I was walking last night and chatted with a guy sitting on his porch. He told me about 36-inch smallmouth at Lac Seul.

"They don't grow that big," I said.

"Oh, yes, they do," he assured me. "I've seen 'em."

Sigh.

Sounds like a yard or two of ale was consumed before that. A three foot smallie eh. Perhaps a yard of BS. State record Walleye wasn't even 36 inches.

No, he was sober. And certain. I wish it were true. Imagine a yard-long smallie on your line. I'd doff my shoes, jump out of the boat, and do some barefoot skiing.

Yeah...that's a full foot longer than the Ontario record. Someone needs a new ruler. Now 36 centimeters, that I'd believe easily, and since Ontario does use metric...lost in translation?

andersons outfitters in crane lake have a contest every year for big fish and 3 or 4 years ago they had a 28.5 incher caught in quetico

quote tonyyarusso: "Yeah...that's a full foot longer than the Ontario record. Someone needs a new ruler. Now 36 centimeters, that I'd believe easily, and since Ontario does use metric...lost in translation?"

This makes more sense.

Never trust a *sober* fisherman :)

quote mcsweem: "andersons outfitters in crane lake have a contest every year for big fish and 3 or 4 years ago they had a 28.5 incher caught in quetico"

I don't believe it. A 28.5 inch largemouth averages 15 pounds. See here: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/recreational/catchrelease/bass_length_weight.phtml

The Ontario record was 24 inches and weighed nearly ten pounds. See here: http://www.notjustfishing.com/Fishing/records.shtml

I Googled "28 inch smallmouth" and here's what I found: http://www.tn.gov/twra/fish/tarp/imagearchive09/Gale%20Perry%2028SMB102115_l.jpg

Now, Mr. Perry's fish is a fine fish, but his arms are half extended and even with that advantage of perspective, it's still not 28 inches.

For comparison, here's the largest smallmouth bass ever caught, at nearly 12 pounds and a mere 21.66 inches. Note that Mr. Hayes' arms are also half-extended: http://www.oldfishinglures.biz/david-hayes-world-record-smallmouth-bass/

I wish there were 28-inch smallmouth almost as much as I wish there were 36-inch smallmouth, but it's not in the genes.

The ELy echo just had a 23.5 inch smally on their front page a few weeks ago caught in the Boulder River. A beast of a fish.

Maybe he meant 26 inches which would be unheard of either, no way on the 36 inches.

I once got in an argument with a fellow from Iowa who swore his brother in law caught a 63 inch Northern in the Iowa river. He swore up and down and wouldn't stop coming back to me to argue more--then about 2 hours later I said, "Ya know in the Iowa river I'd believe a 36 incher but not a 63 incher," then he said, "Yeah that's it, it was 36 inches." Argument over :) In his defense he did have about 5 shots while he was arguing.

T

quote missmolly: "

quote mcsweem: "andersons outfitters in crane lake have a contest every year for big fish and 3 or 4 years ago they had a 28.5 incher caught in quetico"

I don't believe it. A 28.5 inch largemouth averages 15 pounds. See here: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/recreational/catchrelease/bass_length_weight.phtml


The Ontario record was 24 inches and weighed nearly ten pounds. See here: http://www.notjustfishing.com/Fishing/records.shtml


I Googled "28 inch smallmouth" and here's what I found: http://www.tn.gov/twra/fish/tarp/imagearchive09/Gale%20Perry%2028SMB102115_l.jpg


Now, Mr. Perry's fish is a fine fish, but his arms are half extended and even with that advantage of perspective, it's still not 28 inches.


For comparison, here's the largest smallmouth bass ever caught, at nearly 12 pounds and a mere 21.66 inches. Note that Mr. Hayes' arms are also half-extended: http://www.oldfishinglures.biz/david-hayes-world-record-smallmouth-bass/


I wish there were 28-inch smallmouth almost as much as I wish there were 36-inch smallmouth, but it's not in the genes. "

If you look at the picture of Perry's bass and assume his left palm is 5 inches wide, that would make that fish about 25 inches.

quote timatkn: "The ELy echo just had a 23.5 inch smally on their front page a few weeks ago caught in the Boulder River. A beast of a fish.


