Chickamauga has always been hit or miss for me through winter and early spring. While largemouth bass populate the lake, it is perhaps most famous for its wealth of smallmouth bass. When they returned the next day to check their line, Gilmore realized they had caught something. Largemouth bass were originally only found in the Great Lakes, the Hudson Bay, along the St. Lawrence River, and in the Mississippi River basin. These fish inhabit clear, vegetated lakes, ponds, swamps, and the . Douglas Lake extends 43 miles upriver from Douglas Dam through the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. Kentucky Lake, or Douglas Lake. They eventually regroup, and the point fishing picks up again. All records are fish caught by use of hook and line and are handled by the . Read on to discover the largest largemouth bass ever caught in Florida! Missouris previous state record, which stood for 10 years, was an 8-pound, 2.2-ounce, 24-inch fish caught via trotline, using goldfish bait in Country Boy Estate Lake in Boone County on Dec. 16, 2002. There is 28,000 acres of water and with 513 miles of shoreline, theres plenty of spots, cuts, and coves to fish. Most trophy fishing trips will probably end with you going home empty-handed. Find out more interesting facts about Douglas Lake and start planning your trip to the Smoky Mountains today! LeConte View! Largemouth Bass 10.94--Anderson Lake Mrs. M.W. Much of its shoreline has now become submerged, providing underwater trees and bushes for the many kinds of fish that make the lake their home. The owner of the Ka-Tonka club told Gilmore he could always release the fish and let it get bigger. Thermal stratification is common during the summer months. #5 Kentucky Lake Located in Tennessee and Kentucky and part of the Tennessee River system, Kentucky Lake has over 160,000 acres of water with 2,064 miles of shoreline and has seen many great tournaments over the years in bass fishing. They grow to be around 10 to 12 inches long and prefer to populate open, slow-moving waters with warm temperatures. In fishing lore, there are always stories of the big fish that got away and of fishermen coming back to the same spot year after year to catch them. The All-Tackle World Record for the largest Largemouth bass in the world is a tie! The shoreline is primarily farmland and residential, with rolling hills. Entering the competition proved to be even more important for George though as now his catch had been recorded in print (in Field & Stream magazine), there was documented proof of his gigantic catch. There also was a 22-pound, 4 ounce largemouth bass caught in Japan in 2009. Douglas Lake, also known as Douglas Reservoir, is a flood storage reservoir. However, summer levels can be relatively stable. His efforts have been futile. Both Black and White crappie can be caught in Douglas but White Crappie is the predominant species. I cringed when I read Douglas Lake set to stun by David Hunter Jones on the Bassmaster Opens web page. Theres no bad time to fish, Just times when they bite better. Douglas Lake, also called Douglas Reservoir, is a reservoir created by an impoundment of the French Broad River in Eastern Tennessee. Lake George is the second-largest lake in Florida and is on the edge of the Ocala National Forest. He submitted his measurements for the fish (despite having no photographic evidence) and he was declared the winner for his Largemouth Bass that weighed in at an impressive 22 pounds and 4 ounces. Mauldin enjoyed one of those glory days just two weeks ago when he cranked up five bass that weighed over 26 pounds. 1. Tennessee's Record Fish as of December 1, 2001 (*world record) Common Name: Weight: Date Caught: Location: Largemouth Bass : 14 lbs. 10 oz. Maybe it would exorcise Defoes hex. Largemouth bass are one of the top recreational ?sh species in the United States. If any questions or problems arise, call the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife at 1-800-858-1549. The records shown are as of January 1, 2022. We knew something was on there, Gilmore said. He tied the record on July 2, 2009 fishing on Lake Biwa. Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences. Other popular lures are Rattle Traps, DD-22's and electric red worms. Saguaro Lake has a 10-mile-long shoreline stocked with 12 species of fish and plenty of largemouth bass (imported from Florida), walleye, catfish, bigmouth buffalo, crappie, bluegill, yellow bass, and tilapia. Restrictions extend from Douglas Dam upstreamto the ENKA Dam on the Nolichucky River, Hwy 321 bridge in Newport on Pigeon River, and Hwy 321 bridge on French Broad River. Largemouth bass and crappie spawn in the large shallow embayments and have historically produced very strong year classes. #3 Pickwick We travel back to the Tennessee River for the third place lake of Pickwick. But you know the big ones are out there, you just have to figure out what their favorite bait is! White spinners (Rooster Tails), grubs, and small flies are all effective. Many fishing tournaments focusing on largemouth bass are held throughout the country. The Douglas Dam was built by the Tennessee Valley Authority at a record pace from February 2, 1942, through February 19, 1943, to