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.
