sneaky anglers, reminds me of some of the lake fork SAL's...

30 acres is plenty if Camelot Bell is 40

Minnesota's surprises me. Would not expect 15lbs or anything but would have bet on way more than 8 and change.

I agree older records didn't need to be under the microscope like they do things now. The Georgia Perry bass in particular.

Yup, you don't need much. 25 lb Dottie came from a roughly 70 acre lake. Shook my head when I fished it on vacation and saw how small it was.

I know these big fish are like unicorns but it still amazes me these records have stood for 20-30 years....especially in southern lakes... Think about the number of boats that turn out for tournaments and how many people are out on a weekly basis hog hunting plus all the programs trying to enhance the quality of fish....

They actually are, but even the peacocks they stock don't get very big. They don't manage the freshwater much at all. Very few anglers fish it anyway.

I've seen what kind of attention and pressure a sharelunker can bring to a lake the following week, I kinda wonder if bigger fish have been caught just never made public or certified. I know its apples and oranges but several low fence deer records in the state have been broken over and over since '92.

Wonder what the true pure Northern world record is?
Hard to say for sure I guess.

Japan has like a 19lb and the 22lb world record from there.

The whole country is about half the size of Texas, and it appears to have climate like North Texas or maybe a tad colder.

Last two times I landed in Tokoyo it was covered in snow.

Delaware is far from extreme north but our record is upper 11's caught in late February 2016. It will be a tough one to beat in our state.

If I recall right it was caught through the ice! And its believed to be the largest pure Northern Strain LMB ever caught.

Fish was snagged no? By accident but none the less. Not legal.

Yup, foul hooked. Heard he decided not to try to get it certified.Fish was caught a few times during a 5 year period as some are aware of.

I think Texas has three main problems. 1. Aging reservoirs. They just aren't as fertile as they once were. 2. The yearly temperature swings are just a bit too extreme. A little too hot in the summer and a little too cold in the winter. My guess is that is adds up to lifespan reduction of several years as compared to some CA fish. 3. My other theory is that Texas lakes don't hold up as well to fishing pressure as deep clear California water. Because of the stained water, fish are forced to spawn much shallower on average. Sure some are going to spawn out deep, but most are going to be 8 feet or less. It's much easier to effectively fish 8 feet of water even if its stained. In California I've heard of LMB spawning in 20 feet+. At that depth, even if you know they are there fishing for them is not going to be easy. So long story short, I think big bass get hit harder during the spawn in Texas than they do in California. That's just a pure theory on my part though.