Maybe he meant 26 inches which would be unheard of either, no way on the 36 inches.


I once got in an argument with a fellow from Iowa who swore his brother in law caught a 63 inch Northern in the Iowa river. He swore up and down and wouldn't stop coming back to me to argue more--then about 2 hours later I said, "Ya know in the Iowa river I'd believe a 36 incher but not a 63 incher," then he said, "Yeah that's it, it was 36 inches." Argument over :) In his defense he did have about 5 shots while he was arguing.


T"

I'd believe a 63-inch pike before I'd believe a 36-inch smallmouth! Did you ever see that photo of the tube sock pike caught through the ice? I believe Inuit folks caught it. It was incredibly thin and long.

quote TwoByGreenCanoe: "

quote missmolly: "

quote mcsweem: "andersons outfitters in crane lake have a contest every year for big fish and 3 or 4 years ago they had a 28.5 incher caught in quetico"

I don't believe it. A 28.5 inch largemouth averages 15 pounds. See here: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/recreational/catchrelease/bass_length_weight.phtml



The Ontario record was 24 inches and weighed nearly ten pounds. See here: http://www.notjustfishing.com/Fishing/records.shtml



I Googled "28 inch smallmouth" and here's what I found: http://www.tn.gov/twra/fish/tarp/imagearchive09/Gale%20Perry%2028SMB102115_l.jpg



Now, Mr. Perry's fish is a fine fish, but his arms are half extended and even with that advantage of perspective, it's still not 28 inches.



For comparison, here's the largest smallmouth bass ever caught, at nearly 12 pounds and a mere 21.66 inches. Note that Mr. Hayes' arms are also half-extended: http://www.oldfishinglures.biz/david-hayes-world-record-smallmouth-bass/



I wish there were 28-inch smallmouth almost as much as I wish there were 36-inch smallmouth, but it's not in the genes. "

If you look at the picture of Perry's bass and assume his left palm is 5 inches wide, that would make that fish about 25 inches."

Yeah, it looks bigger, but why would he lie to make it smaller?

This smallie was bigger than 36 inches ....

quote papszoo: "This smallie was bigger than 36 inches .... "

Finally! Photographic proof! However, that's no smallmouth you caught. Perhaps it's a spotted bass or a Suwannee bass. You see, if it were a smallie that big, both your wrists would be broken. Arms too. You shoulders would also be dislocated.

That smallie looks just like a grouper lol

Wow! Missmolly I have been told some fantastic fish stories, but nothing like that. I bet that smallmouth had been harassing walleye anglers for decades; grabbing 2 and 3 pound walleyes for a snack, spooling guys reels, etc.

I did some searches to find the longest smallmouth that have ever been caught. According to the site I looked at David Hayes 11 pd 15 oz smally from Dale Hollow was 27" long. W.F. Shoemaker, not to be mistaken for the famous jockey Willie Shoemaker, caught a 27.25" smallmouth in Long Lake, MI in 1906 that weighed 9 lb 4 oz. Unfortunately for him that fish was very lean, but still an anomaly nonetheless.

So, does a 28" smallmouth exist? We won't even talk about a 3 footer. Maybe in one of the southern reservoirs that occasionally grow giant smallmouth and walleyes. In Lac Seul or any of the other great fisheries of the north? Not likely.

quote Basspro69: "That smallie looks just like a grouper lol "

Hahaha Papszoo. Goliath Grouper at that BP. Formerly known as a Jewfish. Record is 680 lbs.

