Here's an imgur link, what a slob: http://i.imgur.com/Y5E4JFg.jpg
Amazing fish but 0 % chance that fish was caught were it was reported. Hearing stories it came out of Schitute Res. If true that place is off limits and the record should not stand
Yeah, unfortunately this is what I'm leaning towards as well. While Johnsons at ~600ish acres is a big lake, that Res is massive and deep, and more importantly off-limits. I think that really makes a large difference; I know most of us C&R and the tourney's put the fish back, but damn I have sadly seen soooooo many people over the years hammering places with repeated pressure, and keeping just way to many fish, that I really doubt something could grow that large at this point from a public fishery the size we have access to around here because of it. Most likely Quabbin due to sheer size and regulation (again, a reservoir, and there was an article about them electrofishing a 14.5lb SM this year).
Similar to the MA record allegedly coming out of Samspon's Pond. Having grown up a few miles away and fishing the area for years, I would definitely say that fish came out of one of the herring run ponds somewhere in the Wareham area for it to have grown that large. There's herring running into Assawompsett Res as well, and I have physically seen fish in there in the 8lb> or greater class. Again...off limits.
Obviously no one wants their honey hole blown up but I don't know if it would be worth having everyone question it for as long as it stands.
I keep flip flopping thinking about if I caught a state record at my honey hole would I be honest about where it came from whether it was off limits or not.
Obviously no one wants their honey hole blown up but I don't know if it would be worth having everyone question it for as long as it stands.
Think I would get photos and scale it, probably a video and length measurements...then definitely release it, and tell absolutely no one where it was!
first of all, there are way more 10+ fish in mass ponds/lakes than people think. sure, all of the well known ecological and anthropogenic factors which limit growth apply when theorizing about how big fish can get in a given ecosystem. however, you have to realize that our "understanding" of the ecosystems we fish is laughable at best when you consider how well a 10+ bass understands the same ecosystem. it is a primal understanding, the best analogy i can give is that your understanding of the lake is digital while a fish's is analog.
now i'm sure none of that is news to you guys, but what i'm saying is that the 10+ pound monsters people are catching in MA ponds and lakes are not really extraordinary fish, they are extraordinary catches. it's easy for us to reason that in a pond with limited depth and volume there is a low chance of monster inhabitants. however, once volume increases past a certain sweet spot (which i think is lower than we may believe), there will be fish who if food isn't limited will eat, grow, reproduce, and thrive for 10, maybe even 15 years without ever having the pleasure of meeting a human. it is not at all unusual to see fish this large being pulled out of relatively small water.
so, any useful advice from this post? fish late into the night with big obnoxious baits. fish those local ponds and lakes where you catch 5 pounders. i won't be surprised at all when you log in to post the pics of your pb after.
cool site, will be lurking
i made an account here so i can reply to this thread. i just wanted to add my input on these huge fish and how our perception of them is quite naturally biased.
first of all, there are way more 10+ fish in mass ponds/lakes than people think. sure, all of the well known ecological and anthropogenic factors which limit growth apply when theorizing about how big fish can get in a given ecosystem. however, you have to realize that our "understanding" of the ecosystems we fish is laughable at best when you consider how well a 10+ bass understands the same ecosystem. it is a primal understanding, the best analogy i can give is that your understanding of the lake is digital while a fish's is analog.
now i'm sure none of that is news to you guys, but what i'm saying is that the 10+ pound monsters people are catching in MA ponds and lakes are not really extraordinary fish, they are extraordinary catches. it's easy for us to reason that in a pond with limited depth and volume there is a low chance of monster inhabitants. however, once volume increases past a certain sweet spot (which i think is lower than we may believe), there will be fish who if food isn't limited will eat, grow, reproduce, and thrive for 10, maybe even 15 years without ever having the pleasure of meeting a human. it is not at all unusual to see fish this large being pulled out of relatively small water.
so, any useful advice from this post? fish late into the night with big obnoxious baits. fish those local ponds and lakes where you catch 5 pounders. i won't be surprised at all when you log in to post the pics of your pb after.
cool site, will be lurking
Agreed. Any herring fed pond or stocked trout pond potentially holds fish of that caliber. They dont get that big by being dumb though. They're hard to fool but eventually will make a mistake.