Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Quest to grow record sized bass

I do think Bruce has the best shot at it, on the other hand LMB over 8 lbs. are a rarity here.

Yes I do, as long as they have something appropriate they can catch and eat. I am documenting on a regular basis fish growing through the winter. Also I catch lots of fat big bass while ice fishing, I'm talking lots of big bass through the ice that are eating big baits, they don't want little baits. Most Midwestern lakes don't have adequate natural forage for bass to grow in the winter.

Trout for example would not be ideal forage for bass under the ice.

39 degrees in my opinion is not the limiting factor that can't be overcome. Also what temp do you think the water is 50' down in a lake that is 80' deep in Illinois? Then what temp do you think the water is in California 50' down in an 80' deep lake?

Doing the same types of things over and over again and expecting different results is basically another way of thinking about lakes and ponds and bass and data and research from the Midwest. Addressing limiting factors Outside the box is key

It's been broken many times and will be broken alot more frequently in the years to come from private bodies of water. There are ways to consistently grow double digit bass in Nebraska it's just not with typical textbook stocking and management.

Stirring more than just a pot, gonna change the way people think and have been taught... You see naturally Texas grows bigger bass and Illinois grows bigger deer.... BUT the deer guys in Texas have figured a few things out to also now grow really big deer... Now the Illinois guys are a few years behind but we are going to grow Texas sized bass!

I bet you that public ground Texas deer hunting isn't quite the same as hunting behind those fences or managed ranches. Same as public water bass fishing in Illinois isn't too desirable for guys from Texas to come up here and do.....

But Illinois guys are now going to Texas to shoot big bucks and I'm gonna have Texas boys coming up to catch big bass...

Yeah like someone else said you better have some deep pockets to start things off. Bass eat and eat and eat lets think about this for a sec. A 15 inch bass can and will eat a 5 inch fish. Like n8ly said if you want big bass you have to feed them bigger fish. I am no expert by any means but I see this on my pond all the time. Your bigger bass swim around like sharks looking for that right moment to hit a fish and there not picking out the smaller ones. As soon as I put a 4 inch BG on a hook and bobber it will be gone in less than 10 minutes. They can't stand it they got to eat it it's in their blood to attact easy prey and if you don't have easy prey you need a LOT of prey to make it easier for them to catch and not expel to much energy doing it.

RC

The more people out there that tell me it can't be done the merrier... We are gonna take down the Illinois state record and once we start doing that consistently we will go after Texas, Florida, California, and then George Perry..... I have too work too many more years to be content with minimal improvement within the industry...

^^^^^^^
Right here....I believe that just because something has always been done or thought about in a certain way, doesn't mean that a better way doesn't exist. Accepted practice should only be accepted for the moment, and not automatically regarded as the final word on the subject. Things change, and new ideas and concepts are always awaiting discovery.

n8ly your the man! If I could afford to have someone manage my pond you would be on the top of the list bud!! Keep it up and show us some more of that good work you do more often!!

RC

Start by running heat to the pond in winter.

It has?

Growing a double digit bass in Nebraska is one thing, catching and having it certified is another.

Was it even real? There never was a picture...

Oops now I'm stirring the pond. LOL

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.

Here too. I rarely see bass over 6 lbs. anymore here except from private ponds.

http://www.nooga.com/162026/possible-new-photo-of-world-record-largemouth-bass-surfaces

32 inch bass that is just fricken stupid big! What is amazing to me is that his equipment back then held up!! A fish that size today would be hard on our newer equipment I can't imagine trying to catch him with 1932 or older rods and reels.....

RC

That's awesome. Thanks for posting. I still question how it became a record without a photo submitted.

With money, most anything can be done. Except perhaps change biology. Maybe not, they do even change DNA these days...

Nate, I have no doubt that you can get it done.

I still think Bruce can get one larger than the Ne. state record in under 2 years. Did you see the size of the ones last Fall???

I love the confidence and I hope we can share ideas of how to accomplish this.

This. If Mass can get a 15-8, that far North, look what LMB can do. This record bass was caught ice fishing.

I heard that lake gets full of yellow perch and white perch.

That Massachusetts record has always been very interesting to me. Is there a photo out there? Why so much bigger than other northern states?

As I said earlier a resident told me the lake it was caught it gets an influx of alewives and shad from the ocean so it has a good varied forage base size. He also said the lake listed is not actually the lake it was caught in but a nearby one. Go figure.

Interesting thing about Mass, which is a state I cut my fishing teeth on, is the largemouths average larger than the ones in my area of northern Indiana. Only thing I can figure is all the rainbow trout that are planted in the lakes. Put and take trout fishing is a big deal out there with some holdover fish. Water quality tends to be really good up to 25 feet in clarity in some lakes, and 50 feet in one reservoir I fish on the dam side (25,000 acre Quabbin reservoir). The water tends to be soft although there are some exceptions. I've seen really large largemouth cruise by in the crystal clear water with no interest in baits.

Also bluegill are considered trash fish by most and get very light pressure if any at all, so perhaps that effects the bass forage base positively?

Our Indiana records is 14 lbs. 12 oz. out of a pond. I read the pond is loaded with frogs.