provide hydroelectric power and to control flooding downstream in the Tennessee River Valley. Saguaro Lake was constructed as part of the Stewart Mountain Dam along the Salt River in 1930 and has an average depth of 90 feet with a surface area of 1,264 acres. George A Keller's Ohio state record rock bass, caught on Deer Creek near London, has stood since 1932! Gabe Keen, a high . Sauger and Walleye provide a seasonal fishery and each spring, both species make spawning runs up the French Broad River. George Perrys fish was the largest the team there had ever heard about (by quite some way) which led to George Perry becoming the world record holder for the biggest Largemouth Bass ever caught. He lives only 20 minutes from Douglas and caught his first bass there when he was 9 years old. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Smallmouth bass are usually a lighter shade of brown whereas largemouth bass are varying degrees of green. Largemouth bass sport green-speckled scales on the upper half of their body and lighter-colored scales near the underbelly. Upon reaching adulthood, striped bass become piscivorous and begin to eat fish, usually anything small and easily catchable. This lake is located only a few miles from the Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg area, and also the Great Smoky Mountains National Park . 10/17/54 : Sugar Creek: Smallmouth Bass* 11 lbs. The Junior category includes record catches from anglers that are 11-16 years old with a category for females and males. Defoes bubbly prediction strikes me as a curse. The canyon walls of the Sonoran Desert are close by and, in combination with the desert cactus, they lend a rather picturesque feel to the environment. All-Ages After theyve been pounded awhile, the bass scatter and move deeper or suspend. As the competition winner, George won some clothes and a shotgun! Canyon Lake is revered as the best spot for bass fishing in the Arizona Desert and is also home to a considerable selection of smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow bass, channel and flathead catfish, black crappie, walleye, and bluegill. You need to understand and accept that you are not likely to catch many of your target fish on a regular basis. Overview. This 8,800-acre lake has a variety of bass including striper, white and spotted bass. These guides will help you get out on the lake and catch some fish. The massive bass weighed in at 22 pounds 5 ounces one ounce more than the current world record! The lake attracts more than 1.7 million visitors each year, and its not hard to understand why. They dont actually always eat their prey immediately either. The lake was created when Arizona built a masonry dam in 1911 on the Salt River, which makes it the oldest man-made reservoir in the state. He reported that Elite Series pro Ott Defoe believes most anglers will catch a limit every day at the Douglas Lake Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open. Water Source - An impoundment of the French Broad River completed in 1943. There are three other lakes surrounding Canyon Lake (Apache Lake, Roosevelt Lake, and Saguaro Lake), all of which are larger, with the exception of Saguaro Lake. I remember watching that 13-inch largemouth smash a spinnerbait like it was yesterday, Mauldin says. Fishermen Discover a Fish as Big as a Chevy Suburban, Discover the Largest Largemouth Bass Ever Caught in Florida. Saguaro Lake is located in the Tonto National Forest, which makes fishing at the waters edge a wonderful experience with nature all around and on the horizon. Recently, I asked student anglers and captains involved with high school fishing in Tennessee what they thought the best lakes were. It is a part of the Parker Dam, which has been undergoing extensive improvements starting in the 1990s, dramatically improving the fishing experience at Lake Havasu. Anglers unfamiliar with the lake should find excellent fishing in the Flat, Muddy, McGuire, and Nina Creek embayments. Gilmore was not quite sure what to do with the large fish, so he put it in a cooler with aerated water and headed to the Hobby Hut, a bait and tackle store, on Highway 19 in Perry. One of the proposed changes is looking to establish a limit on the amount of largemouth and smallmouth bass that can be caught per season at Douglas Lake. . This is important to know in advance to make plans to stay near the lake. The 17-pound fish was 30 inches long (2 feet) and had a girth of 22.5 inches. In this article, we look at some of the records set by some of the biggest Largemouth Bass ever caught. It is the only location the Bassmaster High School series has used for its National Championship since B.A.S.S. So do seven of the state's top 10, 12 of the top 15; 16 of the top 25, and 30 of the top 50. All their bass were post-spawn fish. Thank you for reading! Every year this angler searches for new deep-water honey holes at Douglas, armed with his LCG, GPS maps and deep diving crankbaits. On 2nd June 1932, George Perry was fishing in Montgomery Lake, Georgia with a friend. Dayton 1954 ; Mountain Whitefish 5.9 22.5 14 Island Park Reservoir Robert Hall 1997 ; Northern Pike 40.13 Asc Professor , Biodesign Center for Personalized