Douglas Lake is located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, attracting more than 1.7 million visitors a year. The owner of the store allowed Gilmore to keep his fish in a tank until he could contact MDC. Arguably, it is even more challenging to tie a current world record where exact weights, lengths, and precise measurements come into play. Largemouth tips scale to 25.1 pounds, then is released back into Dixon Lake. January through April. Smokies Angling Adventures "Specializing in Largemouth, Smallmouth, Crappie, Bluegill, Trout and Striper fishing excursions." Phone: (865) 661-5107 E-mail: saguides@smokiesangling.com Web: http://www.smokiesangling.com/ Nation Western Regional, and the Annual New Horizons Charity Pro-Am Bass Tournament. Texas' Top 25 Largemouth Bass. At that point, Gilmores fish weighed in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces and was 23.5 inches long; big enough to nab him a new state largemouth bass record for alternative methods. 7/9/55 : . Fishermen Watch As 600lb Marlin Catch Gets, The Largest Great White Sharks Ever Found, Biggest in the World? Lake Martinez is also close to the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, which means plenty of wildlife makes its way over to the area. The only places that yield big catches for him are community holes, and the same places produce year after year. Steinaker Lake: BASS, Largemouth: 1991: 4 lbs. The Clear Lake record for largemouth bass is 17.52 pounds and was caught by the late Jerry Basgal back in 1990. February through early May. According to Mauldin, Douglas doesnt subscribe to whats normal. Lake fishing reports, Fishing information, Bait, Lake Conditions, water temperature. The female junior record is held by Mackenzie Ruth Hickox, who caught a 7.14 kg (15 lb 12 oz) largemouth on Spruce Creek in Daytona Beach, FL. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. That may seem like a long life for a fish unless you consider that the bigmouth buffalo fish can live to 112. Douglas' drainage basin of 4,541-square miles is the largest of the tributary reservoirs. That could spread the deep bass among several livewells and reduce the weight needed to win here. Toll-Free:1-800-332-0900 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. You need to understand and accept that you are not likely to catch many of your target fish on a regular basis. Will it pick up in time for the Douglas Lake Open? The state record for the largest largemouth bass ever caught in Arizona was set by Randall E. White on April 22nd in 1997 at Canyon Lake along the Salt River, just 51 miles to the east of Phoenix. 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. Douglas Lake has become a popular recreational site where visitors can enjoy picnicking, camping, fishing and more! Yellow bass only live for 7 years, and (like largemouth bass) they congregate around aquatic structures, both natural and man-made, like docks, rocks, logs, and water reeds, for example, for shelter and to protect the schools they travel in. This cover should yield many limits during the tournament. The water is famed for being unusually clear, making it easy to spot fish by sight in the spring months. Its likely that these well-known sweet spots will attract crowds of fishermen during the tournament. The most common types of bass it offers are largemouth, smallmouth, and striped bass, but the lake is also full of catfish, trout, panfish, many kinds of sunfish, carp, black crappie, and razorback suckers. DOUGLAS LAKE: Dragging Baits for Deep Summer Largemouth Bass - YouTube Today's video takes place on Douglas Lake in East Tennessee in the heat of July. The largemouth bass is one of the most popular fish in the state, second only to the longfin dace. 10/17/54 : Sugar Creek: Smallmouth Bass* 11 lbs. The world record largemouth bass was caught in Montgomery Lake, Georgia in 1932. Dale Hollow has some of the most beautiful scenery you can see anywhere, and youre likely to set the hook into a big smallmouth while youre there, too, said Jackson Holbert of the Riverside High School team and son of TWRA Commissioner Kurt Holbert. Sauger has no minimum length limit but only one of the Sauger may be over 16 inches per day. