I’m getting close

[snagged in outlet 3]

Have had 20”s on but haven’t sealed the deal.  It’s only a matter of time  

 

[Ham]

Keep fishing where they live ; it’ll happen. 

[Quillback]

Dang pesky 19" fish.  

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50 minutes ago, Ham said:

Keep fishing where they live ; it’ll happen. 

I’m around them.  

[Ham]

Here’s my take on Big Smallies : They are not quite as aggressive as smaller fish and they might be a little more wary than the 12 inch guys BUT the rate limiting factor is largely the fact that there are Relatively so few of them. They bite plenty often.  

If there are sufficient numbers of them where you fish and you can fish proficiently  and you gear isn’t crap, you will get one. I’m pretty sure Pete knows how to fish and that his gear isn’t crap. You’ll get one Pete.

I might average one a year from the rivers I fish. Might. And if I’m lucky, I might get another 20 inch SMB from a lake. Might. I’ve had years where I have done both and years where I’ve done neither. 

A 20 inch SMB is a toad no matter where you catch one. 

[fishinwrench]

I've only caught one that extended to that magical 20 line or slightly beyond, and it's been quite awhile.  

Not many 20's where I fish.  Went way north a few times and just knew I'd catch a biggun. Nope.  My biggest is still a freak from the creek here at home. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

I’ve caught a lot of 20” plus trout and never gave it a thought because I had been catching them since I was a kid.  

2nd year with the boat so I kinda made it a goal.  I’ve had 4 on up to the boat and ALL have spit it at me.   On different rivers too. 

[Smalliebigs]

Wow that was a Spawned out 19 geez!!!...needs to go eat some river cheese burgers.

Pete I will say this ever since I have been using a hawg trough like you have in this picture I have noticed the amount of actual 20's were more or less a figment of my imagination. I thought I was catching 20's but, a lot were probably 19's.

I have caught 18 in the last 5 years all in the 19.5 range, since the point I started putting fish on a hawg trough and measuring them accurately with their nose up to the bump and no hand in it's mouth......only about 1 legit 20+ a year since my hawg trough measuring. They all seem like 19 somethings for me, which is good.

[Flysmallie]

21 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Went way north a few times and just knew I'd catch a biggun. Nope.  

I saw one on FB yesterday from up north that was 17 something but almost 5 lbs. 

I rarely have anything with me to measure a fish and it's even rarer when I actually do. I just smile when I catch one that makes me smile. I guess I'm getting lazy. 

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2 hours ago, Smalliebigs said:

Wow that was a Spawned out 19 geez!!!...needs to go eat some river cheese burgers.

Pete I will say this ever since I have been using a hawg trough like you have in this picture I have noticed the amount of actual 20's were more or less a figment of my imagination. I thought I was catching 20's but, a lot were probably 19's.

I have caught 18 in the last 5 years all in the 19.5 range, since the point I started putting fish on a hawg trough and measuring them accurately with their nose up to the bump and no hand in it's mouth......only about 1 legit 20+ a year since my hawg trough measuring. They all seem like 19 somethings for me, which is good.

I've caught lots of 17's and 18's and this was my first 19.  I'll crack it sooner or later.