What about a 17" sunfish? Hawg Sunnie

quote walleye_hunter: "Wow! Missmolly I have been told some fantastic fish stories, but nothing like that. I bet that smallmouth had been harassing walleye anglers for decades; grabbing 2 and 3 pound walleyes for a snack, spooling guys reels, etc.


I did some searches to find the longest smallmouth that have ever been caught. According to the site I looked at David Hayes 11 pd 15 oz smally from Dale Hollow was 27" long. W.F. Shoemaker, not to be mistaken for the famous jockey Willie Shoemaker, caught a 27.25" smallmouth in Long Lake, MI in 1906 that weighed 9 lb 4 oz. Unfortunately for him that fish was very lean, but still an anomaly nonetheless.


So, does a 28" smallmouth exist? We won't even talk about a 3 footer. Maybe, in one of the southern reservoirs that occasionally grow giant smallmouth and walleyes. In Lac Seul or any of the other great fisheries of the north?"

I expect the biggest fish go uncaught. At least, that's what a bush pilot once told me. He thinks the biggest fish are too deep and too cagey to be caught. I hope he's right. It's cool to think that the big ones are still out there and always will be.

I read a piece about those southern smallies getting smaller. There have been two many decades of catching and killing the big ones and that genetic trace has been erased, like in Africa, where all the long-tusked elephants are gone.

A 27.25 inch smallmouth would sure be something to see, even if it were as skinny as sausage.

quote Arlo Pankook: "What about a 17" sunfish? Hawg Sunnie "

Oh my god thats huge

The boat captain assured me it was a smallie. Go figure. I didnt think smallies lived in saltwater. Will try to get my money back

quote Basspro69: "

quote Arlo Pankook: "What about a 17" sunfish? Hawg Sunnie "

Oh my god thats huge"

It's a good thing he was using bass tackle. I can imagine the vortex created by that thing swimming around-and-around in circles could suck a person in.

quote papszoo: "The boat captain assured me it was a smallie. Go figure. I didnt think smallies lived in saltwater. Will try to get my money back"

It was a smallie. Captains can't lie. They're genetically incapable of falsehoods. Remember this is you ever fish with me in my boat.

Porch and Captain did alot of LSD in the day.. Wicked sunnie!

quote papszoo: "This smallie was bigger than 36 inches .... "

That looks like a picture of my ex-wife's baptism.

quote The Lorax: "

quote papszoo: "This smallie was bigger than 36 inches .... "

That looks like a picture of my ex-wife's baptism."

LOL Nice one!

quote mcsweem: "andersons outfitters in crane lake have a contest every year for big fish and 3 or 4 years ago they had a 28.5 incher caught in quetico"

I'd like to see a picture of that fish.
How much would a fish like that weight.

quote missmolly: "I was walking last night and chatted with a guy sitting on his porch. He told me about 36-inch smallmouth at Lac Seul.

"They don't grow that big," I said.

"Oh, yes, they do," he assured me. "I've seen 'em."

Sigh."

I wonder if he knows what a smallmouth bass looks like. I've had simialr debates with people that are not that educated in fish identification. They argue that of course they caught a 40" walleye or a 30" bass only to find out that they actually caught a pike and had no idea what it was.

I've also had people say they caught an 18 inch crappie only to find out it was actually a largemouth bass.

quote Arlo Pankook: "What about a 17" sunfish? Hawg Sunnie "

Wow! That's a pig! I think I'd be smiling if it were my fish.

Just talked to a guy at work today that claims he caught a 26-inch smallie near the mouth of the Seagull River several years ago. I believe him, but I want to see a photo anyway :)

Sometimes the Canadians have a different name for a fish than we do, so I do doubt the 36 inch smallie.

nofish,
I have seen an 18 inch crappie that some friends brought back from Basswood Lake when fishing in the fall.
Not a picture, but the actual fish.

I believe the story. In fact, I often catch them and use them for bait for 80 inch pike.

The portage in is miserable though.

Hey fishin' fanatics! Check out This 19" Crappie. What a "total freak of nature."