Florida has the next world record somewhere in our waters

 

Largemouth Angler, your conviction is commendable. I do not know how much reading you do in regards to what it actually takes to produce "Big" bass. Off the top my head, the late Doug Hannon has a great book, and an easy read called "Big Bass Magic". The places you mentioned to me, although logical, cannot produce a world record. Yes, there is no denying there are bass in the teens in those waters. But a 20 + lbr!! Is not happening. I am sorry. Pls continue the hunt and prove us wrong. I will be the first guy here to say how wrong I was. Take an awesome pic and stand proud if you catch the next world record in FL.  

[NEjitterbugger]

I think the topic should have been titled, "This is Where the Next World Record Will Be Caught: Florida"

 

I think the record will come from CA, I don't know to much about Japan's fishery so I'm not going to say that they have a WR lurking. Just haven't read about the place...

 

And LARGEMOUTH ANGLER, I mean I think you can admit that you were kinda an "easy target", catching a 15+ fish with no photo... Coming from anyone it sounds fishy... That doesn't mean we deny it though.

 

-Hope you catch that 20 pound bass in FL, good luck.

[SirSnookalot]

Every single comment you make is spot-on...i always enjoy reading what you have to say. Credibility in the bank makes all the difference.

Where should I send the check for that endorsement?