Biggest Fish You've Ever Seen (But Not Caught....)

[iceintheveins]

A couple pike over 40 pounds sunning themselves. Biggest fish I've ever landed was a 38 pound lake trout, close to the biggest fish I've ever seen.

[gulfcaptain]

Watched a 250+ pound black sea bass inhale a passengers 10lb class yellowtail about 10ft below the water at San Clemente Island.  That was cool. 

[SirSnookalot]

If I didn't land them then I really don't know how big they were.  I fish the ocean, I had some pretty big fish on the line that I didn't land, but did land some exceptional 3 digit fish.

[Bluebasser86]

One of my only saltwater trips we had a bull shark finning across the surface behind the boat that the crew guessed at 400-500 pounds. Would have loved to have gotten that fish to bite. 

 

I saw a bass a couple years ago on a spawning bed in a strip pit that was a state record class fish (12lb range). Too much wind to try to fish for her on her deep bed in the weeds so I left her just knowing she was in there. 

[SirSnookalot]

One of my only saltwater trips we had a bull shark finning across the surface behind the boat that the crew guessed at 400-500 pounds. Would have loved to have gotten that fish to bite. 

 

I saw a bass a couple years ago on a spawning bed in a strip pit that was a state record class fish (12lb range). Too much wind to try to fish for her on her deep bed in the weeds so I left her just knowing she was in there. 

So many times I couldn't count them all, having a bleeder on like a bonita, then seeing a dozen bull sharks circling the boat.  Not a big deal in an 80' head boat but un nerving in a 21' Polar.

[Bankbeater]

The biggest bass I ever saw was about 10 years ago.  My Dad and I went out in the boat and he hooked one that started to turn the boat around.  My first thought was that he hooked a muskie or a carp.  When he got it close to the boat the fish went along side the boat, and I leaned over to net it.  I was so shocked that I forgot all about the net.  That bass was as long as my Dad's torso, and it looked healthy.  The bass splashed hit the boat and was gone.  I don't know if he told anyone about that bass, but I sure didn't.  I'm hoping that there are some bass in that lake like that one.

[gobig]

Like the other guys who have spent time in saltwater I have seen some huge fish. The biggest would have to be a great white that I saw off of duxbury reef. Its tough to tell from 30 yards but I would estimate it was some where between 16' and 20' long. As far as bass go I have seen two now that have got to be pushing 20lbs. 

[roadwarrior]

Fishing for walley at night on Bull Shoals lake I hooked up with what

I was hoping was a new World Record! I was fishing a LC Pointer 128

when this big girl struck. Unfortunately it morphed into a gigantic gar.

 

The biggest smallmouth was landed by my late fishing partner and best

friend, Speedy Madewell. 10 lbs netted and weighed by me.

 

The largemouth was hooked by our very own Glenn May at the Pickwick

BassResource Trip Road. He was fishing a Siebert Outdoors Cosmic

Spinnerbait (white). Unfortunately the line broke just before we could get

her in the net.  10+ for sure, but a 12.5 was recently caught in the same

general area and was weighed in tournament collecting a check for the

"Big Bass".

[Felix77]

Every bass which I catch and lose at or near the boat fits this description ... "That was a record ... " 

 

[blongfishing]

I was standing on my dock and Im catching bluegill as soon as I drop the bait in. Then they stop biting and move away fast as lightning. Then, I see this HUGE bass come from under the dock. I threw everything at it. I have only saw it 3 times but it dosen't bite anything. No kidding, that thing was 20+ lbs It was big or bigger than the legendary "Dotty".

[Dillo]

trout fishing a stream and about three giants all between 18(ish) and 26-7(ish) inches, pretty thick. Cast to them and all i got out of it was a 10 inch rainbow

[Dillo]

I was standing on my dock and Im catching bluegill as soon as I drop the bait in. Then they stop biting and move away fast as lightning. Then, I see this HUGE bass come from under the dock. I threw everything at it. I have only saw it 3 times but it dosen't bite anything. No kidding, that thing was 20+ lbs It was big or bigger than the legendary "Dotty"

it has to eat somethin. Try catchin a average size bass and rigging it like youd rig a live blue gill or shad

[jeremyryanwebb]

Ive lost a couple tarpon that were 100 pounds easy.  Talk about a heart breaker

[uncustered]

Was at Hatteras, saw an 8'+ thresher cross the bar and pig out on some 35+lb drum.....

