Lets take the average sized lake like Fork or Roberts that have known big fish. How many times throughout a 10 lb bass's life has it been hooked?

Not trying to be cute or flippant here, but I'm afraid you'd have to ask the fish. My answer would be no better.

Well, you can't ask me because I've never hooked one.

32 years ago I caught a 10.13 from the Mexico side of Falcon Lake during a bass club tournament, and back then, most if not all ended up on the lucky anglers wall....If I recall the lake record back then was 11 pounds and change by a guy trolling at the dam. (I'm bragging now, but I even got a write up in the San Antonio Express News by Dan Klepper, RIP!)
My kids kids are fishing nowadays so in answer to your question, there is a pretty good chance someone may have, since the mindset of the bass fisherman has evolved over all these years.

I wonder about this too with any kind of caught and released fish. What we can know for absolute certain is that fish has produced many more of its kind because it was released. And of course if we release it, it will go on producing more and might be caught again!

I guess that was where I was going with this. With all the advantages and knowledge that bass anglers have now it seems as though it would be harder for a bass throughout its life to completely avoid contact.

Pretty sure every time I've broken off or lost a fish it was a 10+

Don't sell yourself short when nobody can prove you wrong. Every one I've ever broken off was a would-be state record.

I just didn't wanna sound conceited, that's why I dropped down to 10+. No doubt there was lake and state records envolved multiple times

On the spawning part, it doesn't seem to likely, given Ralph Manns' articles over survivability of fish. He claims that 1 out of every hatch survies to be a 3 lber. Now, if you have 100 10# bass in a lake, that means 100 fry would reach the 3 lb adult sized bass opulation. Do not know what the numbers of 10+ lb fish are, but I am pretty sure Ralph is pretty certain on the know of surviveability. He claims the 3# bass is a 4 or 5 year old bass and that they do not grow as quickly as we suppose they do. If you EVER get a chance to talk to Ralph, DO IT, because he has forgotten more than most of us will ever know. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck. Just something to think about.

Thad Rains

In the Toledo bend lunker program a few years back I remember them saying in the presentations at the Mc Donalds tournament that one of the lunkers had been caught three times. Had traveled back to it's original home area from the release site and had gained two pounds in one year, from 12 something to 14 something, from when it was caught one year prior.

I have a friend I fish with and all his broken or lost fish are 9-10 lbs. I always asked him about that scale on his rod.