BIG FISH

[katoguy]

6.8# in an evening tourney near Mankato (1995?). Caught a 8.0#er a couple years later from the same lake, but this one went on the wall.

Numerous 5's (about 21")but those legit 6's are very rare. You "hear" about them but see pictures of few (or the guy in the pics have huge hands, etc...)

[Bobb-o]

hey rich, you talk to dad and make sure you guys are coming up for the crappie contest on may 1? forget the bass in the lake, i am going after those walleyes this year, it was really amazing to catch back to back 20 and 25 inch walleyes out of 7 feet of water on a weed flat.

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a Leap year huh? sweet, an extra day of fishing!

[JGJ]

6 lbs 10 oz. June Pope county lake.
Also had a 6lb 2oz that night also.
A night that will not be forgotten.
Caught on plastic craws, in a mix of pencil reeds and coontail, 4-6 feet deep. Stout tackle a must, to wrestle them out to semi-open water. Both fish released, 6-10 my biggest to date. Next closest was a 6-8 about 3 years ago. Central MN has lots of lakes that give up 6lb fish on a regualr basis, especially in the the late fall, October in particular.

[MedicineMan]

7lbs 2oz. Largemouth
Medicine Lake, Hennepin County.
I caught that fish on a Reef Runner deep diver while trolling in 16 feet of water.

[friendlyfisher]

Hey JGJ,
When you say central minnesota has a lot of good quallity lakes. Where about are you talking about? Just curious if we are fishing the same lakes by chance.

Friendly

[friendlyfisher]

Mine was a 6.25 Largemouth. It came on a slow rolled spinnerbait in October. 4lbs and 5lbs were common but this one was a supprise and quickly released.

friendly.

[Matt Johnson]

• Largemouth - 23 inches, 6 pounds 7 ounces
  Chisago County, 2003
• Smallmouth - 23.75 inches, 7 pounds 9 ounces
  Lake of the Woods, 2002
  

Both released.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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First Choice Guide Service

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Iceleaders
Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait
MarCum
Stone Legacy
JR's Tackle

[This message has been edited by Matt Johnson (edited 03-17-2004).]

[andy j]

25 incher (7-8 lbs) caught in a lake I grew up on down in Iowa when I was about 12 years old. Caught her right after she spawned out. Would of easily of pushed 10 lbs if I would of caught her a week earlier.

[BigMike]

Matt,

I'm really jealous of your huge smallie! I can only imagine the fight she put up! My 20.5'' this last fall had to have been in the 5lber range and I'm looking for the 21-23'' this year. 7lb+ is a once in a lifetime smallie, hope you got lots of great pics! Congrats.

BigMike

[sami0115]

what was the biggest bass you caught and hopefully released? weight &/or length... LM &/or SM .... lure & lake/river.... just curious

me: LM 20.5" digital scale 5lb 3oz on white Terminator spinnerbait, Potato Lake, Hubbard Co., Sept. '04

i'm looking to break that magical 6lb mark this year...

[Clay.P]

Largemouth - 7lbs on Madison Lake Wedge Jig Smallmouth - 6lbs Mississippi River Pool 4 Bandit Crankbait.

[LiLBro]

My largest LM was a 23'', 6 1/2 pounder. buzzbait, secret metro lake. Bobb-o can vouch for that one.

[BigMike]

This last fall I was smallie hunting with Ebass and Daze Off on seperate occassions on the same body of water (can't tell...sorry) and and caught my largest smallies ever.

First real pig was with Ebass going 19.5'' and second was with Daze Off pushing 20.5''. Real beauties! Both were caught in late fall (october). All fish I catch are released. Hope to get into some of that same action this summer!!!

[sami0115]

never heard of "secret" lake it doesn't show up on any map ... HA HA HA nice fish.... some of my best fish have been on topwaters... have you ever tried a Nip-a-Deedee....