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. DOUGLAS CO-LONESTAR LAKE 62.77 19.69 0.33 4.93 G NEOSHO SFL 62.02 29.29 2.99 6.15 G EDNA CITY LAKE . Thats because Phoenix Boats has generously provided a boat so I can fish the Northern Opens as a boater. A large appealing bait will increase your chances of attracting a big bass. Alissa Vinoski. *There is no state record information for sturgeon in Oregon because the maximum size limit is 54". Lake Fork, Texas. . White spinners (Rooster Tails), grubs, and small flies are all effective. This lake was created between the years 1934 and 1938 and is split between Arizona and California, offering scenic views of the nearby Colorado River and Bill Williams River. Record fish caught in Utah. Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences. Bluegill (bream) - April through October. DOUGLAS LAKE Click Here For TWRA Fishing Report WHEN TO FISH The best time to fish Douglas is any time you can. Whenever I draw a tournament partner that guarantees easy limits of bass, its the kiss of death. 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. There is 496 miles of shoreline holding 43,100 acres of water to fish. 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. In 1897, they were brought to Arizona, where they are now one of the most popular species to fish for in the state. Robert Crupi and Castaic Lake show up again, this time for a 17-pound, 1-ounce record fish caught December 28, 1990, on just 4-pound line. When Douglas post-spawn bass first move out to the points, the fishing is hot, Mauldin explains. DOUGLAS LAKE: Beat the HEAT Fishing Deep Largemouth Bass - YouTube Today's video takes place on Douglas Lake in East Tennessee. E-mail the office, Go to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. 480-301-4993. 1994. Lake Roosevelt is especially prized for its largemouth bass population but has also been known to host smallmouth bass up to 5 lbs in weight. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Stay in Touch with MDC news, newsletters, events, and manage your subscription. If any questions or problems arise, call the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife at 1-800-858-1549. Chickamauga has always been hit or miss for me through winter and early spring. A final perspective comes from Jake Davis who is a guide on several Tennessee waters, as well as being the State Conservation Director for Tennessee BASS Nation. If you feel like enjoying some time out on the water when you visit the Smoky Mountains, whether its relaxing in a boat or splashing around, take a drive to Douglas Lake. These guides will help you get out on the lake and catch some fish. Ivie Lake in Texas has yielded 10 largemouth bass topping 13 pounds so far in 2023, and anglers statewide will benefit from the catches. At the time of its construction, it was the largest artificial lake in the world. There was a time in the early to mid-2000s that it looked like the record was going to be beaten though. 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. I called Mark Mauldin to get a different perspective. Their diet can consist of fish, crayfish, frogs, newts, dragonflies, and virtually anything else they can fit in their mouths! Thermal stratification can begin forming as early as April and can be firmly in place by June or July. Sauger and Walleye provide a seasonal fishery and each spring, both species make spawning runs up the French Broad River. Fishing points and brush is effective, but many crappies are caught trolling. Thank you for reading! Check out the list below: So, while a top 5 list of bass lakes in the state will always be subject to debate one thing is for sure; Tennessee has a lot of great bass fishing opportunities. 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. #4 Dale Hollow Completed in 1943 and located in the Tennessee counties of Clay, Pickett and Overton, Dale Hollow covers 27,700 acres of water in Tennessee and Kentucky. The deep bite has gotten tougher lately, Mauldin says. Floridas Trophy Catch program mentions Lake Istokpoga year after year as a great place to catch big bass. It helps with the overall water control in the Tennessee Valley. There is 28,000 acres of water and with 513 miles of shoreline, theres plenty of spots, cuts, and coves to fish. 30,400 acres View Map Premium Mapping Lake George is the second-largest lake in Florida and is on the edge of the Ocala National Forest. These fish have a fast reproductive clip, so they tend to remain small as more and more of their species populate the habitat. Water Body Records for Lady Bird Lake Water Body Records for Lady Bird Lake Updated December 20, 2022 Weight Records | Catch & Release Records | Return to record search | Submit your record! The bass at Douglas relate mainly to points. Bluegill is easily caught and typically anglers will fish with crickets, earthworms, or mealworms under a float or tight lining with split shot to catch them. The record bass was caught on January 2nd, 1992 by Barry St. Clair. I cringed when I read Douglas Lake set to stun by David Hunter Jones on the Bassmaster Opens web page. As a result, they have been stocked throughout the U.S. to provide recreational fishing opportunities. 