CT Northern lmb age and growth rate

[jjconnaire]

Cabin fever has kicked in... I’ve cleaned and organized all of my gear. Made my list of “NEED” to get, now I am here asking the hard questions. 
I caught my PB (5lbs 11oz 22.5”) last year on 10/13/19 in a very small but deep (35/40ft) pond in CT.  Side note: I think I have caught this fish the previous year and it broke my PB than @5lb 8oz.

But back to my question... HOW OLD IS THIS FISH!? From what I have gained from perusing around the internet it’s around 7-10yrs old?  

My old PB from 2018 in May. Is this the same fish????

[813basstard]

Not sure about the fish but the pic with you holding it looks like a brochure from a gas station. 
 

“Visit central Connecticut. Adventure awaits...”

[MIbassyaker]

Great fish. Yes, 7-10 years sounds about right for CT. In MI, a 5lb largemouth in most waters is about 10 years old.

 

It doesn't really look like the same fish to me. I think you got two 5-ers in there.

[jjconnaire]

Lol it does look like that with the fall colors behind me! Im Not giving away my pond but it’s about 1hr North of queens where I live. 
but I am totally in the dark about the age of bass.  All I know is that a bass above 5lbs in the Northaeast is a plus fish. It makes me crazy to think that the CT state record is almost 13lbs. That’s over double the fish pictured above!!!! WT*!
 

[MIbassyaker]

5 minutes ago, jjconnaire said:

Lol it does look like that with the fall colors behind me! Im Not giving away my pond but it’s about 1hr North of queens where I live. 
but I am totally in the dark about the age of bass.  All I know is that a bass above 5lbs in the Northaeast is a plus fish. It makes me crazy to think that the CT state record is almost 13lbs. That’s over double the fish pictured above!!!! WT*!
 

 

Good commentary here on the prospects of CT record bass by long-time northeast bass guru Rich Zaleski:

https://www.richz.com/fishing/blog/?p=105

 

The Michigan state record for largemouth is smaller than yours:  11.94lb, caught in 1934. Another one the same weight was caught in 1959.

[jjconnaire]

Funny RichZ mentions 8-9lb lmb coming from candlewood! That is giant!!!

[collinfiske_RFC]

It is extremely variable based on lake due to forage availability, water quality, population size and water temperature. All of these can influence growth rates. Bass is going to grow most quickly during its first 1-3 years and growth rate will decline slowly after that. Some of the research I've seen says about 6oz a year in pretty normal conditions. If forage is higher that year and the water stays warmer longer, a bass may have a bigger growth year. I'm guessing around 10-11 years old for that fish if conditions are decent. Hope this helps!

[Bass Ninja]

17 hours ago, jjconnaire said:

Funny RichZ mentions 8-9lb lmb coming from candlewood! That is giant!!!

A older gentleman I'm friends with fishes all over CT at least once a week. In 2019 he caught 8lber, a 7lber, three 5lbers, and of course, multiple smaller fish. Totally blows my mind how he does it, but it seems like every week he is showing me a pic of another fish over 3lbs. 

[Bluebasser86]

Northern bass are the slowest growing and longest living. Some have been found to be nearing 20 years old. Yours is quite likely 10 years old or even older.

 

IMO, the lateral line doesn't look the same on the 2 fish, especially towards the back half of the second fish where the look more like the lines on a heart rate monitor and the first fish is about a flat line.

[odell015]

I am from CT that’s a good fish for these waters.