Michigan State Record Largemouth?

[PJ_Bassin]

Alright Ya'll

Michigan State record Large mouth, As we all know, Is tied at 11.94 pounds.

Both these fish were caught pre-1960.

Do you guys think this record will ever be broken again?

If so what lake?

 

[MIbassyaker]

On 8/23/2020 at 8:29 PM, PJ_Bassin said:

Alright Ya'll

Michigan State record Large mouth, As we all know, Is tied at 11.94 pounds.

Both these fish were caught pre-1960.

Do you guys think this record will ever be broken again?

If so what lake?

 

 

We had a thread on this topic not long ago:

 

 

I am skeptical it will be broken any time soon.  Never mind a 12-pounder, 10-pound largemouths are nearly non-extistent.  In the thread above, I mention some recent records I looked through of bass catches in MI, and the only confirmed double-digit largemouth I could find was a 10lb 1999 master angler entry from a private lake in the Kalamazoo area. 

 

A 12-pound bass would be really really old.  So the question is really: what would you need for a bass to grow fast enough to reach that size before the end of its life? You need good genes, a good food source for growth, and a low chance of getting killed or harvested. A carefully-managed private lake would probably have the best chance.

 

To quote myself from the above thread:

 

I think the stars would really have to align just right for a largemouth to survive enough seasons to reach DD level.  The growing seasons are short, and there is always some risk of winterkill in many shallow, eutrophic largemouth haunts.  It also doesn't help that the most of prime largemouth waters in the state are where most of the people live, as this means largemouth are probably more subject to harvest pressure from casual anglers than smallmouth are. Largemouth are probably also easier to catch year-round, as they tend to inhabit smaller, easier-to access (and easier to fish) waters. And a bass doesn't need to be harvested to have it's life shortened by being caught, if it is gut- or gill-hooked, handled roughly, kept out of the water too long, or otherwise mistreated in some way.

 

But the smallmouth record is another story! It may be one of the most vulnerable state records in the country right now, and it has fallen twice in the last few years.

[TheBasslayer]

On 8/27/2020 at 7:26 PM, MIbassyaker said:

only confirmed double-digit largemouth I could find was a 10lb 1999 master angler entry from a private lake in the Kalamazoo area. 

Well idk which lake that is, but if that lake ever opens up, I would like to go!

[MIbassyaker]

3 hours ago, TheBasslayer said:

Well idk which lake that is, but if that lake ever opens up, I would like to go!

 

Limekiln Lake, according the listings I got it from:

 

Catch and Keep     LARGEMOUTH BASS     Kalamazoo     Limekiln Lake    7/3/1999 7:40:00 AM    1999    10.00    25.50    MICHAEL JAY DOWNEY    PORTAGE    Baitcasting    BROWN LIZARD

 

https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/masterangler/MasterAngler.asp

 

Right in your backyard! Although that was 21 years ago.

[TheBasslayer]

Wait........... At the condo system where my Grandma lives, there is a lake called Limekiln lake, and the water system is private...... ?If that is the lake, I'm grabbing my dad's inflateable kayak and/or waders and as soon as the ice clears, I'm fishing that lake all summer!

 

[TheBasslayer]

42 minutes ago, TheBasslayer said:

Wait........... At the condo system where my Grandma lives, there is a lake called Limekiln lake, and the water system is private...... ?If that is the lake, I'm grabbing my dad's inflateable kayak and/or waders and as soon as the ice clears, I'm fishing that lake all summer!

 

I looked on a map and yes, Limekiln lake is in my grandma's condo system!!! I doubt it has a 10 pound bass in it right now, but maybe I'll break my pb! And in the same water system, a guy who was fishing near me about 3 years ago (And me) saw a big 6 pounder. Haven't seen any that big yet, but my pb bass is close, and was caught out of the same lake. And also, there is this smaller, but 80 ft deep lake in the system called lake Hill and Brook. Haven't caught more than one bass in it, but it's only a matter of time! There is also a 9 pound 12 ounce confirmed master angler entry for bass in Limekiln lake. And one of my grandma's friends, a long time resident, told me that some big fish came out of that lake. (Idk if she was talking about the master angler bass or just big fish in that lake. )

[TheBasslayer]

I don't know how to delete a post, like this one. How do you delete this post?

[MN Fisher]

10 minutes ago, TheBasslayer said:

I don't know how to delete a post, like this one. How do you delete this post?

Only people who can delete posts are the Moderators and Admins - and they only do that if you violate one of the rules.

[TheBasslayer]

7 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Only people who can delete posts are the Moderators and Admins - and they only do that if you violate one of the rules.

Oh ok

 

[MIbassyaker]

12 hours ago, TheBasslayer said:

I looked on a map and yes, Limekiln lake is in my grandma's condo system!!! I doubt it has a 10 pound bass in it right now, but maybe I'll break my pb! And in the same water system, a guy who was fishing near me about 3 years ago (And me) saw a big 6 pounder. Haven't seen any that big yet, but my pb bass is close, and was caught out of the same lake. And also, there is this smaller, but 80 ft deep lake in the system called lake Hill and Brook. Haven't caught more than one bass in it, but it's only a matter of time! There is also a 9 pound 12 ounce confirmed master angler entry for bass in Limekiln lake. And one of my grandma's friends, a long time resident, told me that some big fish came out of that lake. (Idk if she was talking about the master angler bass or just big fish in that lake. )

 

 

Well, then you need to fish it and report what you catch!  From the map, it looks like if you can get on it with a small craft, you may be able to get around a number of places connected by the creek that could be worth fishing.

[TheBasslayer]

16 hours ago, MIbassyaker said:

 

 

Well, then you need to fish it and report what you catch!  From the map, it looks like if you can get on it with a small craft, you may be able to get around a number of places connected by the creek that could be worth fishing.

Yes, There is also a ice-fishing path that I could launch my dad’s inflatable kayak from. I’ve passed it, but I’ve never really thought to fish it. If I get one, I’ll say! And in the lakes in the same stream system, 2-3pounders aren’t rare. I’ve caught my 4 1/2 pound pb in Willow lake!

[redmeansdistortion]

I think another record smallie will be caught before the largemouth record is broken.  Smallies tend to get bigger here in Michigan.  I've pulled countless 5lb+ smallies fishing the Great Lakes, and if the bite is on you will catch many in one outing.  Now with 5lb largemouth, I've only landed a little more than a handful in my 30 years of fishing this state.  They aren't very common at all.  Most of the largemouth I catch are usually 1lb to 3lb or so.

[TheBasslayer]

[TheBasslayer]

On 12/17/2020 at 8:48 PM, MIbassyaker said:

 

 

Well, then you need to fish it and report what you catch!  From the map, it looks like if you can get on it with a small craft, you may be able to get around a number of places connected by the creek that could be worth fishing.

I've caught some decent fish in that creek with my waders, including the fish in my profile pic! And I need to start fishing Limekiln now that the water is clear of ice. If there is still a big bass there, it would have to live with the tons of carp in that lake.