How big do male bass get?

[retiredbosn]

I know that most large if not all large bass caught are female bass.  So in short I am wondering ow large a male bass can grow?  Does any one have that information?

[low_pro]

If I recall correctly, it's only around 4lbs +/-.

[Raul]

When I worked at the state 's fish farm we had LMB breeders, the biggest oldest males were in the 4.5 lb mark, now think about it, these were fish kept in tip top condition with the best care and all the food they can eat, no predators, no fishermen, optimum water quality parameters so you can assume that males normally don 't grow that big nor live that long to achieve that size.

[Randall]

The biggest I have ever caught that I could comfirm was a male by it's spawning habits was six pounds. Four pounders are common on one lake that I fish but I see very very few over four pounds.

[HAMMER23]

Just wondering how many fisherman can positively tell a male from a female just by looking at it. What do you look for ? If you would, fill me in !!!

[J Francho]

Really the only way I can tell is when I catch a female off a bed, and her ovipositor (egg tube) is distended.

[WRB]

During the spawning season you can tell by the seminal fluids (milt) sacks in male bass. The milt can be squeezed out by handling the bass (white fluids). A biologist looks at the fine scales around the vent and the shape of the vent to determine gender, I can't see any difference, other than during the spawn.

My largest male NLMB was 7.5 lbs caught at lake San Vincente back in 1969, verified by DFG biologist Larrt Bothoff. Larry told me that was the largest male he had examined to that date.

The 4 to 5 lb mark is a good general weight max for male bass in most lakes, IMO.

WRB

[hookset on 3]

When I worked at the state 's fish farm we had LMB breeders, the biggest oldest males were in the 4.5 lb mark, now think about it, these were fish kept in tip top condition with the best care and all the food they can eat, no predators, no fishermen, optimum water quality parameters so you can assume that males normally don 't grow that big nor live that long to achieve that size.

Hello  down in Mexico. Yeah Raul, those male bass had a year round growing condition. Up here in New England, we're luckly to get 5 months. Our  males must really be dinks. To reach 4LBS. they need to live over 10 years up here.

[CJ]

I have been told that there were studies that gave averages that showed bucks grew %50 the size of the females for a given fishery. For example, if it's possible for a female to reach 10 lbs. in a body of water, males may reach 5 lbs.

I have caught what I believe was a male that weighed 5 lbs. 2 oz. on Barkley Lake.

Raul can tell you how to sex a fish.  

[J Francho]

During the spawning season you can tell by the seminal fluids (milt) sacks in male bass.

And just like that, I caught a male off a bed this past week that did just this.  I must have had "the touch" since no squeezing was required!

[HAMMER23]

I am going to try to research it, but if there is anyway to tell a male from a female outside of the spawn let me know. I really want to know for my own good so any info would be appreciated.

[J Francho]

I know how to vent sex larger Cichlids, but I do not know if this translates to the sunfish family.

http://www.fishhead.com/articles/ventsex.htm

[Matt Fly]

The largest male ever donated to the Texas SAL program was 6 lbs.

[Hopper]

On a fishing show(I think pro team journal) one of the guys(Mark Menedez, I think) said the male bass will have more of a "V" shape lower jaw and the female is more rounded.  I don't know it to be a fact or myth but thats what Ive heard.

[jacker]

During the spawning season you can tell by the seminal fluids (milt) sacks in male bass.

And just like that, I caught a male off a bed this past week that did just this. I must have had "the touch" since no squeezing was required!

lol ;D

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

"How big does a male Bass get?"

-Depends how close you hold it to the camera   ;D

[backpain...]

"How big does a male Bass get?"

-Depends how close you hold it to the camera ;D

Best answer yet! Don't forget how far you can extend it from your body as well

[HAMMER23]

Not big enough apparently !!!!