Diagnostics. This article related to a protected area in Tennessee is a stub. . These fish are native to North America and can grow up to 80 pounds! Thank you for reading! As a result, they have been stocked throughout the U.S. to provide recreational fishing opportunities. The record bass was caught on January 2nd, 1992 by Barry St. Clair. While the original record was set all the way back in 1932, it was tied in 2009. If you are trying to land a really big fish, then you will need to spend a lot of time out on the water. Submit an application. That might explain why George simply took the fish home and prepared it ready to eat. While Manabu might not be the new independent world record holder, he is the tied record holder which is still a huge achievement. "Deep" depends on the overall depth of the lake you are fishing. Any water that is heavily fished or has lots of potential predators will likely not be home to giant Largemouth Bass. PERRY, Mo A little luck nabbed a record size largemouth bass for 20-year-old Dylan Gilmore of Perry. Douglas Lake has become a popular recreational site where visitors can enjoy picnicking, camping, fishing and more! Species name Weight Length in inches Date Location County Alewife 0 lbs. When I am not writing I love going to my kids' soccer games, watching movies, taking on DIY projects and running with our giant Labradoodle "Tango". Copyright 2012 By Hawthorne Investments, LLC. Mauldin will have rods rigged with deep-diving crankbaits, a football jig, Carolina rig and maybe a spoon for deep bass. But record-breaking fish can be caught at anytime, weighed on an International Game Fish. Whether you bring your own boat or rent one at the lake, youll love taking it out on the water and relaxing! Everyone is going to say Chickamauga is the top lake followed by Dale Hollow, Kentucky Lake, Douglas, Old Hickory and so on, but when you really look at the entire state one can name several great fisheries in Tennessee. This set the record in the 8lb line class and has managed to fend off all competition to this day. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Lake fishing reports, Fishing information, Bait, Lake Conditions, water temperature. When you go fishing at Douglas Lake, a fishing license is required. Douglas has one of the best largemouth bass fisheries in east Tennessee. And, they are sometimes caught at depths of 40 feet or more. Fish live bait on the bottom, Carolina-rigged lizards, or cast Firetiger or shad colored Shad Raps, Rapalas, and Rebels. + Based on totallength only and rounded down to nearest inch. Record fish must be available for inspection by Department personnel. Located at the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, visitors can find the gorgeous and activity-filled Douglas Lake. In the case of the largemouth bass its around 23 years! Although 38-year-old St. Clair wasn't a local, he was an experienced all-around . The most effective tactics are to bounce large red or orange flies frequently tipped with a minnow off the bottom and trolling bright-colored crankbaits. The largest on record weighed over 17 pounds and measured 30 inches! You will need sun protection and clothing that can help keep you cool in high humidity. Douglas Lake is located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, attracting more than 1.7 million visitors a year. In the summer when there is less risk of floods, TVA keeps lake levels higher to support recreation. Striped bass can live easily in saltwater or freshwater, and is the state fish of New York, Virginia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Maryland. In a year with normal rainfall, Douglas Lakes water level varies about 44 feet from summer to winter. Concentrations of largemouth bass have been observed in the creek channels after the water has been drawn down in the fall. Ethan Montgomery of Sullivan East High School likes Douglas because, Theres a good number of big ones and you can use a variety of fishing styles there., Ryan Lehan added, It is one of the easiest lakes to catch a limit. 8 oz. I reached down and grabbed the fish and thought 'oh my gosh, this thing is huge.' This is Lake Hodges first appearance on this list, and it happens to be its largemouth bass record. When it comes to bass, and specifically largemouth bass Florida has some of the best bass fishing around. Adult striped bass have even been known to eat crabs, squid, and other small invertebrates. Douglas Lake Fishing Reports for Winter Largemouth Bass Notify Me 25 Reports on Douglas Lake 4 Reports for Largemouth Bass + Winter All Filters Omnia Community Member Bronze Ambassador 2/4/23 44 (Water) Season Winter Species Largemouth Bass Technique Blade Baits Structure Brush Piles Forage Shad Go to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Population management becomes difficult in ponds less than 1 acre where bass can easily become overharvested or stunted populations can develop. A creek chub fintail shiner lure was used to catch the monstrous fish and it was probably a very exciting catch for George and his friend, as they could very likely see it would be a good meal to keep their families hunger at bay. 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