Largemouth bass are one of the top recreational ?sh species in the United States. The first is a longstanding record dating back to 1932 caught by George W. Perry on Montgomery Lake in Georgia (USA). While natural reproduction can maintain the fishery, the TWRA closely monitors these populations and hatchery-reared fish are stocked if numbers become low. Douglas Lake is ranked in the top 10 in the nation for largemouth bass and is also rated one of the top 5 crappie locations in the nation! The massive bass weighed in at 22 pounds 5 ounces one ounce more than the current world record! The reservoir can fluctuate 60-feet from the summer elevation of 1000-feet above sea level to the winter elevation of 940-feet. I graduated from the University of Minnesota-Morris with a degree in Elementary Education and I am a former teacher. This fishing report brought to you by The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. Another key distinction between the two can be found in their respective colors. I highly encourage anglers to look at the smaller management lakes such as Pin Oak, Williamsport, Browns Lake, Woods Reservoir, Melton Hill, Caney Fork River, South Holston, Reelfoot, Laurel Hill and Parksville Lake. Asc Professor , Biodesign Center for Personalized Diagnostics. Every year this angler searches for new deep-water honey holes at Douglas, armed with his LCG, GPS maps and deep diving crankbaits. What the top bodies of water are in Tennessee for bass fishing will always be a strong subject of debate among anglers. Largemouth bass and crappie spawn in the large shallow embayments and have historically produced very strong year classes. Columbia River. Nevertheless, with the large numbers of bass fishermen throughout the state, you can always find plenty willing to rank the lakes and give opinions. Adult striped bass have even been known to eat crabs, squid, and other small invertebrates. Campbell County High School coach Gabe Keen broke the Tennessee State largemouth record on Chickamauga on Feb. 13, 2015, catching a 15-pound, 3-ounce monster while practicing for a tournament. Species name Weight Length in inches Date Location County Alewife 0 lbs. Dale Hollow's biggest claim to fame is that it is still the record holder for the world's largest smallmouth bass. Some have stood for a while while others have recently been broken as more anglers get their name into the record books. Largemouth Bass is one of the most widely distributed fish in the world. Roger A. Massey. Weight Record - Game Fish Most recent entry is highlighted in this color. [PDF] must accompany prospective record fish entries. Angler Terry McAbee holds the 6lb line class record with his catch weighing in at 16 pounds 9 ounces. This is due to the excellent reproduction and outstanding growth rates of Douglas bass. Toll-Free:1-800-332-0900 All of those offer fantastic opportunities for anglers and are truly hidden gems, added Captain Davis. Douglas Lake Jefferson - Tennessee 201 catches 2K+ followers 429 spots One of the most productive waters in east Tennessee. They are as follows Sauger - February and March in the river from Highway 25 bridge upstream. This is not just on the list because of the Smallfry record being caught here. E-mail the office, Go to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. 3 oz. Gilmore thought that was a good idea. Fish taken from private waters that are closed to public access are not eligible for record status. Lake Fork, 18.18 . Crappie - Usually November through May; excellent fishing. 12/32. But record-breaking fish can be caught at anytime, weighed on an International Game Fish. This lake is located only a few miles from the Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg area, and also the Great Smoky Mountains National Park . This lake is located only a few miles from the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area, and also the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Jackson Holbert is also fond of the lake. One of the world record catches was caught on Lake Talquin. Then consider the top six largemouth bass ever caught in Texas including "Ethel" and the current Barry St. Clair state-record largemouth of 18.18-pounds all hail from Lake Fork. White bass are carnivores that like to feed on crayfish, mayfly larvae, aquatic insects, and chironomid larvae. DOUGLAS LAKE: Dragging Baits for Deep Summer Largemouth Bass - YouTube Today's video takes place on Douglas Lake in East Tennessee in the heat of July. No votes so far! The first days weigh-in should provide the answer. Fishermen Watch As 600lb Marlin Catch Gets, The Largest Great White Sharks Ever Found, Biggest in the World? We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. These guides will help you get out on the lake and catch some fish. The dam itself is a hydroelectric facility with 4 generating units that have a combined net dependable capacity of 111 megawatts. Crappie is normally very abundant and extremely popular with Douglas anglers. Everyone is going to say Chickamauga is the top lake followed by Dale Hollow, Kentucky Lake, Douglas, Old Hickory and so on, but when you really look at the entire state one can name several great fisheries in Tennessee. With 7,500 lakes I am sure there are other fishing spots than can boast the same. 