Fishing Forum

I found the following while surfing the net....Found it interesting and thought you might too!

Fishtoe

Northern Smallmouths can live to be eighteen years old but twelve years seems to be and average for Lake Hopatcong. The 19 and 20 inch fish were probably in the nine to eleven year old bracket. The average length of a four year-old Lake Hopatcong Smallmouth is 14 inches at five years-old they average 16 inches at six years old they average 17 inches and 18 inches at seven years old. The World Record Smallmouth was 11 lbs. 15 oz. caught in Dale Hollow Lake, Kentucky back in 1955.

That is some good info. Another reason to practice catch and release on the bigger fish. I was surprised to see it takes 5 years for a 14" fish to get that big.
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Calico bass in the Pacific only grow to 12'' in five years. I have caught them to 15 lbs in the early 80's and they live for 20 years.
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