Biggest spot

[Hog Wally]

I'm gonna ask what is the biggest spot any of you have caught?  How long? How heavy? On what bait?  And of course, if no picture then don't respond 

[Al Agnew]

I actually caught my biggest one about four times   I caught it originally below Clearwater Dam in the winter, it had been gorging on cold-shocked threadfin shad coming through the dam, and was about 18 inches but probably weighed at least five pounds, the thing was way fatter than a football.  I caught another one an inch shorter that day that was just as fat, both on jerkbaits.  I took them home in a cooler full of ice, and when I got home both were still alive.  I was too tired at that point to clean them anyway, so I turned them loose in my pond.  They both survived, and I caught them several times through the next summer, but they disappeared finally.  Each time I'd catch them they'd be just a little less fat, but they never got skinny.  Sorry, though...no pictures.

[Johnsfolly]

My biggest spot was just over 8 inches long. I caught it while pier fishing on Wrightsville Beach, NC. I was fishing bloodworms off the bottom. Sorry I don't have a picture.

[Gavin]

18-19" I guess. Chotuea Claim access on the Meramec. Mega 110 . Pic is not handy, might be on one of my old laptops. Rarely catch one over 12-14".

 

[Old plug]

2 hours ago, Al Agnew said:

I actually caught my biggest one about four times   I caught it originally below Clearwater Dam in the winter, it had been gorging on cold-shocked threadfin shad coming through the dam, and was about 18 inches but probably weighed at least five pounds, the thing was way fatter than a football.  I caught another one an inch shorter that day that was just as fat, both on jerkbaits.  I took them home in a cooler full of ice, and when I got home both were still alive.  I was too tired at that point to clean them anyway, so I turned them loose in my pond.  They both survived, and I caught them several times through the next summer, but they disappeared finally.  Each time I'd catch them they'd be just a little less fat, but they never got skinny.  Sorry, though...no pictures.

Do not know your age Al but if you haunted the area just below clearwater dam we might have rubbed elbows if your old enough. You ever hear the names John Earnie or Franky Mc Allester.?? In my time John owned Webb Craek boat dock. Frankie was a legendry fisherman in that area area. At that time you could catch some wopping big walleye below that darn in the winter. He caught that big string of bass that they used to display at the boat shows in the region in the Clearwater booth. I have no idea what the stories they were about that sting were. But I and another friend named Mel Janis brought those fish up to St louis to have that mount made. Fankie caught them all on bluegill one evening on a bald  hump out off Piedmont park. No idea what that stringer weighed but nothing on here was under 5 and went to right near 9 if I Recall. Frankie had very rare fishing  abilitoes. He was so in tuned with the fish he could  mentally feel them. I have only met one other person in my life that attuned to the fishing world and that is Wrench. Guys like that have spent there whole life from their days as babes in the crib eating sleeping and living fishing..

At one time there was some  some 9 ft saltwater fly rods build like like spinning rods. I made those rods The purpose and design was so that you could gentally cast a minnow out over beds with a minnow under 5 ft or so under the bobber. We had some banner days with that stuff. Think I still might have a pictire of one afternoons catch. have always felt like I was the inverter of the long crappie pole. 

Hated Kentucky bass in Clearwater. Caight one here on LOZ about 18".  Never  Caught another even close to that even though I do catch a few every year 15".

[Mitch f]

I've only caught a 17" on the Meramec, but bigger on lakes. The camo pattern will age the photo?

[WHARFRAT]

OP, thanks for the nostalgia.  I knew John and Frankie also, definitely not as well as you, but we used to stay at both Webb Creek and Piedmont park quite often.  In fact, my dad and I used to keep our boat in one of John's covered slips for a few years.  If I remember correctly, he was a big Johnson/Evinrude guy.  I know when I brought my first boat down there he saw it had a 50hp Merc on the back, and he just shook his head.  I always wondered about what ever happened to him, his wife and boy.  I forgot the boys name, but he was closer to my age at the time.  I remember staying up late with them trying to shoot this large beaver that was wreaking havoc on the dock lines.  We didn't get it that night, but they got it later that week.  It was a monster!  And the boy took me on my first jet boat ride down Logan creek about as far as you could go.  Wow, talk about crazy!

After I finally got to know Frankie a little better, I got the real scoop on the stringer, and it was like you said.  heck of a stringer!   He once told me he'd take me out for a day, but we were never able to hook up.  Wonder what happened to him also.

Clearwater was really the first big lake I really consistently fished.  Mainly from early 70's until mid 80's.  I did take my dad back there in the early 90's with my family for a camping trip at Piedmont Park, but since them, haven't been back.

[drew03cmc]

16-17" long, Megabass X80 TD on Shoal Creek in mid March.

[Johnsfolly]

Ok so the spot croaker joke didn't go over well. Must be too far from the coast. I haven't caught many spotted bass. My best is a little over 12" from the Osage river.

[WHARFRAT]

I've caught quite a few at LOZ, most have been in the 13" range +/- .  Don't recall catching any 15" or better.

Since I don't really bass fish too much anymore.  What is the consensus on keeping spots?