Ewest, our Nebraska state record LMB is 10 lbs. 12 oz. and I don't think it will be broken any time soon.
Massachusetts has a state record of 15 lbs. and it's farther north than Nebraska and may even have more severe winters. Lots of snow anyway.
I was told the bass came out of a small lake that gets runs of alewives from the sea. Not sure how accurate that is.