Sm State record

[SM_Bdawg]

Iyo what state records are most likely to be broken 

[TnRiver46]

12 lbs 1 oz ? Not likely here

[Jar11591]

NYS. The record was broken last year but the state is exploding now with huge smallies and largemouth. I think the record will change hands again soon. NY is having its moment. 

[DogBone_384]

Massachusetts has two sets of records, one is catch and have weight verified at an official station.  The second is catch and release with photo verification.

 

The former records are:

• LMB - 15 lbs. 8 oz. in 1975
• SMB - 8 lbs. 2 oz. in 1991

The latter:

• LMB - 25" in 2017
• SMB - 24.25" in 2023

I'm putting my money on @Mr. Aquarium breaking the LMB record in the next couple years.

[Mr. Aquarium]

@DogBone_384 thanks buddy! Appreciate the kind words. 
My 2 personal best for MA

8lbs 2 ounce 22 inches LMB

i caught a 7lbs 10 ounce that was 22.5 inches 

6lbs 9 ounce 21.5 inches SMB. 
 

Maybe someday I’ll get that record. Both would be very hard. I’ve heard stories of both fish being seen or caught.  Seen a picture of an 8-2 smallie  caught. 
heard stories of absolute giant giant largemouth being seen or following baits up. I’ve had a few that my jaw just dropped they were so big even hooked a few just absolute monsters. 

some of my 7s I wished I’ve had a measuring tape. I’d like to compare my 8-2 to different giant bass I catch in different ponds. 
 

 

[SM_Bdawg]

1 hour ago, DogBone_384 said:

Massachusetts has two sets of records, one is catch and have weight verified at an official station.  The second is catch and release with photo verification.

 

The former records are:

• LMB - 15 lbs. 8 oz. in 1975
• SMB - 8 lbs. 2 oz. in 1991

The latter:

• LMB - 25" in 2017
• SMB - 24.25" in 2023

I'm putting my money on @Mr. Aquarium breaking the LMB record in the next couple years.

What lakes do u think it come from

[Bluebasser86]

I missed the state record here by less than a pound and fish the lake the fish swims in often. The chances are slim, but it could happen.

[SM_Bdawg]

58 minutes ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

@DogBone_384 thanks buddy! Appreciate the kind words. 
My 2 personal best for MA

8lbs 2 ounce 22 inches LMB

i caught a 7lbs 10 ounce that was 22.5 inches 

6lbs 9 ounce 21.5 inches SMB. 
 

Maybe someday I’ll get that record. Both would be very hard. I’ve heard stories of both fish being seen or caught.  Seen a picture of an 8-2 smallie  caught. 
heard stories of absolute giant giant largemouth being seen or following baits up. I’ve had a few that my jaw just dropped they were so big even hooked a few just absolute monsters. 

some of my 7s I wished I’ve had a measuring tape. I’d like to compare my 8-2 to different giant bass I catch in different ponds. 
 

 

Dude just curious what lakes u fish?

[SM_Bdawg]

37 minutes ago, SM_Bdawg said:

Dude just curious what lakes u fish?

Quabbin?

[Mr. Aquarium]

10 minutes ago, SM_Bdawg said:

Dude just curious what lakes u fish?

I can’t tell ya where I caught my giant largemouth, but I caught my PB smallie in the Quabbin. I hooked another absolute giant smallie  at the Q, on a 6 inch hudd in 15 feet of water. Inhaled it.  Wachusett and the Quabbin are the best chances for records for both species and a variety of others too.  So much food, structure and water in those places

I’ve had some giant pickerel inhale swimbaits too. I had one inhale a 7 inch real prey whole, I have a problem with hook sets when I see the fish bite. My brain is a bit slow. Same place a few days later, I was using a 10 inch real prey, set the hook when I felt the bite, thinking it was a giant bass. Wrong a d**n pickerel ate a 10 inch swimbait.  Didn’t get the hook though, it ate the tail to right behind the hook 

[SM_Bdawg]

10 minutes ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

I can’t tell ya where I caught my giant largemouth, but I caught my PB smallie in the Quabbin. I hooked another absolute giant smallie  at the Q, on a 6 inch hudd in 15 feet of water. Inhaled it.  Wachusett and the Quabbin are the best chances for records for both species and a variety of others too.  So much food, structure and water in those places

I’ve had some giant pickerel inhale swimbaits too. I had one inhale a 7 inch real prey whole, I have a problem with hook sets when I see the fish bite. My brain is a bit slow. Same place a few days later, I was using a 10 inch real prey, set the hook when I felt the bite, thinking it was a giant bass. Wrong a d**n pickerel ate a 10 inch swimbait.  Didn’t get the hook though, it ate the tail to right behind the hook 

Ty was thinking about coming  out for a few days and chase a huge smallmouth 

[Mr. Aquarium]

21 minutes ago, SM_Bdawg said:

Ty was thinking about coming  out for a few days and chase a huge smallmouth 

It’s worth it!!! Big place but there’s giants there! 

