Jackson Holbert is also fond of the lake. Two years after his competition win, Field & Stream magazine began certifying world records. Many fishing tournaments focusing on largemouth bass are held throughout the country. Here are the state records to prove it. When you go fishing at Douglas Lake, a fishing license is required. They are as follows Sauger - February and March in the river from Highway 25 bridge upstream. Harvest Category (Weight) | Catch and Release (Length) The link within the common name column opens the state record photos page The harvest category recognizes the heaviest fish for each species. Douglas is a fertile, Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir with 555-miles of shoreline and a total surface area of 30,600-acres. We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! Water Source - An impoundment of the French Broad River completed in 1943. Mail completed form and a photograph of the fish to KDFWR, Record Fish Program, #1 Sportsman's Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601. Fishermen Watch As 600lb Marlin Catch Gets, The Largest Great White Sharks Ever Found, Biggest in the World? They are as follows Sauger - February and March in the river from Highway 25 bridge upstream. Many anglers hoping to catch trophy-level bass make their way to the lake in the months between February and April, or in late fall between October and December. We protect and manage the fish, forest, and wildlife of the state. I cringed when I read Douglas Lake set to stun by David Hunter Jones on the Bassmaster Opens web page. Most of the time, yellow bass can be found along rocky shorelines with depths of only two to three feet. Billy set the record on July 6, 1986, and although some folks have caught fish almost as large the record still stands. 2023 Visit My Smokies, The ONLY site you need to plan your Smoky Mountain vacation, is a website owned and operated by Sevier County, Tennessee. In some lakes you may need to go as deep as 60 feet while others seldom hold fish below 25 feet. Another angler reeled in 17-pound largemouth bass from this lake but it wasnt quite big enough to break the record. "About Douglas Lake/555 Miles of Shoreline", U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Douglas Lake, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Douglas_Lake&oldid=1133045492, This page was last edited on 12 January 2023, at 01:26. The reservoir can fluctuate 60-feet from the summer elevation of 1000-feet above sea level to the winter elevation of 940-feet. Good fishing takes place from Point 18 to Rankin Bridge as fish move upstream. I was dismayed when Mauldin also predicted widespread limit catches. At that point, Gilmores fish weighed in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces and was 23.5 inches long; big enough to nab him a new state largemouth bass record for alternative methods. Record fish caught in Utah. Species Weight Length Date WaterBody Angler Bait/Lure; Bass, Alabama 5.98: 22.25: Jan 9, 2016 Shop Douglas Lake--Tennessee. With 7,500 lakes I am sure there are other fishing spots than can boast the same. Both Black and White crappie can be caught in Douglas but White Crappie is the predominant species. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. No votes so far! Ethan Montgomery of Sullivan East High School likes Douglas because, Theres a good number of big ones and you can use a variety of fishing styles there., Ryan Lehan added, It is one of the easiest lakes to catch a limit. One of the most obvious areas where these fish differ is in their mouth sizes. Thermal stratification is common during the summer months. When I am not writing I love going to my kids' soccer games, watching movies, taking on DIY projects and running with our giant Labradoodle "Tango". If you are looking to replicate the catch you might want to use the same bait Billy did, he used a Strike King Spinnerbait with a green and yellow skirt. "Deep" depends on the overall depth of the lake you are fishing. Floridas Trophy Catch program mentions Lake Istokpoga year after year as a great place to catch big bass. When it comes to bass, and specifically largemouth bass Florida has some of the best bass fishing around. 7.2 oz. [PDF] must accompany prospective record fish entries. In fact, bass fishing is better now than at any point I can remember . Steinaker Lake: BASS, Largemouth: 1991: 4 lbs. This is important to know in advance to make plans to stay near the lake. I graduated from the University of Minnesota-Morris with a degree in Elementary Education and I am a former teacher. LeConte View! According to Mauldin, Douglas doesn't subscribe to what's normal. Arguably, it is even more challenging to tie a current world record where exact weights, lengths, and precise measurements come into play. Crappie - Usually November through May; excellent fishing. . Another key distinction between the two can be found in their respective colors. When they returned the next day to check their line, Gilmore realized they had caught something. As a result, they have been stocked throughout the U.S. to provide recreational fishing opportunities. Sauger and Walleye provide a seasonal fishery and each spring, both species make spawning runs up the French Broad River. Largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish are the most popular game fish for Douglas anglers. Fish live bait