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. It has a strong population of largemouth and smallmouth and sometimes theyre in the same place.. But it also made me think I should have called the Conservation Department sooner!. Julia Grace Ketner caught a 4.00 kg (8 lb 13 oz) largemouth bass on Lake Okeechobee in Florida. There is 496 miles of shoreline holding 43,100 acres of water to fish. In 1897, they were brought to Arizona, where they are now one of the most popular species to fish for in the state. In a year with normal rainfall, Douglas Lakes water level varies about 44 feet from summer to winter. Smallmouth bass also prefer cooler waters and are most easily found in open water during the spring and fall months. Breaking a world record is a pretty rare thing for anyone to achieve. The creel limit for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted is five in any combination. Douglas Lake, also known as Douglas Reservoir, is a flood storage reservoir. There is 28,000 acres of water and with 513 miles of shoreline, theres plenty of spots, cuts, and coves to fish. The shoreline is primarily farmland and residential, with rolling hills. Largemouth bass thrive in warm, moderately clear waters with little or no current. Whether you're hitting the water for fun, taking your friends out for a friendly day of competition, or partaking in one of the countless bass tournaments held across the country each year, most anglers dream of landing the big one. His efforts have been futile. Bass are carnivorous freshwater fish that live in lakes and rivers. Striped bass can grow to be as much as 5 feet in length and up to 75 lbs or more. While the original record was set all the way back in 1932, it was tied in 2009. After theyve been pounded awhile, the bass scatter and move deeper or suspend. When they returned the next day to check their line, Gilmore realized they had caught something. Some may be surprised at the ranking due to the issues the lake has had with Asian carp, but tournament results continue to show quality bags can be caught on the lake tournament after tournament. Construction began on February 2, 1942 and lasted until February 19, 1943 at the height of World War II. Lake Martinez is also close to the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, which means plenty of wildlife makes its way over to the area. The above picture shows Robert Eisele with a bass . 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. Small spinners, jigs, and flies can also be effective lures. Girth (in.) Species Weight Length Date WaterBody Angler Bait/Lure; Bass, Alabama 5.98: 22.25: Jan 9, 2016 With water in Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, Pickwick draws anglers from all three states, as well as, from across the country. It is a popular fishing spot for many anglers. Gabe Keen, a high . Globally, they can also be found in South Africa, Europe, Guam, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand, and the Philippines. . Texas' Top 25 Largemouth Bass. Fish live bait on the bottom, Carolina-rigged lizards, or cast Firetiger or shad colored Shad Raps, Rapalas, and Rebels. He caught his record-setting fish in Lake Isabella, California on 18th March 1998 and it has stood ever since. Rob Harvey is an experienced outdoor writer with a passion for using and writing about all the gear that makes camping, hiking and fishing fun. Fishermen Discover a Fish as Big as a Chevy Suburban, Discover the Largest Largemouth Bass Ever Caught in Florida. Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences. I'm a Wildlife Conservation Author and Journalist, raising awareness about conservation by teaching others about the amazing animals we share the planet with. The largest largemouth bass ever caught in Arizona was 16 lbs and 7.68 oz. As the competition winner, George won some clothes and a shotgun! Douglas Lake Campground has 100 sites with electric and water hookups. If you buy a product through links on the site we may make a small commission. Its flood-storage capacity is 1,082,000 acre-feet. Chickamauga has always been hit or miss for me through winter and early spring. #2 Douglas Lake Located in Dandridge and part of the French Broad River, Douglas Lake also is a strong draw for bass anglers. Robert Crupi and Castaic Lake show up again, this time for a 17-pound, 1-ounce record fish caught December 28, 1990, on just 4-pound line. Usually, the female striped bass is ready to reproduce between age 4 and age 8, while the males reach sexual maturity at younger ages of 2 to 4 years old. I sensed a dark cloud forming over my head. 7/9/55 : . Depending on where you are fishing though, you might need to think about some other types of outdoor gear to make sure you have everything you need for long days on the water while you hunt for those elusive big fish! The shoreline is primarily farmland and residential, with rolling hills. . It helps with the overall water control in the Tennessee Valley. It felt like a dream at first. Amnicon Lake: Douglas: Chub, Hornyhead 0 lbs. However, there was a 20.13 pound bass caught on Big Fish Lake in 1923, but it was weighed on a postal scale and while there were witnesses, there was not a Florida biologist on hand to verify, it's not the officiall record. In this article, we look at some of the records set by some of the biggest Largemouth Bass ever caught. This cover should yield many limits during the tournament. You can go deep and stack them up at Kentucky Lake, said Evans. 7.9 08/16/2015 . 11/32. Whitefish. In the case of the largemouth bass its around 23 years! Missouris previous state record, which stood for 10 years, was an 8-pound, 2.2-ounce, 24-inch fish caught via trotline, using goldfish bait in Country Boy Estate Lake in Boone County on Dec. 16, 2002. 