It’s the most highly-coveted record in fishing… the world record largemouth bass. Break the world’s mark and fame and fortune will be yours. Here’s a list of the top 5 biggest largemouth bass every caught…
1: The Beast from the East (22.311 Pounds)
Caught in 2009 by Manabu Kurita in Japan’s Lake Biwa, this beast, by weight, is heavier than the long standing record set by George Perry in 1932. However, since Kurita’s fish only weighed just slightly over an ounce more than Perry’s, by rule the IGFA declared it a two-way tie for the heaviest bass ever landed.
2: The Ol’ Classic (22.25 Pounds)
Not long after George Perry caught his world record bass in Georgia’s Montgomery Lake in 1932, he ate it with his family. Too bad that was in the days before high res cameras in iPhones…This photo didn’t surface until decades after the catch.
3: The Near Miss (22.063 Pounds)
On March 12, 1991 Big Bass guru and record chaser, Bob Crupi came about as close to glory as you can with his monster momma from Castaic Lake that was mere ounces shy of the all-time mark. He was a master of the technique of fishing live crawdads from a boat with two anchors holding it in place.
4: Castaic Leviathan (21.75 ounces)
Just five days prior to Crupi’s third biggest bass of all time, Michael Arujo caught a hawg of a largemouth that was just a tad smaller that Crupis’…on the same lake! At that point, all eyes were on Southern California, expecting a new record to be caught at Castaic on any given day. It was the epicenter of the record hunt back then.
5: Dickerson’s Dixon Delight (21.688 ounces)
Tiny Dixon Lake became of the universe for extreme trophy hunters from 2000 to 2008, when it pumped out impressive numbers of jumbo bass. Jed Dickerson caught his 21.68 pounder in May of 2003.
Other Giants
In March 2006, Mac Weakley caught Dixon’s famous resident giant, Dottie, which pulled the scales down to 25.1 pounds. Unfortunately, the record bass was foul hooked and promptly released after a quick photo session…Dottie passed away of old age three years later.
Then there’s the 24 pounder that was caught by Paul Duclos on March 1, 1997 from Spring Lake in Northern California. Duclos weighed his fish on a bathroom scale and then released it.
An alleged 22 pounder was also taken from Spring Lake in 2008 by Leaha Trew but was never officially recognized by IGFA.
Steve Wantoch says
Just caught a northern at Barrett Lake that weighed a tad over 7 pounds, let me tell you that fish pulled DRAG !!
Gareth Smith says
I bet!
Andy Williamson says
Mac Weakley’s 25.1 pound largemouth was taken in March 2006, not 2005. Could you correct this please?
JD says
OK Done!
steelietom says
JD….
Bass? Really? Why not post the 5 largest Winter Steelhead, or the 5 largest King Salmon??? Nothing against Bass fishing, afterall, it is fishing…it’s just that, after watching countless tv shows about bass fishing, I really don’t find to much entertainment in hooking a fish, and reeling it to the boat in less than 1 minute….IMHO
JD says
I hear ya Tom, but I have to keep all the fans interested…
Michael says
Those fish are a dime a dozen. These pics are of the largest bass ever hooked that what makes em special.
Bob says
25.1 WOW that’s huge I wonder what is the biggest northern strain?
JD says
Hmmm, that is a good question!
michael ianni says
The largest official northern strain largemouth bass on record is the Massachusetts state record set in 1975 by Walter Bolonis @ 15lbs 8oz.
mike says
long believed to be a fake.. been fishing mass for years, that guy had weights in that fish, we dont have 16 pounders
Nick says
Mike, you just suck at fishing…
moe says
Huge bass
.
Steve says
I lived 10 minutes from Lake Dixon when Mike first caught Dottie. I thought the number was a typo, just like the 101 pound blue cat they pulled out of another nearby lake. I couldn’t believe two fish that big were pulled out the same week.
Jeremiah says
When the ditch pickles get that big they look like they’re part alligator! They might even pull drag at that size, maybe!