Huge Football Smallmouth, but weird? Pic Included

[The Young Gun]

Hey guys, I caught this smallie in a lake where there was only posted to have largemouth? It isn't super long but look how thick it was! Any Idea on the weight would be? have you ever caught a smallie in a lake where the DNR says they don't exist?

[Jar11591]

That is one fat smallmouth. 

I have caught smallies in a couple bodies of water that the DEC don't list smallmouuth in, but they are all in close proximity to a river. I assumed flooding or another angler was responsible. This year, a lake I have fished hard for the past four years and got nothing but largemouth, has produced 3 smallmouth on my boat. Two by me and one by my roommate. The DEC doesn't list smallies in this lake. I am really hoping they are taking a hold.

 I am really curious as to the weight of a 19.5" smallie with that kind of girth. I would guess around 5...

[The Young Gun]

12 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

That is one fat smallmouth. 

I have caught smallies in a couple bodies of water that the DEC don't list smallmouuth in, but they are all in close proximity to a river. I assumed flooding or another angler was responsible. This year, a lake I have fished hard for the past four years and got nothing but largemouth, has produced 3 smallmouth on my boat. Two by me and one by my roommate. The DEC doesn't list smallies in this lake. I am really hoping they are taking a hold.

 I am really curious as to the weight of a 19.5" smallie with that kind of girth. I would guess around 5...

isn't it cool to catch smallies in a lake where you don't expect them? Here in northern wi, with smallies really starting to dominate... I've caught 13" dink smallies on 1/2oz poppin frogs, to 10" power worms. It's honesty a blast catching them and they fight like no tomorrow especially when they are river fish! And yeah, at 19.5" it sure isn't my longest, but its girth honestly surprises me.. The lake had a lot of crawfish swimming around so I assume its belly is filled with them..

[kickerfish1]

Hard to tell how fat it is with that view. Would like to see a "belly shot" if you have one. In the spring of this year there was a very large SMB caught in SD that was around 19.5 inches but weighed over 7 pounds. It had a massive belly on it. 

As far as  a guess for the weight of your fish I would say 4.5 - 5.5 would seem reasonable. If it looked like it swallowed a grape fruit than 6ish may not be out of the question.

At any rate a great fish for anywhere.

[Darren.]

It's a hefty smallie for sure.

I caught a striper in a local reservoir, the
only striper ever caught there, as they are
not stocked.

Weird things happen when nature is involved.

 

[Gundog]

Here in PA a guy caught the state record smallmouth out of a lake that supposedly didn't have smallmouths in it. The fish & boat commission guys had to go and confirm that there were smallmouths in the lake. 

[NewRiver]

Nice fish!

[Turkey sandwich]

Let me tell you about the DNR "range" for alligator snapping turtles sometime...

[A-Jay]

Nice Smallie ~

But it does appear to have had better days - looks pretty beat up.

A-Jay

[J Francho]

Easy 4 lbs., maybe 5.  This one was 5-12: