Where Will The Next Missouri State Record Smallmouth Come From?

[Wayne SW/MO]

Smalliebig his fish was lean, but not as much as most. It wasn't as long as the one in the picture I'm thinking, but maybe close in weight.

If we're looking for trout eating bass, upper Bull Shoals would probably be the best candidate. The stripers have already found the trout.

[Al Agnew]

I haven't fished any of the lakes in years, so I don't have an opinion on which have the best chance of growing a record. It could be any one of the White River lakes, including Taneycomo, or it could be Stockton. Once a smallmouth in any of those lakes gets to over 22 inches or so, it all just depends upon what time of year it is caught and how well it's been eating. Gotta wonder why there are so many long, lean smallies in those lakes, though...should be enough of a forage base to get them fat at some point.

I agree that the chances of it happening in a river are very slim. It's exceedingly rare to catch on over five pounds in any of the Ozark streams, let alone adding two more pounds to that.

[Gavin]

Dunno...I dont fish lakes..When did the smallmouth population boom down on Tablerock? Late 90's/2000 or so? Any state record smallmouth is probably gonna be at least 15 years old...maybe more. Might be a few more years.

[Wayne SW/MO]

There have always been some smallies on the lower end. It did take the Kentucky's a while to get there, or so it seemed.

[rps]

The record will probably come one of the smaller lakes that hold smallmouth. For Arkansas, that would be something down in the Ouachitas. For Missouri, that would be where?

See this link for an Oklahoma example. http://www.wired2fish.com/state-record-smallmouth-bass-caught-in-oklahoma-p15018

[Mitch f]

Huge fish, kind of sucks he caught on a bed with a shaky head!

[rps]

Great moral question! Do you keep a spawning record or release it after a picture that others will scoff at?

[Jerry Rapp]

rps, I am not stupid. If I catch it I will do all I can to keep it alive and let it live its' life out at BPS. What is the state record by the way?

[Mitch f]

Well, obviously, I scoffed but it is great to know that this fish was in the population and still producing eggs. No way to prove it either way so I guess its a mute point. I suppose they could apply a season to the lakes like they do the rivers.

[rps]

Jerry - I did not mean to insult or belittle anyone. I was only pointing out that so many different standards apply that there really isn't a "right" answer. What you would do sounds good to me.