[Matt Johnson]

Mike,
Yep, sure was a fish of a lifetime. I had a replica made of that one, just have to pick it up. To be honest, it didn't really fight as hard as some of the 4-5 pounders I got up there, but I'm not trying to be picky I caught it on a float jig and leech with a split-shot about 16 inches up, slowly drifting over a rock hump in late August. We lost a couple other nice ones, and we also landed a couple 20-21 inchers. Some of the best fishing I'd ever experienced. I've gone back to that spot a couple times but haven't had the luck like in the past. A few smaller smallies and some walleyes, but thats about it. It was July though, and the crayfish weren't on the prowl yet

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

------------------
First Choice Guide Service

[email protected]
Iceleaders
Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait
MarCum
Stone Legacy
JR's Tackle

[LOWinEYEin]

Matt nice Smallie-wow

7lb8oz-washington co topwater.
7lb5oz-washington co white spinner.

These largies were caught last year and were both released.

Come on spring-

[Coach Dog]

Smallie:
2 fish both at 21" out of same lake north of Grand Rapids, MN

Largemouth:
2 fish both at 21". 1 out of lake mentioned above and the other out of Lake Winona, Winona, MN.

Only kept one of the smallies for the wall, rest are still swimming. The smallies weighed 5# and 5.2#. The largies weighed about 5.5#.

I'm stuck on that 21" and am still waiting for that 6 pounder.

Coach Dog

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GIT-R-Done!

[ilikepike]

Largemouth - 22" on a 6-inch perch pattern Suick while fishing for pike in May on a small lake in Ottertail county.

Smallmouth - 20" on a 3/8 oz white spinnerbait with willow leaf blade in August on a metro stretch of the Missisloppy.

[JGJ]

friendly Fisher, I am fishing lakes like Minnewaska, sauk, Johanna, and some smaller less known lakes. Those three are good bets for a 6 or better come October, last day of season on one of those three, I had a 6-1, 6-2, and 5-12 same day, plus several others in the 2-4 lb class. Total of 43 for the day between me and partner. Last week of October, basically only ones on the lake. Fishing 4 inch plastics, spinning rods with 10# fireline, 1/32 oz worm weights, in about 6-8 feet of water. Great last trip, little chilly though, rod tips icing up by end of day. Water temp, 41, air temp 39 at best, down to 32 when we left the lake. No wind helped.

[Sliderfishn]

smallmouth 7lbs 1oz. 23.4 inch. on the St. Croix. Released. Got graphite replica.
Largemouth 6lbs. 3oz buzzbait metro lake.
Largemouth 13lbs 11oz. FLORIDA wild shiner.
That one is on the wall right next to a 12lb 12oz walleye. Thanks for starting this post it sure brings back some GREAT memories.

[kt]

Hey JGJ,

Hows the access on Johanna. I've heard that it isn't the best, maybe you can clarify this for me.

[ajmurf]

Hard to belive, but a 8# 2oz Largemouth. Caught on a homeade beetle spinner. Caught in about 6" of water under a large tree. Here's the best part: LOOKED AT IT AND PUT IT RIGHT BACK IN THE WATER. Largest bass I've ever seen. No camera with me either. Showed 2 other boats of people the monster and they were in awe. One of those old gray lookin' bass. What a rush.

CAN'T WAIT TILL OPENER.

[JGJ]

Ramp at Johanna was still in pretty good shape last summer. You have to be fairly proficient at backing as the turn around is quite a distance from the lake. Do have to a little careful to stay straight on the ramp though if you get to far to one side, you can fall off, saw one guys axle get wedged in-between the cement segments, wwe had to get a jack out and lift the trailer up and then push it over to get him out.
I am kind of concerned about it maybe freezing ou this year, not a very deep lake and we did see some good snow cover this year. Johanna can be awesome though. Hope it came through. Saw a picture in ODN last summer of a 2lb gill a guy caught trolling a fat rap for walleyes.

[EBass]

20.5" smallie on Millelacs with white tube. First fish of the day and the rest of the day sucked about two years ago.

I don't remember exactly the length but I think it was close to 22" if not 22" on Tonka. I could put my fist in it's mouth with some room to spare, but this was a few years ago. Also 21.25" on Medicine last fall.

All my bass are released. My handle isn't Ebass for nothing.

[Stratosman]

My biggest came this Feb. on a east metro lake, caught on a flirty girty tipped with a spike on 2lb test. 22". I figured it was a northern until I saw it swim by the hole.

Snapped a quick photo and sent her home. Thinking of getting a replica made of that one.