[gim]

State record smallmouth in MN is 8.0 pounds even.  But it was caught way back in 1948 when no proof or witness was required.  They've re-classified it as a "historical record" now instead.

 

The new state record can be classified now into 2 categories: C & R length, and verified weight.  In order to obtain status of either, you need proof.  And in order to be recognized by weight, you will need to kill the fish.

 

I've looked up the forms for submitting state records here and the information required is fairly detailed.  And once it becomes official, it's public information.

 

If I caught a state record out of a big lake, I'd submit for a C & R version.  But if I caught one out of a smaller to mid sized lake, no way would I do it.  I don't need to show up at my local access and see a line of 30 boats waiting to launch.  It simply would not be worth it solely based the increased fishing pressure it would create.

 

You might see me holding it in a photo here in the rare event that this happens.

[MediumMouthBass]

3 hours ago, gim said:

If I caught a state record out of a big lake, I'd submit for a C & R version.  But if I caught one out of a smaller to mid sized lake, no way would I do it.  I don't need to show up at my local access and see a line of 30 boats waiting to launch.  It simply would not be worth it solely based the increased fishing pressure it would create.

 

Im thinking many states have had the record for both species beaten over and over again without anyone claiming it to the state. Especially with the way bass are thought of today, people start fights online (to where sometimes ive even seen threats start in the post comments on FB) if someone takes a 2lber to eat, imagine the uproar from that crowd if they heard a guy killed a 7-10lber+ just to get a piece of paper saying it. And then for the non verified C & R, you are absolutely right. The lakes i fish are very small and already high pressured, if i caught a record or potential record and posed it these places would no longer be fishable, and would be decimated. It wouldnt be worth it, because its hard enough fishing 20-120 acre lakes.

 

Like its been said above, NY is the best chance on paper. Within the last few years NY has took off with records, 1 guy beat the smallmouth record twice (and if i remember correctly it was 2 years in a row and the same bass?)Luck? Skill? Deal with the Devil in the Arby's parking lot? Who knows. Same lake (Cayuga) also had the largemouth record broken last year. Then the smallmouth record got beat again recently by a guy fishing a tournament at St Lawrence River.

 

However i do not believe this is a coincidence. I dont think its the bass that have changed, i think its the people fishing for them. Whats more likely, northern states that most believe rarely ever had big bass, all of the sudden got a bunch of record holding giants out of nowhere? At the same time. Or social media and Tiktok have made everyone crave fame and want to share everything with the world? Once again im a big believer many records have already been beat for both species, many guys dont fish with scales, many dont take pictures of bass either (even if its their PB), and the guys that do would just put it up on their wall, tell their wife that pretends she cares while not listening, and brag to their buddies at the bar. Whereas nowadays everyones got a scale and a phone loaded with every app you can think of, and these modern day bass fishermen love to use it. I feel like i see a few hundred 1-3lb bass posted everyday on FB/Reddit. Im betting in the next 5 years we start seeing records beaten across the country, especially in places we wouldnt think. Because of this.

[gim]

24 minutes ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Im thinking many states have had the record for both species beaten over and over again without anyone claiming it to the state. Especially with the way bass are thought of today, people start fights online (to where sometimes ive even seen threats start in the post comments on FB) if someone takes a 2lber to eat, imagine the uproar from that crowd if they heard a guy killed a 7-10lber+ just to get a piece of paper saying it. And then for the non verified C & R, you are absolutely right. The lakes i fish are very small and already high pressured, if i caught a record or potential record and posed it these places would no longer be fishable, and would be decimated. It wouldnt be worth it, because its hard enough fishing 20-120 acre lakes.

 

Oh I'm sure it's possible, if not likely.

 

The C & R version still requires verification.  It's just not in-person by an agency biologist.  At least one witness is required on the form, plus the lake, nearest town/city, and county.  You can only imagine the added fishing pressure to a 200 acre lake once everyone finds out where you caught AND released a living state record.  Consider that lake decimated.

 

The other thing is too, sometimes I fish alone.  So a witness wouldn't even be possible.  My dog doesn't count.