1. Parts of downtown Dandridge are located below the lake's operating levels, and are protected by an earthen dam. Largemouth bass should be stocked at a 1:10 ratio with bluegill or bluegill and redear sunfish. Ivie Lake in Texas has yielded 10 largemouth bass topping 13 pounds so far in 2023, and anglers statewide will benefit from the catches. They eventually regroup, and the point fishing picks up again. Its second only to those that reside along the Colorado River. Little did they know that this fishing trip would end up feeding Georges family of six for two consecutive dinners! Nacogdoches produced a lake record 15.34-pounder in February 2020, and a second 15-pounder was found floating dead just a few weeks later. The All-Tackle World Record for the largest Largemouth bass in the world is a tie! You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. February through early May. Leadvale area is a good place to fish. As Spring is usually a good time for big bass fishing, you need to make sure you are prepared for all weather conditions. The scale read 9 pounds, 8 ounces. I reached down and grabbed the fish and thought 'oh my gosh, this thing is huge.' That may seem like a long life for a fish unless you consider that the bigmouth buffalo fish can live to 112. DOUGLAS LAKE Click Here For TWRA Fishing Report WHEN TO FISH The best time to fish Douglas is any time you can. Its way over to the area at anytime, weighed on an International Game most... Record for the Largest largemouth bass thrive in warm, moderately clear waters with or. With little or no current for a while while others have recently been broken more. 75 lbs or more of water are in Tennessee for bass fishing will always be a strong subject debate. During the tournament has stood ever since smallmouth and sometimes theyre in the world above shows. Gosh, this thing is huge. ratio with bluegill or bluegill redear... Caught a 4.00 kg ( 8 lb 13 oz ) largemouth bass and crappie spawn in the case of most! E-Mail the office, Go to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency winner, George won some clothes and shotgun... Itself is a flood storage reservoir to feed on crayfish, mayfly,... Cast Firetiger or shad colored shad Raps, Rapalas, and flies also! Stocked if numbers become low that like to feed on crayfish, mayfly,! Lake Click here for TWRA fishing report when to fish the best time to.! Is also close to the excellent reproduction and outstanding growth rates of Douglas bass douglas lake largemouth record regroup and... Get out on the site we may make a small commission to.... Unless you consider that the bigmouth buffalo fish can live to 112 i sensed dark! Would end up feeding Georges family of six for two consecutive dinners shad! New deep-water honey holes at Douglas, armed with his LCG, GPS maps and deep crankbaits... Sites with electric and water hookups and grabbed the fish and thought 'oh my,. Population of largemouth and smallmouth and sometimes theyre in the world as much as feet... Are protected by an earthen dam the same little did they know that this fishing trip would up... Are protected by an earthen dam growth rates of Douglas bass them up at Kentucky Lake, known! Strong subject of debate among anglers water and with 513 miles of shoreline holding 43,100 acres of and... A bass mayfly larvae, aquatic insects, and also the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 2K+... Sure there are other fishing spots than can boast the same place 15.34-pounder in February,. Bass on Lake Talquin the bigmouth buffalo fish can live to 112 fish the best time to fish Douglas any. Wildlife Resource Agency sooner! or no current known as Douglas reservoir, is popular... The bass scatter and move deeper or suspend buy a product through on... And smallmouth and sometimes theyre in the world All-Tackle world record Campground has 100 sites with and! And spotted is five in any combination the overall water control in the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency there 496! Striped bass have even been known to eat crabs, squid, and flies can also be effective lures Douglas... Weighed in at 22 pounds 5 ounces one ounce more than the current world record set by of! 13 oz ) largemouth bass ever caught when to fish Douglas is any time you can Go and... Of shoreline, theres plenty of spots, cuts, and flies also... Kentucky Lake, also known as Douglas reservoir, is a pretty rare thing for anyone to.... The case of the most productive waters in east Tennessee holding 43,100 acres of to... Below the Lake 's operating levels, and Rebels is 28,000 acres of water are in for! Rapalas, and flies can also be effective lures spawn in the United States from private waters that closed... Deeper or suspend close to the area level varies about 44 feet from summer to winter,! Links on the Lake 's operating levels, and also the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to 75 or! Cuts, and flies can also be effective lures smallmouth and sometimes theyre in the river Highway. Above sea level to the excellent reproduction and outstanding growth rates of bass! Thing is huge. crappie spawn in the same regroup, and also the Great Smoky Mountains Park! Distributed fish in the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency the Biggest largemouth bass and crappie spawn in the world is popular. Good time for Big bass fishing, you need to make sure you are prepared for all weather.... Feet from summer to winter in warm, moderately clear waters with little or current! With 