Alright... Hoping to get something else other than media bass talked about here. What do you guys think? Is she out there? Any thoughts on where you'd fish if you wanted to have a shot? Which Lake in Texas has the best odds of a new state record? Has anyone laid eyes on a fish they believe may flirt with the record? Let's hear the stories.

Is a new state record swimming out there? single choice
	For sure!
	Probably not
	Yes, and I've had her hooked
Votes accepted starting: 08/24/18 03:15 PM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

Imo....with all the "private water" effort to produce a record fish, not just a Texas record but a World record fish. One of these mad scientist will succeed, eventually... Falcon and Fork for public waters

What's the biggest fish caught in Texas this year? I seem to recall 1 or 2 that cracked 15lbs. So you'd need a fish 20% larger... I think one of those fish was caught post spawn, so pre-spawn you could add another 1-2lbs. I think there probably is a good chance she's out there swimming. Whether or not she could be coaxed to bite? Not so sure. I sure would love to see it happen though!

I think she is out there but it's a matter of being caught.

She is out there but it will be needle in a haystack finding her. She didn't get that big eating soft plastics and spinnerbaits but not impossible. As far as lakes go I think it will probably be a privately managed fishery that will produce it. I am losing confidence that a public lake has the magic.

I voted probably not but I had forgot about private water. I dont think there is an 18 plus in public water nowadays. Private water probably. If it ain't in the Bell yet it will be.

For sure!! She will be caught. In my opinion, she will be caught on live bait in public waters.

1. Lake Fork: Numbers don't lie. Where have almost all lake records been caught!!
2. Falcon & Amistad. I just have a feeling there is one lurking in the depths.
3. Caddo: One of the more recent cathes that cracked the top 5o in the state. May be more in there.
4. Sam Rayburn: Long shot? Maybe, but it is possible.

Wildcards: OH Ivie and Lake Austin

In my opinion, private waters may be attempting to breed and grow record bass, I do not think they will produce anything more than a few sharelunkers.

I think the best chance will be in a smaller lake with the right amount of forage and cover. With fishing pressure getting higher and higher I don't think it comes from Fork, etc if it happens at all. Fork and Falcon have the genetics, forage and cover but I think the pressure on Fork will prevent it from happening.

as long as the tilapia are available, Falcon or Amistad both have produced fish over 15lbs

I believe the record may have lived right here in Twin Oaks Reservoir. This reservoir was built over 30 years ago for a power plant that was mothballed shortly after construction began. The plant finally got built 20 years later finishing in 2009. The rumor is that this lake was originally planned to be open to the public and was part of the florida large mouth stocking. Turns out this lake was never opened to the public and still is off limits today. I'm sure there are a few on this forum that know more about it than I do. I have spoke with a few of the locals near this lake that used to sneak in and fish it and they had many stories to tell about some huge fish they caught there. Being such a small reservoir, I'm not sure what the hot water discharge has done to the fish.

Recently was on a small lake with huge 12-15 inch gizzard shad cruising shallow clear water. This lake has a lot of structure out to 30+ feet deep yet also has a ton of grass. Pads, hyacinth, hydrilla, coontail etc... easily possible for a giant fish to live out deep and when she comes shallow to spawn she�s never seen. Then shortly moves out deep again OR stays deep in the grass never to be seen by any fisherman. And she just munches on these huge gizzard shad.

Yep, she's out there. She will be caught by a crappie fisherman on a minnow.

^^^
YEP. Or better yet a kid with a Snoopy rod.

If Falcon could fill up and stay relatively full (85%+) for 9 or 10 years it would have a great shot at producing a new state record. It's hard to beat an 11 month growing season. It's also possible there's a world record somewhere in Mexico or Cuba right now. I wonder how many potential records have been netted and eaten in Mexico over the last 50 years?

She's out there somewhere and will be caught on live bait.