Some very interesting quotes from Ben Milliken, modern Big Bass guru....

[Woody B]

9 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

 

Most DD bass are actually 6-7 pounders.  ?

Sometime for me a DD is 10 ounces.  

[Captain Phil]

2 hours ago, Woody B said:

Sometime for me a DD is 10 ounces.  

My wife and I were having lunch last week with an old friend.   She told us her son recently caught a 14 pound bass in a local public lake.  I didn't comment because I hear those stories all the time.  The fact is double digit bass are rare even in Florida.  The largest bass I have ever seen myself was a little less than 14 pounds and it was caught twenty years ago. (see below) Rodman produces a few huge bass each year.  Most are caught with live shiners. Rodman is unique as there is so much cover many bass live out their lives without ever encountering an angler.   The problem with hunting huge Florida bass today is fishing pressure.  From now until April, the onslaught of anglers is relentless.

 

 

[Bankbeater]

A few months back Chris Zaldain posted a video from BPS showing the tank.  Most of the bass were in a school near the surface, but one was sitting on the bottom near some rocks.  He said that when the bass school up they are in hunt mode but the one on the bottom was not ready to feed, and that's probably why it was by itself.

[Deleted account]

36 minutes ago, Bankbeater said:

A few months back Chris Zaldain posted a video from BPS showing the tank.  Most of the bass were in a school near the surface, but one was sitting on the bottom near some rocks.  He said that when the bass school up they are in hunt mode but the one on the bottom was not ready to feed, and that's probably why it was by itself.

That's like putting a bunch of people in a closet and making assumptions as to how they would behave in a football stadium.

[Reel]

46 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

That's like putting a bunch of people in a closet and making assumptions as to how they would behave in a football stadium.

Interesting,

How would they behave in a football stadium  ???

[Choporoz]

1 hour ago, Reel said:

Interesting,

How would they behave in a football stadium  ???

I suppose that might depend.  Lambeau?  Or the Linc?

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, Choporoz said:

I suppose that might depend.  Lambeau?  Or the Linc?

LOL. I want to see the PA announcer tell Eagles fans that clearing their seats of snow is going to be so much fun...

[Catt]

22 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

The fact is double digit bass are rare even in Florida. 

 

[Captain Phil]

Texas has done a phenomenal job with their bass fishery.  The ancestors of these bass came from Florida hatcheries.  Catch and release has allowed more people to experience the thrill of catching the bass of a lifetime.  Even so, catching a double digit bass is still a rare event.  Not all bass have the potential to grow to that size.  Not all lakes have the food and habitat requirements.  A bass needs to live a long life in order to reach double digit size.   Carrying bass around in a live well kills fish, especially during the heat of summer. Promoting catch, photo and release tournaments would stop much of this.  I immediately release every bass I catch no matter what the size.  If everyone did the same, catching a big bass would be more common. 

[Catt]

3 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

The ancestors of these bass came from Florida hatcheries

 

California, Cuba, & Florida 

 

I know the California bass came from Florida, not sure about Cuba.

 

I'm pretty sure foward facing sonar played a roll in these 5 catches. 

[Woody B]

There will always be a BUNCH of DD's that aren't even if the person that caught it tells the truth.   My youngest Grandson caught a 6 pound bass in a farm pond.  My oldest Grandson was the only person with him.  Within a few weeks another teenager was saying it was 10 pounds, and he was with my Grandson.