8.125 05/19/2017 Lake Michigan: Milwaukee: Bass, Largemouth 11 lbs. All in one day you can catch largemouth on a big flipping stick or run up and dropshot for big smallmouth. O.H. There is a 15 fish daily creel limit and a 10-inch minimum size limit for crappie. Small portions of the Nolichucky and Pigeon rivers are also impounded by the lake. Here are the state records to prove it. The 17.06-pound largemouth bass, caught Thursday by Brodey Davis at O.H. When they returned the next day to check their line, Gilmore realized they had caught something. Fish species inhabiting the Douglas Lake include, Bass, Crappie, Catfish, and Bluegill. You have potential for a giant bag, but it is incredibly hard to find water that hasnt already been fished by 8-10 other boats. Thank you for reading! As the species is such a popular sport fish, it has been introduced to many environments globally where they would not be found natively. On Sept. 1, he reeled in an 18-pound, 8-ounce largemouth on a 3/8-ounce jig at Spring Lake, which has since been certified as a record in the 4-pound line class by the Fishing . Weight Records This page ranks weight records caught by rod & reel, fly rod and bow fishing. No votes so far! They were cranking deep points. The shoreline is primarily farmland and residential, with rolling hills. About | Privacy Policies | Business Resources | Sitemap | Made with by IMEG. The average length is 18 inches but the largemouth bass may attain a length of 24 inches or more. Started in 1938, the printed magazine is free to residents of Missouri. The bass also stubbornly cling to community holes. Weight Record - Game Fish Most recent entry is highlighted in this color. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. Gilmore was not sure what to do with his trophy fish. A monthly publication about conservation in Missouri. Largemouth Bass draw the most attention. But just a few miles away, youll find all the excitement of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg! TWRA reserves the right to conduct genetic testing on any fish submitted as a state record to verify its species or hybrid status. This article related to a protected area in Tennessee is a stub. So I turned it loose, Gilmore said. [PDF] must accompany prospective record fish entries. Good fishing from DouglasLakeInfo.com!! There are ample largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass to catch on any given day. The largemouth bass record in Tennessee stood for 60 years, but state wildlife officials weren't surprised when it was broken last week. Lake Havasu is also well known for its bass fishing tournaments, such as the Lake Havasu Classic, the B.A.S.S. Dayton 1954 ; Mountain Whitefish 5.9 22.5 14 Island Park Reservoir Robert Hall 1997 ; Northern Pike 40.13 Gilmore and his friend, Austin Lake, had set their trotline on April 27 using goldfish as bait, hoping to catch some catfish at Ka-Tonka Lake, located in Ka-Tonka Game Preserve and Sporting Clays Club in Ralls County. Have some feedback for us? We are sorry that this post was not useful for you! They prefer warmer water which is why Florida is one of their favorite homes but they are located all over the US. They eventually regroup, and the point fishing picks up again. Whitefish. At first, I didnt think I had broken the record, but thats when I saw the line for alternative methods.. Tennessee's Record Fish as of December 1, 2001 (*world record) Common Name: Weight: Date Caught: Location: Largemouth Bass : 14 lbs. Have some feedback for us? In some lakes you may need to go as deep as 60 feet while others seldom hold fish below 25 feet. Douglas Lake is a fertile, Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir with 555-miles of shoreline and a total surface area of 30,600-acres. The Douglas Lake reservoir inundates about a 40-mile (64km) stretch of the French Broad River between the Douglas Dam and the Irish Bottoms area near Newport. Largemouth bass are one of the top recreational ?sh species in the United States. There is a 15-fish daily creel limit with no size restriction. Douglas produces lots of 6- and 7-pound largemouths.. 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. Anglers the world over gather regularly for fishing derbies to see who can land the biggest catch. 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