Big ?

[Mainebass1984]

 What would you guys consider a big bass in New England ?

[deaknh03]

personally I would say 6+

[cadman]

personally I would say 6+

X2, Similar to us in northern IL. Not a lot of  6+ lb bass caught regularly, not in my boat anyway LOL.

[wnybassman]

 What would you guys consider a big bass in New England ?

 

 

Most anything you've caught in the last month or two.    lol

[Craiger12]

I personally feel that 6+ is a monster. I don't get out as much as most of you guys, but I have only had 2 over 6lbs in the past few years. I'm satisfied with a 4lber.

Mainebass1984 - I've seen the work you put in this past fall and am very jealous. Great work my friend.

[Mike2841]

The biggest I've seen in person is 8lbs and I consider that almost mythical. The biggest I ever caught was 5lb, the average fish I catch are 1-2lbs with the occasional 3lber. I live in eastern mass.

[Mainebass1984]

Most anything you've caught in the last month or two.    lol

 

I really enjoy fall fishing, from September until there is too much ice to break with my boat.  It is one of my most favorite times to fish and for some reason I got them figured out pretty good. To bad I don't have them dialed in like that the rest of the year. This past fall the fishing was unbelievable. I can never expect a fall like that again.

 

Generally this is how I would describe largemouth. I think a 5 lber is a big bass.

 

3-4lbs decent

4-5lbs "good one"

5-6lbs lunker

6-7lbs hawg

7-8lbs giant

8-9lbs ginormous

9+ unbelievably big

[Shane J]

Yes, your breakdown is pretty much how I feel about New England fishing. A 6+ is a great catch up here, and the one's you wanna be targeting.

[Shane J]

And me and Big O are in agreement. A 5 pounder up here, is a 10 pounder down in Texas. a 9 pound fish up here, is like catching an 18lb, probably lake record, down there. 6's are 12's, and 8's are 16's. See the pattern? It holds true (compared to my catch rates), too. About right, for sure. There have been plenty of trophy fish posted by us in the Northeast.

[Marty]

I'm with Craiger, I consider a 4+ a big fish. They're not an everyday occurrence around here.

[KyakR]

For me 5+ LMB, 4+ SMB

[wnybassman]

I really enjoy fall fishing, from September until there is too much ice to break with my boat.  It is one of my most favorite times to fish and for some reason I got them figured out pretty good. To bad I don't have them dialed in like that the rest of the year. This past fall the fishing was unbelievable. I can never expect a fall like that again.

 

Traditionally fall is my favorite time of the year also, and I expected to post up a limit of 20-22 inch smallmouth this fall.   The smallies around here wanted to play a little game of hide and seek this fall season, and they won.  I had my worst year of smallmouth fishing in a long long time.  But, I had my best year of largemouth fishing in October, ever!    So I guess it was a trade-off.    lol

[ww2farmer]

What do I consider big?

 

<------------------------------------------------- and not just the man boobs.

[tomustang]

And me and Big O are in agreement. A 5 pounder up here, is a 10 pounder down in Texas. a 9 pound fish up here, is like catching an 18lb, probably lake record, down there. 6's are 12's, and 8's are 16's. See the pattern? It holds true (compared to my catch rates), too. About right, for sure. There have been plenty of trophy fish posted by us in the Northeast.

I like this answer, my 9's a southern 18

[trupp30]

I argee with most posts that anything in the 5-6 lbs. range is a big bass for NE.

[Dwight Hottle]

And me and Big O are in agreement. A 5 pounder up here, is a 10 pounder down in Texas. a 9 pound fish up here, is like catching an 18lb, probably lake record, down there. 6's are 12's, and 8's are 16's. See the pattern? It holds true (compared to my catch rates), too. About right, for sure. There have been plenty of trophy fish posted by us in the Northeast.

 

 

A-Jay and I had a similar discussion regarding smallmouth to largemouth. We consider a 6lb smallie from lake erie to be the equivalent of a 10lb largemouth in Texas or Mexico (lake baccarac). 

[Shane J]

Yeah, that's about right. I'll give ya the extra pound because it's Erie, but generally, I'd say the 50% thing is pretty darn close (LM to LM).

[MarkH024]

Dwight, being that you have caught multiple 6lb smallies and 10lb largemouth bass, which class gave the bigger fight?  I'm assuming the smallmouth did purely out of speculation and knowing the difference in the pee wee's of each species I catch.  I had a guy from Texas disagree that a 10lb LMB would put a smallie to shame, and I just can't believe it myself. He also has never hooked a smalljaw before.... 