[everythingthatswims]

Like the other guys who have spent time in saltwater I have seen some huge fish. The biggest would have to be a great white that I saw off of duxbury reef. Its tough to tell from 30 yards but I would estimate it was some where between 16' and 20' long. As far as bass go I have seen two now that have got to be pushing 20lbs. 

Those darn west coast trout eaters.....

[Quantumbrick]

Biggest I've had on was a massive bat ray that straightened my hook on 50lb braid. Biggest I've seen but not caught? I cannot remember and kinda don't wanna remember. lol

[Giggidy564]

Biggest fish I have seen was a 50 lb catfish. I know of a guy who was fishing (tight lining) in freshwater and he hooked into a huge fish an he fought for nearly 30 minutes and he gave his rod to somebody else and that guy fought until he got tired and they just gave up and cut the line after so long. They never got to see the fish though. If I had to guess, I bet it was a triple digit sturgeon.

I just don't think I could have given up. I would have tried something.

[Preytorien]

I saw and hooked a 27lb Largemouth at Lake Fork, but it broke my line and got away......oh also it was in the Bass Pro Shops Pro Angler game for iPhone

 

Ha, but really, I don't "see" all that many fish that I don't catch since I'm rarely in a boat. Even with polarized glasses it's not all that often that I see a fish I catch from the bank. When I do, it's spawn and those buggers won't hardly bite for anything since they saw me long before I saw them.

[Big Jon]

Does the New England Aquarium count?

 

I was stationed in Okinawa Japan and got to go to Churaumi Aquarium. The main tank with the whale sharks was mind boggling. 

 

http://oki-churaumi.jp/en/

 

I have seen 5-6 pound largemouths jumping clear out of the water as of late (My PB is a little over 4 lbs, so these are big to me). They were just outside of my casting range. I was stuck on shore. That has been happening nearly every morning for a couple weeks as the temperatures drop.

[RB 77]

The biggest Largemouth I have ever seen was at Miramar reservoir a few years back while I was fishing a tule line in my float tube. I remember it like like it was yesterday. What appeared to be a 15+ lb female (which looked closer to 20+ lbs.) flanked by what looked like 3-4 lb males swam right underneath me paying me no mind. Yes, she was that much bigger than the other two fish. Keep in mind this small 162 square surface acre reservoir has produced the likes of a 20.9, 20.25, 19.5, 19.25, and a 19 lb documented Largemouth in the past. These are five of the 25 biggest documented Largemouth of all time. It was a sureal experience. This was by far the largest Largemouth Bass I have ever seen.

[Scott F]

I was standing on the shore of the Menominee River in Northern Wisconsin with a friend when a sturgeon came flying out of the water right next to my friend. It was easily as long as he was tall, around 6 feet. My friend wasn't facing the water when it jumped, and didn't see it, but he did get soaked from the splash it made. We often see the sturgeon jump, I don't know why they do it, but I'd never been so close to one before.

[Brayberry]

Bumping this old thread, as I love reading these stories!

[Senko lover]

Bumping this old thread, as I love reading these stories!

 

It's kinda funny to see your thread from 4 months ago!

[ColdSVT]

Was in my buddy's pathfinder near tampa and had 20+ ft whaleshark along side. The pathy was 24ft...and that whale shark was real close to the same...really cool fish

[Master Bait'r]

At a game dinner I attend every year with a friend.  Not only did they have about 150 kinds of wild game in this guy's outdoor pavillion/kitchen/BBQ pit area, a deer carcass bonfire and a full bar, they had a big 'ol pond with handfed (lots of wild game from what I'm told too!) fish in it.  Biggest darn submarines I've ever laid eyes on.  I got the meat sweats watching those manatees come up to periscope depth to slurp scraps and cruise the shoreline for their adoring fans.