New Pb And Finally Broke The 20" Mark

[Seth]

Did u weigh the fish and was that pinching the tail or loose

I didn't have a scale on hand so no weight, but I am hoping it would have broke the 4 pound mark. No way to know for sure though. The measurement was 20" from the tip of the nose to the fork of the tail using a yard tape. If you look at the pic of me measuring it, it would be nearly 21" had I pinched the tail while measuring with the flexible tape. Take off a little for the bend or the fish vesus if I had measured with a straight edge and I would guess it was 20.5".

[Seth]

Great fish, Seth!

Ah, yes, one of my favorite subjects, 20 inch river smallies. I've caught my share, having maybe averaged between 1 and 2 a year for about the last 40 years or so. I don't think I've gone more than three years without catching at least one during that time, and there have been those few years when I caught 3 or 4. But it doesn't come easy. I've probably caught 5 or more between 19 and 19 3/4 for every legitimate 20 plus.

It used to be easier, back in the days when I didn't know as much as I do now. In the 1970s and early 1980s, Big River and the middle Meramec had enough that I could average that one or two a year with the more limited knowledge and equipment I had back then.

But 20 inchers are ALMOST in the realm of accidental catches. By that, I mean that I don't think you can maximize your chances of catching 20s instead of 17-19 inchers. I fish for "good fish", catch a fair number over 17 inches, and once in a great while one of them breaks 20 inches. The only thing you can do is fish waters that hold enough 20 inchers to make the chances of catching one a little better.

Makes we wish we had our own version of Lake Simcoe in Missouri. Watching videos of guys catching a limit of 5+ pound smallies just boggles my mind!

[Gavin]

Good for you Seth! Breaking the 20 mark is not easy!

[SoMuchWater]

WOW! Very nice fish must have been a blast

[Al Agnew]

The most legitimate way to measure smallies and other fish is to the outer end of the tail with the tail fin pinched, and with the mouth shut. Not only does this give you the longest measurement...anything else will be fractions of an inch shorter...but it's also the most standardized measurement, since any other measurement can vary from many factors. If you measure to the fork of the tail, some individual fish have tail forks that are deeper than others. If mouth is open, measurement will vary depending upon how wide it's open. That's why MDC says to measure the fish that way for legal purposes.

Seth, I thought when I saw your photo with the tape measure that the fish was at least 20.5 and maybe pretty close to 21. And 21 inch river smallies are FAR more rare than 20 inchers. Of all the 20 inch plus smallies I've caught, somewhere around 50 or 60 of them, I believe that only 6 or 7 were 21 or better.

[Seth]

The most legitimate way to measure smallies and other fish is to the outer end of the tail with the tail fin pinched, and with the mouth shut. Not only does this give you the longest measurement...anything else will be fractions of an inch shorter...but it's also the most standardized measurement, since any other measurement can vary from many factors. If you measure to the fork of the tail, some individual fish have tail forks that are deeper than others. If mouth is open, measurement will vary depending upon how wide it's open. That's why MDC says to measure the fish that way for legal purposes.

Seth, I thought when I saw your photo with the tape measure that the fish was at least 20.5 and maybe pretty close to 21. And 21 inch river smallies are FAR more rare than 20 inchers. Of all the 20 inch plus smallies I've caught, somewhere around 50 or 60 of them, I believe that only 6 or 7 were 21 or better.

Awesome! I wish I had gotten a girth measurement and a weight in case I ever decided to get a replica made. My digital scale that I usually kept in the boat crapped out on me and I haven't replaced it. The excitement of catching that fish had my head spinning and all I could think about was length, picture and release. I'm certain it broke the 4 pound mark though. It had a little chunk to it and wasn't nearly as skinny as my other nice fish I have caught. If it was closer to 21" than 20", and there is a good chance the way it sounds according to how I should have measured, then that may truly be the river smallie of my lifetime.

[Gavin]

Thinking that is closer to 21 than 20.......

[Johnsfolly]

I agree that it is ridiculus to try for the hero shot by holding the fish out so far that it's impossibly large. Look at this trophy brook trout I caught in Wyoming. It took both hands to hold that one up.

[Seth]

Are you long arming that brookie or do you just have big hands?

[Mitch f]

You know I started thinking about PB smallmouths and think they need to be divided in several categories: Lakes in Missouri/Arkansas, lakes in the North, lakes in Tennessee River Chain....rivers in Missouri, rivers up North and so on. I mean you can catch a 20" smallie in Wisconsin and it's not as big of a deal, but in Missouri it's a huge feat!!