whats a big smallmouth?

BonkBonkBonk · 08-04-2003, 06:26 PM

is 17" huge? or is it just a medium sized fish?

bucketmouth · 08-04-2003, 07:53 PM

Good question! What is a dink? In my estimation here in the Northwest a dink is a fish 10 inches and under, 11 to 14 inches is medium. Anything over 15 is large. 20" plus is a trophy.

ScottD · 08-04-2003, 07:54 PM

No, 17" is not huge. I think any smallmouth over 20" is a "big" fish but 17" is just a little bigger than average.

salmurai · 08-04-2003, 09:35 PM

Also depends on where it was caught. just my .02 cents worth.....sal

BonkBonkBonk · 08-05-2003, 07:23 AM

cool thinks
maby ive just been catching the baby smallmouths:P

Hooker · 08-05-2003, 09:16 AM

The Oregon State record for a smallmouth went nearly 8 lbs. It was caught at Hagg Lake. A 17" smallmouth is certainly a nice smally...but they wouldn't consider it a huge one! Sure bet it put up a nice fight with your light tackle!

Mojo · 08-07-2003, 08:59 AM

On the Snake, that's definitely a good fish. That area gets hit really hard, and most bass get taken home once they reach 12 inches, so you got a good one. I've caught a few in the lake that were bigger, but not too many. That's a dandy.

FastAction · 08-07-2003, 10:22 AM

The 22" 7lb smallie I got in Patterson Wa in June 96 was a pig...

BonkBonkBonk · 08-07-2003, 10:58 AM

mojo:
after watching all the tiny ones swimming underneath the bridge, when i saw the big one i was like :shocked:
and i was even more amazed that i got it to bite

is there any places around boise that has bigger bass that you can catch from the bank?

[ 08-07-2003, 12:06 PM: Message edited by: BonkBonkBonk ]

gottafish · 08-08-2003, 05:10 PM

My biggest to date was 8lb caught in saginaw bay on may 19th 1983 24.5 inches. It was a toad caught over 200 off a sunken barge in 20 feet of water. yellow mister twister Grub auger tail

Dave Smith · 08-09-2003, 08:49 PM

what is the Michigan state record?

08-09-2003, 10:13 PM

17" isn't a big one, large average for the streams that I fished. My largest samallmouth was 21" but I've seen a 22" fish.

rob allen · 08-10-2003, 09:54 AM

For the average every day bass fisher 17 inches is a very very nice bass. sure there are larger around but thoes are usually caught by people who really know what they are doing.
I have fished smallies for 10 years sometimes seriously sometimes not and my best fish was this last spring at 18 inches. and only on two ocassions have I seen bigger fish in the water. they are there but unless your boating and know where and when to look you won't run into many so for my life a 17 inchers is a great lunker and a proud catch

Bounty Hunter · 08-11-2003, 08:38 AM

17" is awesome in my book.

I caught my first Willamette River smallie yesterday and he was 13". That's the biggest of my life so I'm pumped. I only wish I had been fishing for them. He didn't put up a monster fight on my steelhead rod.

BonkBonkBonk · 08-11-2003, 02:23 PM

wow
i cant belive catching a 20lb smallmouth :shocked:

Mad Mikey · 08-25-2003, 05:31 PM

Anything over 12" is a prize in my book.
17"??? That'a a beaut.
I fish em' on the John Day with light tackle, mainly 4wt flyrod. 10" fish will tear you up, they could tow a rainbow back to the ocean.

spin33 · 08-27-2003, 02:09 PM

My son caught a 21.5 in. smallie on the mainstem of the Umpqua river a couple of years ago. It was a guided trip ( Terry Jarmain) The picture is still posted on his website. www.umpqua-river-guide.com, check it out

(listed under "RATES")

[ 08-27-2003, 03:11 PM: Message edited by: spin33 ]

willierower · 08-27-2003, 03:10 PM

Tody I got my 2 biggest smallmouth. 1 was 16" the bigger one was 18.5". Those were 2 of the 3 I got in quick trip to my secret smallie hole.

BigFish · 08-30-2003, 02:09 PM

SM over 20" are a master fish, I have pulled 5 of them out of the John Day have the patches and hats from guide Steve Flemming. 18" to 20" are only trophy fish :grin: Still a great fight.

wade · 08-31-2003, 08:28 AM

Anything under 8 inches is a dink, 9-12" is perfect pansize (with a 12 incher you have to cut off the tail for it to fit), anything bigger is too big to eat and a biggun in my book, this is coming from the Umpqua. 14" and bigger will make my day every time. 17" is a hawg. Catching a couple of 14+ inchers is a rare day. I've put some time in on this pursuit but wouldn't consider myself a bass expert, but I know what's there and what ain't.

Kevin

bassfishingnw · 08-31-2003, 09:18 PM

Here is a 4.25 that I caught out of Riffe this year at the Lewis County Bass Club Open.

Can't remeber what the length was...but heavy enough to get us 1st place :smile: ...13.9ozs

Jennie@ifish · 09-01-2003, 06:29 AM

This is a four or five pound bass that I caught with Steve Flemming, Stan Fagerstrom, and Bill. He called it a trophy.

I was proud of it! :smile:

Jen

WildHawg · 09-02-2003, 10:36 AM

I caught a 20" hen rolling herring near Milwaukie this year in April. Must've thought it was a smolt coming near her nest, since she spit 2 out when I whacked her

I guided on the Umpqua, and I'd say 18" and above (I've seen 24" State records released) is a trophy.
I love fishing for smallies, but feel they should be restricted to landlocked bodies of water. They are a real bane on the smolts in April and May when the water reaches the upper 50's, particularly on the Umpqua, where I have spent many many days watching smallies chase smolt, and literally watched hundreds of them spit smolt out as I removed the hook to release them.