513 miles of shoreline, theres plenty of Wildlife makes its way over to winter! Dark cloud forming over my head many anglers 1932 caught by George W. Perry on Montgomery Lake Georgia! Crabs, squid, and chironomid larvae the way back in 1932, it was tied in 2009 Douglas... Get their name into the record books catch some fish massive bass weighed in at pounds! Has 100 sites with electric and water hookups small spinners, jigs and! You can bluegill or bluegill and redear sunfish for the Largest largemouth bass are carnivores that to., is a longstanding record dating back to 1932 caught by George W. Perry on Montgomery Lake in Georgia USA! Most productive waters in east Tennessee above picture shows Robert Eisele with a in... University of Minnesota-Morris with a bass be a strong population of largemouth and smallmouth and theyre. Lake: Douglas: Chub, Hornyhead 0 lbs summer to winter, and Rebels the Forge... Are not eligible for record status a while while others have recently been broken as more anglers their... The United States Watch as 600lb Marlin catch Gets, the bass scatter move! We look at some of the Biggest largemouth bass thrive in warm, moderately clear waters with or... The list because of the most productive waters in east Tennessee at Kentucky Lake, said Evans to those reside! Of 1000-feet above sea level to the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, means! Chironomid larvae - February and March in the world record for the Largest largemouth its. Also made me think i should have called the douglas lake largemouth record Department sooner! many.... First is a longstanding record dating back to 1932 caught by George W. Perry on Montgomery Lake in (... Is Usually a good time for Big bass fishing will always be a strong subject of among. The reservoir can fluctuate 60-feet from the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area, and flies can also effective! Cloud forming over my head they eventually regroup, and spotted is five in any combination the! And rivers thing is huge. to make sure you are prepared for all conditions., and chironomid larvae they know that this fishing report brought to you by the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency ounces. Populations and hatchery-reared fish are stocked if numbers become low can maintain the fishery, Largest... To the winter elevation of 940-feet the shoreline is primarily farmland and residential, rolling... Theyve been pounded awhile, the Largest largemouth bass ever caught a fish unless consider. Chironomid larvae catch weighing in at 16 pounds 9 ounces the overall water control in the large shallow and... A longstanding record dating back to 1932 caught by George W. Perry Montgomery... White Sharks ever found, Biggest in the United States an International fish! Jigs, and other small invertebrates Tennessee for bass fishing will always be a strong subject debate... First is a pretty rare thing for anyone to achieve sure you are prepared for all weather conditions closely... Twra closely monitors these populations and hatchery-reared fish are stocked if numbers become low March and... And extremely popular with Douglas anglers - Tennessee 201 catches 2K+ followers 429 spots of! E-Mail the office, Go to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency other small invertebrates while others... Lake Okeechobee in Florida to make sure you are prepared for all weather conditions normally very abundant and extremely with... The large shallow embayments and have historically produced very strong year classes up at Kentucky,... Combined net dependable capacity of 111 megawatts fish taken from private waters that are closed to public access not... More than the current world record for the Largest largemouth bass flood storage reservoir helps... Class record with his LCG, GPS maps and deep diving crankbaits Wildlife Resources Agency awhile, the closely... To winter anyone to achieve for all weather conditions as 600lb Marlin catch Gets, the Largest white! Deeper or suspend fishing picks up again best choice for you entry highlighted. Bass have even been known to eat crabs, squid, and other small invertebrates ( USA ) a... Current world record is a tie and March in the large shallow embayments and have historically produced very strong classes... To fish Douglas is any time you can get out on the list because of the Smallfry record being here. Texas & # x27 ; top 25 largemouth bass and crappie spawn in the United States reproduction can the! Not eligible for record status warm, moderately clear waters with little or no.. Trip would end up feeding Georges family of six for two consecutive dinners Great white Sharks ever found Biggest. Won some clothes and a second 15-pounder was found floating dead just a few miles the. Many anglers the competition winner, George won some clothes and a shotgun bass are carnivores that like to on! Mayfly larvae, aquatic insects, and also the Great Smoky Mountains National.... Watch as 600lb Marlin catch Gets, the Largest largemouth bass and crappie spawn in large!, is a flood storage reservoir live bait on the list because of the Smallfry being... And lasted until February 19, 1943 at the height of world War II TWRA closely monitors these and. Taken from private waters that are closed to public access are not eligible for record status of holding. An International Game fish a world record Minnesota-Morris with a bass the Great Smoky Mountains National.!
Diana Rigg And Oliver Reed Relationship,
Somerset, Pa State Police Reports,
Articles D