Only later did they discover that may not be the case. Bigger bass are more likely to move up the point toward shallow water in these conditions. This great reproductive potential and favorable environmental conditions allowed striped bass to establish a large population within a few years after their introduction in California. The waters just off Suicide Point and Sharons Rest are also popular areas. "The IGFA (International Game Fish Association) has a pretty vague rule about foul-hooking, which states you cannot intentionally foul-hook a fish.". Can the PFL's new women's featherweight division thrive without Kayla Harrison? See the Emergency Closures page before visiting a CDFW office, facility or property. top 25 largemouth bass. Easley was fishing with a few of his buddies out on Lake Casitas in California. While Dave did take the fish in for weighing, and it indeed shattered the weight limit, some fishermen immediately called the game and wildlife department to voice some complaints. Trees and brush along the shore werent cut back when the lake was enlarged,so you can cast a line just about anywhere and catch bass from submerged trees, brush and boulders. This is the oddest record you're probably going to find in the bass fishing world, and while it's controversial, the angler who caught the bass is expunged from any foul play. By August, they are about two inches long and are feeding primarily on mysid shrimp and amphipods, both bottom- dwelling crustaceans. * State law presently prohibits the take of giant (black) sea bass, bronzespotted rockfish, cowcod rockfish, yelloweye rockfish, statewide. This San Diego County reservoir was built in 1935 and was among the first lakes to receive plantings of Florida Largemouth bass when they arrived in California a couple decades later. A handful of local fishermen came forward, almost immediately, to claim that the catch was not only illegitimate, but it was also illegal. There was a period of time in the late 80s and early 90s when it seemed like that record would be toppled at any moment. Shad-colored soft jerkbaits are often effective, along with trout-patterned swimbaits. Apparently, they had seen a massive bass floating on the surface while they were out fishing that day, and a couple of them claimed to have seen Dave simply scoop the fish up with a net as it was dying. Also, each California bass fishing record will be detailed as much as possible so you can pick up on a few learning points that well highlight after we get done giving these once-in-a-lifetime catches the spotlight. WebBetween February 1990 and March 1991, four bass weighing more than 20 pounds were pulled from Castaic, including Bob Crupis still-supreme 22-pound, 0.5-ounce state record. Be aware of fluctuating water levels. World record holder Manabu Kurita reeled this big bass while fishing in Lake Biwa. "I feel I'm very blessed; everything I care about is family and friends. Lake Castaic was already known as a big bass lake, but that 13-month span really put it on the map. By this time it was quite apparent that it was the female at line's end, and one extremely large and displeased specimen. Claimed by many to be a mark that could never be eclipsed, the largemouth-bass record has become the thing of legends. In 1935, however, all commercial fishing for striped bass was stopped in the belief that this would enhance the sport fishery. Easley was fishing with a few of his buddies out on Lake Casitas in California. Like most San Diego bass lakes, Lake Murray is stocked regularly with rainbow trout, and theyre a major forage for the biggest bass, so dont leave home without a couple swimbaits. Pine Flat Lake has held the title more than once, most recently with a 10.27-pound bruiser brought in by Bryan Shishido during a tournament in 2001. However, officials only entered his name in the California bass fishing records after accounting for the 2.5-pound weight increase and removing it from the total, hence, he is officially credited with a 19.063-pound bass. In the Delta, threadfin shad are probably now the most common bait. Anchovies, sculpins (bullheads), and shrimp make up the bulk of the diet in San Pablo Bay. The bass wasn't caught as part of a tournament or in any other official capacity, and some "eyewitness" accounts added some skepticism to the catch. Tapeworm larvae that live in crustaceans eaten by striped bass burrow through the stomach or intestine and form masses in the muscles of the adjacent body wall. No abalone species may be taken in California at this time. "I'm just stoked to see a fish that big.". Weakley, Winn and Dickerson, who fish Dixon Lake as often as five days a week, said they decided to release the spawning fish because they were under the impression it wouldn't qualify as a record since it was foul-hooked. To top it off, largemouth bass aren't even native to the Golden State. Bullpit1967New Jersey10 lbs, 14 ozMenantico Sand Wash PondRobert Eisele1980New Mexico15 lbs, 13 ozBill Evans LakeSteve Estrada1995New York11 lbs, 4 ozBuckhorn