Why hasn’t the record been broken?

[Tmpr111]

What are your thoughts as to why the Largemouth (our state) record has never been broken? I know there was a fish in Japan (I think), and another in California that was foul-hooked. But why with years of advancements and loaded fisheries do you think we’ve not seen it broken? I have my opinions, but just thought it’d be interesting to hear other thoughts. And no, Trump isn’t the reason

 

[Gator89]

Monsanto, everything is Monsanto's fault.

 

[DAWG1419]

Good question.

 

[ugajay]

I could be completely wrong, and probably am, but you think it may have something to do with folks not keeping smaller bass? I know a bunch of folks who practice nothing but catch and release. It has its place but I think sometimes it may leave lakes and ponds overpopulated and the fish have too much competition for food. Just my thought

 

[Browniez]

Buck wild natural F1 hybrid genetics in South Georgia is my guess.

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

Buck wild natural F1 hybrid genetics in South Georgia is my guess.

There's a genetic component and a forage component. Even with the right genetics, it takes a lot of food for bass to grow to those weights.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I could be completely wrong, and probably am, but you think it may have something to do with folks not keeping smaller bass? I know a bunch of folks who practice nothing but catch and release. It has its place but I think sometimes it may leave lakes and ponds overpopulated and the fish have too much competition for food. Just my thought

It could be a factor. Over the last 40 years, I have watched the average size of trout in the streams here in the Smokies decrease steadily. One factor I think is that almost nobody except a few locals ever kills a limit of trout these days on any kind of regular basis. It used to be standard operating procedure (and, if I remember correctly, that world record bass was also eaten for supper.) Most of the creeks now are choked with large numbers of small trout.

A stream or lake or pond will support a certain volume of biomass of any given species. That may consist of a whole lot of small fish, or a lesser number of bigger fish.

 

[westcobbdog]

Thought I read where a guy in either TX or Cal. caught one similar sized to Mr Perry's, but did not have it weighed properly.

 

[kc65]

Maybe the record has been broken...I pity the fool who does go public...

 

[Chap]

Like many issues, it's a combination of factors, and some of the responses thus far may very well be correct. I could be wrong, but I think one factor is the explosion of spotted bass in many fisheries, which has created competition for largemouth that limits the chances of one getting that large

 

[NCHillbilly]

It's kind of like our NC record smallmouth that weighed 10-2, and has been in place since 1951. I doubt if it will ever be broken. There have only been a handful of 10 lb smallmouth ever caught, and half of them came from the same lake in the same general time period.

In both cases, there was a combination of conditions capable of producing a freakishly large bass at that time. Those conditions aren't there now, and may never be again.

 

[across the river]

Even with age and diet 99.999999999% of fish will not reach that size. Similarly very few humans will ever grow to be over 7 foot tall. So even though Humans on average have gotten taller over the years, The chance of someone break the height record of over 8feet that was set 80 years ago is e tensely slim. It is even harder for someone to break the weight record because one could exist but you would still have to have someone catch.

 

[boatbuilder]

Too many people with too much technology. 100 mph boats, 360 degree fishfinders, gps trolling motors.

The fish don’t stand a chance.

 

[King.Of.Anglers.Jeremiah]

Most bass fishermen are fishing for small fish. They're not looking for the world record bass, just ANY bass. Most guys haven't caught one over 10lbs much less those freak of nature 15-20lb bass. They're extremely rare, harder to catch than smaller bass, and hard to find in the first place. They're out there, sure, but they have to be targeted exclusively because you're going after only the top 5-10% of fish in the entire lake and you need a whole new mindset and new gear for that. You'll catch plenty 2-6lbers on your regular finesse worms, Texas rigs and whatnot, but breaking the world record on a ned rig or drop shot rig like everybody uses? Good luck trying that.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

Most bass fishermen are fishing for small fish. They're not looking for the world record bass, just ANY bass. Most guys haven't caught one over 10lbs much less those freak of nature 15-20lb bass. They're extremely rare, harder to catch than smaller bass, and hard to find in the first place. They're out there, sure, but they have to be targeted exclusively because you're going after only the top 5-10% of fish in the entire lake and you need a whole new mindset and new gear for that. You'll catch plenty 2-6lbers on your regular finesse worms, Texas rigs and whatnot, but breaking the world record on a ned rig or drop shot rig like everybody uses? Good luck trying that.

I agree with the idea of specifically targeting big bass, but the world record was caught on a 4" Creek Chub Fintail Shiner, not a 10" glide bait.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I agree with the idea of specifically targeting big bass, but the world record was caught on a 4" Creek Chub Fintail Shiner, not a 10" glide bait.

And the world record smallmouth, an 11 lb 15 oz freak, was caught on a 4" bomber crankbait.

 

[Browning Slayer]

State Brown Trout was caught on a rooster tail.

Although, if you're going after big fish I would be throwing BIG baits.

 

[615groundpounder]

And the Lake Lanier striper record was caught on a chartreuse rubber lizard.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

And the Lake Lanier striper record was caught on a chartreuse rubber lizard.

The NC state record striper (66lbs) was caught on a black trick worm.

 

[GreenPig]

Location and speed are big factors on why the record hasn't been broken. Fisherman spend time in areas that consistently produce numbers of fish. Bigger largemouth are solitary by nature excluding the spawn. Fishing the types of areas week after week without so much as one fish is more than most are willing to dedicate themselves to do. Speed is a factor because bigger fish are ambush type hunters and most people fish way too fast to target them. They are making 10:1 ratio reels because people wanting to fish even faster. With all the pro fishermen spending 200 to 250 days a year on the water if fishing fast was the answer the record would've been eclipsed. All the above is just my opinion.