on the bottom, Carolina-rigged lizards, or cast Firetiger or shad colored Shad Raps, Rapalas, and Rebels. Then again, Mauldin believes it will be hard to catch three consecutive 15-pound limits from the flooded cover. Read on to discover the largest largemouth bass ever caught in Florida! Thank you for reading! Kentucky Lake is an awesome shallow water fishery if you know where to look. Soddy Daisy team member Logan Evans had a different perspective. Douglas Lake Tennessee Home Page - Maps Photo History-Resources Stories with Stickers for boating conservation and fishing . A Largemouth Bass, affectionately known as Dottie thanks to an obvious black mark near her gills, looked like she would be a record-breaking catch. Tennessee's Record Fish as of December 1, 2001 (*world record) Common Name: Weight: Date Caught: Location: Largemouth Bass : 14 lbs. I love them all, but Pickwick really strikes me different than all the others. Largemouth bass should be stocked at a 1:10 ratio with bluegill or bluegill and redear sunfish. At that time of year, fishermen should concentrate on fishing the lower end of the lake, and at depths of less than 10-feet (above the thermocline). Nevertheless, with the large numbers of bass fishermen throughout the state, you can always find plenty willing to rank the lakes and give opinions. Dayton 1954 ; Mountain Whitefish 5.9 22.5 14 Island Park Reservoir Robert Hall 1997 ; Northern Pike 40.13 The most effective tactics are to bounce large red or orange flies frequently tipped with a minnow off the bottom and trolling bright-colored crankbaits. Bass up to twelve pounds have been caught a Saguaro Lake, and a thirty-pound carp was once discovered here as well. Thank you for reading! So do seven of the state's top 10, 12 of the top 15; 16 of the top 25, and 30 of the top 50. Bassmaster Magazine even included Lake Havasu in its list of the best lakes of the decade. Popular area attractions are a short drive away from the lake, so if you want to explore a museum, visit thrilling attractions or browse unique shops, you wont have far to go. The average length of Largemouth Bass is commonly around 18 inches although fish up to 24 inches or more have been known. Douglas Dam was built in record time for a facility of its size. The lake has exploded in popularity over the last 10 years drawing national attention as a top tournament lake full of giant bass. Globally, they can also be found in South Africa, Europe, Guam, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand, and the Philippines. Manabus catch was verified by a polygraph test which he passed, proving he was telling the truth about all details of the record. This is also the Rodman Reservoir located just southwest of Palatka, FL. Lake Havasu is another famous lake that anglers all over the country appreciate for its wide range of fish families. Weight Records This page ranks weight records caught by rod & reel, fly rod and bow fishing. Lake Michigan: Kenosha: Bass, Largemouth: 11 lbs. Hes a local hot stick, and he will be competing in the tournament. However, whenever I draw a tournament partner that guarantees easy limits of bass, its the kiss of death. Largemouth bass is a classic-looking fish with green-speckled scales on the upper half of its body and lighter-colored scales as it gets closer to the belly. Freshwater Record Fish If your record is not listed here, please contact us.For more information about Connecticut's angler recognition program, please visit our Trophy Fish Award Program webpage. At least one Spring Lake largemouth has made the record books, though. There is 28,000 acres of water and with 513 miles of shoreline, theres plenty of spots, cuts, and coves to fish. Their diet can consist of fish, crayfish, frogs, newts, dragonflies, and virtually anything else they can fit in their mouths! NEW-Prime Location King Retreat-Mt. The record bass was caught on January 2nd, 1992 by Barry St. Clair. Lake George is the second-largest lake in Florida and is on the edge of the Ocala National Forest. We knew something was on there, Gilmore said. Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences. This cover should yield many limits during the tournament. While the total length of Lake Roosevelt can change depending on whether or not it is in a drought year, it is predictably one of the largest lakes in Arizona at roughly 22 miles in length and a surface area of 21,493 acres. He reported that Elite Series pro Ott Defoe believes most anglers will catch a limit every day at the Douglas Lake Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open. Some have stood for a while while others have recently been broken as more anglers get their name into the record books. The catch was 20.75 pounds; just mere ounces behind the area's top records, and it's one of the top records at Dixon's watering hole. Canyon Lake is part of the Superstition Wilderness of Tonto National Forest, a beloved travel location for those who live in or are visiting Phoenix. DOUGLAS CO-LONESTAR LAKE 62.77 19.69 0.33 4.93 G NEOSHO SFL 62.02 29.29 2.99 6.15 G EDNA CITY LAKE . His efforts have been futile. All-Tackle rankings are displayed on a separate page. 11 - Lake Hodges, California - Gene Dupras. Largemouth Bass is one of the most widely distributed fish in the world. Have some feedback for us? Arizona is home to several lakes that are ideal for largemouth bass