Giant Idaho Smallmouth

[Johnsfolly]

This fish is a toad anywhere it would be caught! Even in Idaho😉

https://www.fieldandstream.com/fishing/idaho-angler-catches-smallmouth-bass-record/

[DADAKOTA]

Bloody tail.  Did he catch it off the bed?

[Quillback]

That's a big smallie.  

[Hawg]

Chunk

[Flysmallie]

Did anyone see the one that was caught out of the Gasconade recently? 

[fishinwrench]

6 hours ago, Flysmallie said:

Did anyone see the one that was caught out of the Gasconade recently? 

Is that the 23 5/8"  7 pounder ?   

A 24" LM is gonna be pushing 7#   but not sure how they compare length-to- weight.   I assumed that LM averaged heavier.  

I've never actually weighed a Smallie.

[Flysmallie]

10 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

Is that the 23 5/8"  7 pounder ?   

A 24" LM is gonna be pushing 7#   but not sure how they compare length-to- weight.   I assumed that LM averaged heavier.  

I've never actually weighed a Smallie.

Yep, that’s the one. The supposed new state record. 

[MOPanfisher]

Dang it is a wide rascal.

[snagged in outlet 3]

[Al Agnew]

On 5/21/2022 at 5:36 AM, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Had a lot of discussion about that photo and that fish on Facebook.  Plenty of people don't believe it was 23 plus inches.  Since Jeff was wanting to get it back in the water as quickly as possible, he measured and weighed it quickly and held it while a couple quick photos were snapped, and then released it.  It is unfortunate that he didn't get a photo of it on a bump board or against a ruler, because it gives people a lot of opportunity to question how big it really was.  

As for the weight...if it was indeed 23 5/8 inches, it COULD have weighed that much.  Jeff caught one on the Meramec a few years ago during a tournament that was weighed on accurate scales at 6 pounds plus (I don't remember the actual weight), and nobody measured it.  My own personal opinion is that Jeff isn't lying...I've only met him once or twice but I'm good friends with one of the guys he fishes with a lot.

Since the fish was caught WHEN it was, there was no way to get it to a certified scale to be weighed accurately.  It could have been a state record, or could have just missed.