I just love to analyze data, and I was fortunate enough to be given all this stuff by someone at the DEP. Data like this helps put in perspective how nice a 7 3/4 pound bass like the one Findbass caught a few weeks ago really is, since I thinks its safe to assume that less than 1% of the bass caught in Connecticut are 6 pounds or over, and 7 3/4 pounds is more than 25% larger than a 6 pounder.
OK guys, lets see some photo's of 8's, 9's 10's and 11's to show that they are far more common than the DEP data suggests. Also, a PM as to where you caught it would be appreciated.
I never said there weren't out there, I simply said here is what the reported data is from 1965 through 1989. Twenty four years of data gives a pretty good overview on the size of trophy bass caught in CT. As an aside, there are hundreds of largemouth photos in the CTF photo gallery, and the largest so far this year is 7 3/4 pounds. I'd love to see photos of some 8's, 9's and 10's. PLEASE take some photos of your next monster bass, we would all love to see the photos. I am not questioning your skill or opinions, I'd just love to see some photos of 8's, 9's, 10's and 11's from CT. I have seen mounted 10 and 11 lbers, and they were magnificent fish.
We're missing a lot of fish that aren't reported, but that won't likely change the ratio's we see in the DEP numbers. For every 7 that went unreported - there are 50 more 6's that were not reported either. The numbers are what they are and pretty hard to argue with I say.
I hope for an 8 some day, but haven't even lost one yet. Anything bigger than that is a bonus.
While my hats off to anyone touching a 10 - I'd be willing to bet my hat, that they don't do it very often. If someome can even do it twice, for that matter, it would be even more impressive. Unless they are on some really special piece of water somewhere, it's a needle-in-a-hay-stack proposition. I'll keep looking too, but it will likely not happen for me either, so I won't stress over it. It won't be from lack of trying, just simply because we are very few out there in my opinion.
Can someone get a look at the DEP elecrto shocking numbers ? I'll bet they don't have any 10 either and my money would be on them to do it before any of us do.
I have been told by DEP personnel that a 10 plus was shocked in Billings in the mid to late 90's and that a 9-8 was shocked at Gardner 2 or 3 years ago. I agree that bass of this size are out there, and can be caught. However, I also agree that there are very few of them out there.
The DEP now has a Trophy program for catch and release based on length. Largemouth must be 22" or more with an accompanying photo and affadavit to qualify. I hope that this new category results in us seeing more trophy bass registered.
Bill, I don't think that will happen, if your favorite spot is a public accsess lake, people are allready fishing there, you've just been the lucky one. If your favorite spot is a private lake that you happen to have access to, the public doesn't so what's the problem. If it's a private lake that you do not have access to but do anyway, well what can we say.