[Mainebass1984]

 I am still looking to get a New England  6 lb+ smallmouth.  I really don't fish much for Smallmouth but I would like to mount one. I am still trying to catch that New England 10 lb+ Largemouth.   I most likely will never catch either of those fish. It is fun to try though. Go to aim big. Go big or go home.

[J Francho]

I used to think that smallies really just put up more fuss, and weren't necessarily "stronger" fighters than largemouth.  Also, considering the fact that most of my biggest smallies were caught on light line/tackle, my impression has been that if you let them run, they tire out.  However, after fishing an umbrella rig, with a heavy flipping stick, and 65# braid, my tune has changed.  When there is no drag singing, and it's you, a stout rod, and no stretch line, it becomes pretty clear that a smallmouth can simply put the screws to your gear much harder than a comparable largemouth. The shock and power of direction changes and just head shakes is incredible. 

 

For the original question, a smallie over 4 and a largemouth over 6 are what I consider truly "big."  My best smallie is 5-12, and my best largie was 7-2.  I'm not sure I'd consider either "trophy" fish, but in the northeast, they are big for sure.

[Nice_Bass]

SM vs LM "fight" difference I believe comes from tail differences and body shape differences.  The intangible of a attitude, etc., may be present as well I suppose. 

 

Anyhow, I would have to say a big northern bass is over 6-8, trophy's over 8. 

 

If the 50/50 rule were true I would be able to catch 10 pounders down south all the time, and though I have never been down there to fish- I catch plenty of over 5# here in IL and we are not exactly a powerhouse fishery...

[Dwight Hottle]

Dwight, being that you have caught multiple 6lb smallies and 10lb largemouth bass, which class gave the bigger fight?  I'm assuming the smallmouth did purely out of speculation and knowing the difference in the pee wee's of each species I catch.  I had a guy from Texas disagree that a 10lb LMB would put a smallie to shame, and I just can't believe it myself. He also has never hooked a smalljaw before.... 

 

The six lb smallie outfights the 10lb largemouth by far. Talking to the guides at lake baccarac they answered the question about what size fights the hardest. Their reply was the 7-9lbers. Their experience with grandes (over 10lbs) was the bigger fish pull hard but don't have the stamina to fight very long. But a 6lb smallie will fight all twelve rounds not just 2-3. With the smallmouth it's all about endurance.

[MarkH024]

The six lb smallie outfights the 10lb largemouth by far. Talking to the guides at lake baccarac they answered the question about what size fights the hardest. Their reply was the 7-9lbers. Their experience with grandes (over 10lbs) was the bigger fish pull hard but don't have the stamina to fight very long. But a 6lb smallie will fight all twelve rounds not just 2-3. With the smallmouth it's all about endurance.

Take that TEXAS! BOOYAH, lol. 

[Mainebass1984]

 I think it depends on each fish. I have caught some largemouth that fought insanely hard. Other times you just reel them like they are dead weight. I do think though that when its comes down to it pound for pound smallmouth fight harder. I like to target largemouth because they are bigger. Some of the truly large largemouth do fight very very hard.  Now all we need to do find is huge 8 pound plus smallmouth. I am sure they would fight pretty well. Could you imagine seeing that thing going airborne next to the boat ?

[Dwight Hottle]

Yeah, that's about right. I'll give ya the extra pound because it's Erie, but generally, I'd say the 50% thing is pretty darn close (LM to LM).

 

I respectively disagree. How many eight lbs largemouth have you caught in new england Shane? And how many 16lb largemouth has Big O caught in texas or south? I'll be willing to bet your eights outnumber Steve's sixteens and your sevens outnumber Steve's 14's. I think you are on the right track but your ratio needs a little fine tuning. The smallmouth lbs to largemouth lbs are based on observed time spent fishing for either species during prime times & fishing prime waters. If you fish lake baccarac for 6 days hard you will more than likely break ten lbs. If you fish lake erie with me prespawn for 6 days you will more than likely catch a six lb smallie. The only reason I'm saying fish with me is you will be fishing the right water (locations) similar to fishing the right water on lake baccarac with an experienced local guide. Ask a fellow new englander if he thinks his pb bass is the equal of double that down south and I think his response would be not double but somewhere in between the two. Obviously you have to consider time spent on the water & equal fishing skills.