 

I frequently target tiger muskies in a few different lakes each season and I know for a fact I've hooked into two fish the past 3 seasons that would shatter the current C & R state record because I saw them and so did the person I was fishing with.  They both jumped and shook their heads, releasing the hook.  I know where they live though...

[DogBone_384]

12 hours ago, SM_Bdawg said:

What lakes do u think it come from

The current records are listed on the state website.  Where the next records come from, @Mr. Aquarium will never tell!

[Mr. Aquarium]

@DogBone_384 nope never especially online

[Mr. Aquarium]

19 hours ago, gim said:

 

 

I've looked up the forms for submitting state records here and the information required is fairly detailed.  And once it becomes official, it's public information.

 

If I caught a state record out of a big lake, I'd submit for a C & R version.  But if I caught one out of a smaller to mid sized lake, no way would I do it.  I don't need to show up at my local access and see a line of 30 boats waiting to launch.  It simply would not be worth it solely based the increased fishing pressure it would create.

 

You might see me holding it in a photo here in the rare event that this happens.

Agreed 10000%  I fish a lot of smaller ponds. I would take 1000 pictures and videos with the fish and release it. 
if people found out there would be 100 boats out there. I’d also feel really bad for killing such a beautiful fish. 

 

I’ve caught a 7lbs bass at one spot, said it was another, these guys were hammering the spot every night! 

[Reel]

18 hours ago, MediumMouthBass said:

 

 

However i do not believe this is a coincidence. I dont think its the bass that have changed, i think its the people fishing for them. 

I think the fish have changed.  At least the food bass eat has changed.  When the gobies started to appear, where I fish, we saw an increase in size of fish every year.  That goes for smallmouth, largemouth and other species.  Where a 3 pounder was a good fish 20 years ago, it doesn't even raise an eyebrow now.  Gobies are easy to eat and are numerous.  This is also true in winter when picking were scarce for smallmouth.  

[gim]

3 hours ago, Mr. Aquarium said:

if people found out there would be 100 boats out there. I’d also feel really bad for killing such a beautiful fish. 

 

Honestly it probably would be worse if you received the C & R length one (if your state has that) instead of the weight in which you had to kill it.  Because then everyone would know it was still in there...

 

Either way, smaller waters are going to get annihilated.

[MassBass]

On 2/28/2025 at 8:37 AM, Mr. Aquarium said:

@DogBone_384 thanks buddy! Appreciate the kind words. 
My 2 personal best for MA

8lbs 2 ounce 22 inches LMB

i caught a 7lbs 10 ounce that was 22.5 inches 

6lbs 9 ounce 21.5 inches SMB. 
 

Maybe someday I’ll get that record. Both would be very hard. I’ve heard stories of both fish being seen or caught.  Seen a picture of an 8-2 smallie  caught. 
heard stories of absolute giant giant largemouth being seen or following baits up. I’ve had a few that my jaw just dropped they were so big even hooked a few just absolute monsters. 

some of my 7s I wished I’ve had a measuring tape. I’d like to compare my 8-2 to different giant bass I catch in different ponds. 
 

 

Last fall I was down trout fishing at the pond. These kids were walking along the bank vaping and started asking me about the fishing. Yadda yadda, he says he caught a 12lb bass. I think wow he is full of it. Then he shows me a picture. It is a giant largemouth, he is holding it against his body like a carp. I had to think yeah, that is a 10-12lb fish.  Drunk in the middle of the night on a spinnerbait. For some the recordbook isn't a priority.

[Fairly Reliable]

There is also world light line records. I had a friend in Minnesota that held several light line world records.  The IGFA https://igfa.org/world-records/

[Mr. Aquarium]

9 hours ago, gim said:

 

Honestly it probably would be worse if you received the C & R length one (if your state has that) instead of the weight in which you had to kill it.  Because then everyone would know it was still in there...

 

Either way, smaller waters are going to get annihilated.

If I caught it, I’m BS’ing the place I caught it. The Quabbin sounds like a great spot to say where I caught it!  d**n straight I’m not telling where I actually caught it 

[Mr. Aquarium]

7 hours ago, MassBass said:

Last fall I was down trout fishing at the pond. These kids were walking along the bank vaping and started asking me about the fishing. Yadda yadda, he says he caught a 12lb bass. I think wow he is full of it. Then he shows me a picture. It is a giant largemouth, he is holding it against his body like a carp. I had to think yeah, that is a 10-12lb fish.  Drunk in the middle of the night on a spinnerbait. For some the recordbook isn't a priority.

Yep sounds about right! The guys that bust ass don’t catch the true giants but a drunk guy randomly throwing a spinner bait will get that record 

[webertime]

Vermont 6lbs 13oz