fishing, like Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu, Lake Roosevelt, Saguaro Lake, and Lake Martinez. Largemouth bass are very aggressive fish and will strike at nearly anything they consider alive. It helps with the overall water control in the Tennessee Valley. Some records date back to George S Perry's world record bass in 1922 while others state records seem to be broken every year. Overview. Saguaro Lake has a 10-mile-long shoreline stocked with 12 species of fish and plenty of largemouth bass (imported from Florida), walleye, catfish, bigmouth buffalo, crappie, bluegill, yellow bass, and tilapia. A monthly publication about conservation in Missouri. He also plans to hedge his bets and have rods rigged for the flooded cover. In 1897, they were brought to Arizona, where they are now one of the most popular species to fish for in the state. While it is true that there hasn't been a fish anywhere near George Perry's record caught here, this lake is full of lunkers and the records prove it. Largemouth bass sport green-speckled scales on the upper half of their body and lighter-colored scales near the underbelly. Douglas Lake is a fertile, Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir with 555-miles of shoreline and a total surface area of 30,600-acres. 18" 13" Paul Dixon: Steinaker Reservoir: BASS, Smallmouth . Largemouth bass have extended lower and upper jaws, but smallmouth bass have properly sized mouths when seen in relation to their bodies. That could spread the deep bass among several livewells and reduce the weight needed to win here. He predicts it will take 18 to 20 pounds a day to win. "Douglas produces lots of 6- and 7-pound largemouths." Mauldin enjoyed one of those glory days just two weeks ago when he cranked up five bass that weighed over 26 pounds. #3 Pickwick We travel back to the Tennessee River for the third place lake of Pickwick. There are 8 different kinds of bass on record in Florida: Largemouth bass, Redeye, Spotted, Suwannee, Shoal, Striped, White, and Sunshine. In the case of the largemouth bass its around 23 years! The biggest largemouth bass ever caught in Texas weighed 18.18 pounds and measured 25.50 inches. Mauldin has been practice fishing at Douglas and says the lakes abundant shoreline willows and bushes are full of water and bass. There was a time in the early to mid-2000s that it looked like the record was going to be beaten though. We've compiled a list of the State Largemouth Bass Record from all 50 states to help serve as a reference on the quality of fish swimming in your home state. There is a 15 fish daily creel limit and a 10-inch minimum size limit for crappie. Stocking: Largemouth bass are suitable for ponds larger than 1 acre. The only reason why the record is valid today is that he stopped to get his catch weighed at his local post office on the way home. On May 1, Gilmore phoned Fisheries Management Biologist Ross Dames and told him about his fish. Lake Fork, 18.18 . One of the world record catches was caught on Lake Talquin. The more they mature, the more readily young striped bass will consume a diet of smaller crustaceans, larval fish, mayflies, and larvae. The top five are lakes many would recognize as successful tournament lakes over the last several years. Largemouth bass are one of the top recreational ?sh species in the United States. 8.125 05/19/2017 Lake Michigan: Milwaukee: Bass, Largemouth 11 lbs. Top Baits: Top water lures, crankbaits, Jigs and plastic worms. These are all for Largemouth bass: Yes! If you buy a product through links on the site we may make a small commission. Lake Roosevelt is especially prized for its largemouth bass population but has also been known to host smallmouth bass up to 5 lbs in weight. For questions about record fish or comments about these pages . Fishermen Watch As 600lb Marlin Catch Gets, The Largest Great White Sharks Ever Found, Biggest in the World? The lures listed for the early spring spawning run are also recommended for the summer. All their bass were post-spawn fish. Theres no bad time to fish, Just times when they bite better. Canyon Lake is 10 miles long and has a surface area of 950 acres, an average depth of 130 feet, and a maximum depth of 141 feet. 2.4 oz. The IGFA fly tackle record for Largemouth Bass is currently held by angler John R. Kelly, Jr who caught a 20.47-inch (52cm) fish in Stuart, Florida on 7th February 2022. Douglas' drainage basin of 4,541-square miles is the largest of the tributary reservoirs. The owner of the store allowed Gilmore to keep his fish in a tank until he could contact MDC. Have you caught a record fish? They prefer warmer water which is why Florida is one of their favorite homes but they are located all over the US. While natural reproduction can maintain the fishery, the TWRA closely monitors these populations and hatchery-reared fish are stocked if numbers become low. Amnicon Lake: Douglas: Chub, Hornyhead 0 lbs. Anglers from all over the country travel to Dale Hollow, annually, to search for the next record. Fish shallow in the mornings and evenings and move deeper as the sun rises. April through September. This bass was 24.75 inches long with a 26-inch girth. Fish species inhabiting the Douglas Lake include, Bass, Crappie, Catfish, and Bluegill. 52 cm (20.5 inches), Stuart, FL: February 7, 2022, by John R. 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