Quality Bass? Dinks?

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

I keep hearing the term "quality bass."

In another thread, someone referred to a "quality bass" as, "say, 15 inches".

I was under the impression that they had to be lots bigger to be considered not-dinks.

What's a dink, anyway?

Keeping in mind that I live in Northern Indiana, the bass I generally catch are 12" to 15" (both large and smallmouth, 3-5 years old).

Maybe I'm doing better than I thought.

What's a "quality bass"? What's a "dink"?

Josh

[Jrob78]

I consider a quality bass anything over about 3 lbs or so.  A dink would be a fish in the 14" or less category (roughly).    

[Crappiebasser]

If I'm fishing with someone it's a dink. If there's no one there to see it it's a quality bass.

[OkeechobeeAngler]

To me, a dink is anything under 5 lbs. 

[gobig]

You can't really give a general answer to your question. The body of water that you are fishing is going to determine what a quality fish is. I would consider a quality fish to be one that would be part of a good tournament bag for that body of water. For instance if it takes 20lbs to win. A 3lber would be a good quality fish. If it takes 12lbs to win a 2lber would be a good quality fish. Something along those lines. 

[KayakBasser]

Dink=less than 18 inches, quality= 4 pound plus.

[einscodek]

We been thru this.. its a matter o opinion.. everyones different and different lakes.. those big ole bass in cali and florida will have another measure altogether..

up here in my area.. I'd say quality is big.. 19"+ but even an 18" is quite a sight

[Josh Smith]

One thing I notice is the health of the bass I catch.

The small lake bass are beautiful and extremely healthy.

The reservoire is about average.

Those bass we have here in Northern Indiana do not compare in size to, say, Okeechobee bass unless they are twice as old.

Guess it matters what latitude you're at?

Josh

[Dwight Hottle]

It all depends on the quality of water you are fishing and your expertise. Any fish over 3 lbs is considered to be a quality fish to most guys. On a really good fishery it could be 4 lbs and up. On a great fishery it could be 6 or 7 lbs before you even take a picture. To me a dink is any fish under 3 lbs.

[Mccallister25]

Depends on the area your in and the body of water specifically. What may be "decent" in Florida could be a "quality" fish here in NC.

Beauty's in the eye of the beholder anyway.. Who cares, just go have fun.

[corn-on-the-rob]

Dink = not a keeper

Small = less than 2lbs

Decent = greater than 2lbs

Good = close to 3lbs to about 3.75

Big = 3.75 to 5lbs

Whale = over 5lbs

That's my scale based on Ohio fishing.

[MIbassyaker]

To me, the definition depends entirely on expectations. Quality is whatever size I'm content to be catching at the moment. A Dink is anything less than that.

[HoosierHawgs]

Quality is a fish I would still have in my tourney livewell at the end of a good day on that particular body of water. Dink is a bass that's not a keeper or scoreable bass. Obviously this is different in different places but I'll go off the MLF rules and say 12"

[hoosierbass07]

 3 pounds is a dink? lol.  Here in Indiana I would consider a 2 pound + a big bass!  

[Team9nine]

We've pretty much already established that a "dink" is any bass under 12". See the following thread: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/148117-what-do-you-consider-a-dink-in-terms-of-largemouth-bass/?hl=dink

 

As for a "quality" bass, I believe Indiana DNR defines that as any bass over 18," which for this area I would tend to agree with.

 

-T9

[gobig]

A dink is anything you could eat on cheese and crackers.

[Josh Smith]

See, in Indiana, the keeper thing depends on the type of waterway.

 

For lakes, they have to be 14+".

 

For rivers and streams, bass must be under 12" or over 15" to be kept.

 

Josh

[Paul Roberts]

Varies with latitude, water body, and angler's expectations for the day. For me, where I've fished, it's run the gamut from 10inches to 6lbs. I tend to view it from a biological perspective which converts to the "mature" fish -those that have survived long enough to reach maturity. That can cover quite a range depending on the water body. For most of the waters I now regularly fish, it's in the 13" to 15" (and up) range.

 

In many of my waters, an 18"er is a "big bass". A 20"er is a "BIG bass". And a 22"+ is a "huge bass". Then there are the "Leviathans". I haven't seen one of those, but I know they are out there.

[HoosierHawgs]

3 pounds is a dink? lol. Here in Indiana I would consider a 2 pound + a big bass!

Where are you fishing? Its not big until at least 4+ and its not a trophy until 6+

[A-Jay]

It all depends on the quality of water you are fishing and your expertise. Any fish over 3 lbs is considered to be a quality fish to most guys. On a really good fishery it could be 4 lbs and up. On a great fishery it could be 6 or 7 lbs before you even take a picture. To me a dink is any fish under 3 lbs.

 

I agree with this guy . . . .

 

A-Jay

[roadwarrior]

I think the broad definition of a dink is a fish below the legal minimum length.

 

 

 

 

[stkbassn]

I consider all bass fun to catch but to me a quality fish is anything 2 pounds and up.

[WRB]

If you tournament bass fish a dink is any bass under the minimum legal length, me it's any bass under 12".

Quality bass, again using the tournament angler as a baseline, any bass between 3 to 4 lb is a money bass, therefor good quality.

Where I fish:

Big bass (LMB) any bass over 5 lbs is a big bass.

DD is any bass over 10 lbs.

Giant bass is over 15 lbs.

Tom

[Canyon explorer]

I think a reasonable definition of a " Dink" could be all fish less than the minimum length major tournament association clubs impose on the lakes in the state your fishing.

I fish in the Mid West and most bass clubs in the area associate with BASS or FLW and set a 15" minimum on Black bass and a 12" limit on spotted bass. This definition "DINK" can also serve on hook up to advise your partner the net is not needed.

[Raul]

Hello,

I keep hearing the term "quality bass."

In another thread, someone referred to a "quality bass" as, "say, 15 inches".

I was under the impression that they had to be lots bigger to be considered not-dinks.

What's a dink, anyway?

Keeping in mind that I live in Northern Indiana, the bass I generally catch are 12" to 15" (both large and smallmouth, 3-5 years old).

Maybe I'm doing better than I thought.

What's a "quality bass"? What's a "dink"?

Josh

 

Anything under 5 lbs is a dink,  , actually, I have lowered the standard, it used to be 7 lbs, but people thought it was too cocky.

 

Dink is anything under 12 inches. 

 

I´ve caught a really big bunch of 5lbs+ fish throughout the years, but still, my average size fish is around 1 lbs, nothing to brag about.