LakeJohn L. Higbie1987North Carolina15 lbs, 14 ozPrivate PondWilliam H. Wofford1991North Dakota8 lbs, 7.5 ozNelson LakeLeon Rixen1983Ohio13 lbs, 2 ozPrivate PondRoy Landsberger1976Oklahoma14 lbs, 12.3 ozCedar LakeBenny Williams Jr.2012Oregon11 lbs, 9.6 ozPrivate PondRandy Spaur1994Pennsylvania11 lbs, 3 ozBirch Run ReservoirDonal Shade1983Rhode Island10 lbs, 6 ozJohnsons PondBrandon Migliore2016South Carolina16 lbs, 2 ozLake MarionP.H. The winter is a period of slow growth, during which a series of closely spaced rings form around the edge of each scale. On live bait, Johnny pulled in a 20.4-pound bass and immediately set out for the weighing station to get it, and his name cemented in the record books. Meyer's fish was also caught at California's big spotted bass factory, Bulllards Bar Reservoir. "To tell you the truth, I have a good job and I do all right, and I really don't give a (second thought) about it at all. The massive bass allegedly took a swipe at the stringer while Johnny was nearby, and Johnny simply scooped it up with a net. A parasite is an organism that derives its living from another organism. For example, heavy tackle is generally necessary in charter boat fishing to prevent undue fouling of lines, and in certain types of deep-water fishing involving the use of heavy sinkers. There could very well still be a 10-pounder in Pine Flat Lake. The largest striped bass on record weighed 125 pounds and was caught in a seine net in North Carolina in 1891. But, like any good fishing story, this one comes with several intriguing sidebars. On that morning, Easley was fishing Lake Casitas, California with a few buddies who were inexperienced anglers. Either way, we all could literally be one cast away from from the bass fishing record books. Just be sure to release spawning bass so they can continue to replenish the population. It's the Joe DiMaggio 56-game hitting streak of the angling world. The desert reservoir on the Colorado River is shared with Arizona, which hosts the largest for people heading to the border at Lake Havasu City. If Spring Lake, Calif., sounds familiar to record-class bass anglers, it is. Lake Isabella has produced some major bass over the years, including an 18-pound, 14-ounce lake record. For a bass to get to world-record size, almost everything has to be perfect for that fish: It needs the right genetics, the right cover and the right food. Most of the biggest bass from Castaic have been caught in late winter or very early spring. "Had they not released the fish alive and I think releasing it is the right thing to do I think they might have made quite a bit of money," Hall said. Conor McGregor shows up? By mid-June, most legal-sized bass have left fresh water and returned to the bays. Mac caught the monster at Dixon Lake with two of his friends one Monday morning in 2006, weighed it on a handheld digital scale, and released it back into the water. See the Emergency Closures page before visiting a CDFW office, facility or property. If your time is limited, head to the Lagoon. Dont let that deter you. Jigs and crawfish-imitating soft plastics are great here too, but its best to rig them Texas-style to get them through weeds and brush unscathed. One of the biggest obstacles here is the clarity of the water. This lake still has a reputation as a big bass factory. The most iconic record in all freshwater angling is arguably the all-tackle record for largemouth bass. Florida largemouths,introduced to California in 1959, grow bigger and faster than their northern cousins, routinely breaking the 10-pound markand, on occasion, even exceeding 20 pounds. California remains the top big-bass state in the West, but most experts agree that in the last 20 years their hopes that the state would produce a new world record have dimmed. Top 25 Largemouth Bass Records. As such, Dave immediately fell under extreme scrutiny. And in fairness, this is not one of the states best trophy bass waters. At this point in time, this was the biggest largemouth bass anyone had caught since Perry caught the world record bass back in the 1930s. TaylorN/AIllinois13 lbs, 1 ozStone QuarryEdward Walbel1976Indiana14 lbs, 12 ozUnnamed LakeJenifer Schultz1991Iowa10 lbs, 14 ozLake FisherPatricia Zaerr1984Kansas11 lbs, 12.8 ozPrivate Pit LakeTyson Hallam2008Kentucky13 lbs, 10.4 ozWood Creek LakeDale Wilson1984Louisiana15.97 lbsCaney LakeGreg Wiggins1994Maine11 lbs, 10 ozMoose PondRodney Cockrell1968Maryland11 lbs, 2 ozPrivate PondRodney Cockrell1983Massachusetts15 lbs, 8 ozSampson PondWalter Bolonis1975Michigan11 lbs, 15.04 ozBig Pine Island LakeWilliam Maloney1934Minnesota8 lbs, 12.75 ozTetonka LakeJoseph Johanns1959Mississippi18 lbs, 2.4 ozNatchez State Park LakeAnthony Denny1992Missouri13 lbs, 14 ozBull Shoals LakeMarvin Bushong1961Montana8 lbs, 12.8 ozNoxon Rapids ReservoirDarin Williams2009Nebraska10 lbs, 11 ozSandpit Near ColumbusPaul Abegglen Sr.1965Nevada12 lbs evenLake MeadMicheal R. Geary1999New Hampshire10 lbs, 8 ozLake PotanipoG. 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