Heaviest 5 Fish Stringer Ever

Know of anyone who topped 50lbs in a day? Here's the heaviest single day 5 fish stringers I'm aware of...

1. 72.0 lbs San Vincent Reservoir Bill Murphy 1975
2. 65.0 lbs Butch Brown 2010 (California, but can't recall where)
3. 62.2 lbs Tom Young Lake Casitas 1991

To my knowledge none of these were *verified* independently but obviously come from reliable big bass folks. Butch Browns catch was filmed during the release, but none of the weights were on film.

I had 9 and a half pounds in a tournament once.

Feb 17, 2016 me and Rick Shipley had 56.5 on Camelot Bell.

I had three fish all day, a 12.0, a 9.5 and a five pounder.

Rick had a 9.5, 10.5, 11.5, and a 13.0, a 7 pounder and two smaller ones.

A month later Justin Furnace smashed our best five with 62 or 63# fishing by himself!!

This is an underrated post.

35# Richland Chambers this was the week before the tournament. Tournament day not so much.......

My best 5 fish stringer was 204 lbs. Oops I just realized this wasn't the catfish section.

Bill Murphy was a giant hunter. All that guy did was try and catch big fish. We saw him sitting on a point at El Capitan Reservoir in San Diego one day. He was anchored and stitching a big worm. We were beating the bank and catching a few. My partner looks back and says "Murphy's hooked up". We watched him land a fish that looked to be 7-8 pounds. Releases it and goes right back to what he was doing. He was a great fisherman

Here's Butch Brown's 65 pound stringer video:

There have been numerous fifty pound plus, even sixty pound plus stringers caught in Mexico by individuals. Me included.

Brown has evidence. Do the other guys?

Whew. I'm glad you caught that. I was about to post my last tuna trip.

What's the biggest any of you have caught in a tournament?

Amazing video!! I can't even imagine a day like that.

My favorite aspect of that video, the rig he is in, would fit inside most of the big 90K rigs we all see ( and envy) all the time. More like the crappie guys I see around here. No dual graphs on the front, no ultrex, and likely no PPoles. Would love to see this guy come in on a tiller motor and wear everyone out!!

Fork too if you believe some of the doo-doo from a well known guide down there.....

Those boats aren't allowed on the water that he is fishing. Electric motors only.

That is correct. Lower Lagoon to Lake Castaic. Been there twice.

I know at least two of those stories were true. I was helping him with a couple from LA. He had the guide trip for the people I was fishing with. His clients got on them right before lunch and they had like 54# with five fish. They had pictures and weights of those five fish for sure. I know he claimed about 7 or 8 days that year his clients caught 50 plus stringers.

I weighed in just over 33lbs this past March on Toledo. Biggest bag I've ever caught was 38lbs on Toledo. Had one day on Fork with no scale, but pretty sure we had over 40lbs that day.

Geez, Ken. You really should quit with the posts bashing that guide. You do it at every opportunity. It's unbecoming of a man. We all know who you're talking about and you're basically calling him a liar, which is a personal attack on the man's credibility.

35lbs in a tournament for me. Bassnbucks 2007 Rayburn sight fishing. 12lb big bass

Numerous 40lb stringers fun fishing.
Only 50lb stringers for 5 fish I've heard of on 14" lakes is Falcon and David Wharton on Rayburn. David was a heck of a good fisherman. Biggest I've seen in person was Mike Metcalf on Rayburn in an anglers choice. I think he had 42+

Obviously fork with the slot it's happened more often.

I guess it doesn’t count but I have had multiple 50 plus days at Bell up to 55.
I have had several 4 giant fish days that had I gotten the 5th big fish then would have been in the low 60’s.
Next best was 45 lb at Fork sight fishing-3 of those were over 10 (one of my luckier days-lol)!!!
One reason it’s so hard is that I’m too pumped up after one to focus.
I don’t know of any other verified ones though besides what you stated. I guess best 5 is tourney related- otherwise why not best 4 or best 7? I really just try to get one- that’s more than hard enough!

He fishes from a ranger now. Mid 2000s

Talking about Butch brown

This thread make me feel bad.

Biggest for me was 43.22 best 5 in a tournament on a non-slot public lake. Had over 32 lbs 3-4 times in other events.

I've had a 27 lb day with smallmouth. Probably 3 or so days over 35 lbs with largemouth. I do not think I've ever cracked 40.

I sure everyone will have a opinion about whether we want to start defending the credibility of Lake Fork guides telling the truth about how big there fish were but I doubt many will agree that people tell the truth about the size of there ?????

We all have opinions on the credibility of the guides on fork and it usually comes down to who uses who. There been lots of opinions on here over the last 5 years that I have saw go after that one guide. I have defended him in the past myself. I wouldn't be to harsh on Ken he is a good dud.

I heard it said this way by one of the guides.

I caught a 10# and he was this __________ long LOL HA LOL

I had a day on Joe Pool where my best 5 would have been in the really high 30's, but, it's a slot lake and I weighed in 13.9 for the win. Lol.

27lb for smallmouth sounds ridiculous!!!
I’ve never even caught one!
Also, I would think it’s harder in a tourney for sure- less hours, pressure, timing, etc..

Good times... I watched him on San V do the same thing

I was close to 50 on Sugar Lake with Tommy L. a few years back!

Sturgeon bay back in 2010-2012 was crazy. It was rare to catch a fish under 4 lbs. 5's didn't turn a head. Almost every trip somebody in the boat would catch a 6+. Was up there last year and it was quiet a lot tougher. Still probably boated 23lbs.

I know you mentioned 50lbs but in 2001 Dean Rojas had a 45-02 bag during a tx on Lake Toho, a non trout stocked lake unlike these big Ca. bags. I fished Castaic and the lagoon and neither are close to what they were 20 years ago. Those big lagoon bass came from the main lake.

I've had 3 50+ days at Camelot Bell, and those are my only 50+ pound stringers. I've been a part of two 50+ pound days on Falcon with Charlie Haralson. My best three one day were 31 and Charlie had two over 10. The other trip I had 2 over and Charlie had three. We had a bunch of 45+ days together back in 2010 and 2011. My best personal day on Fork was 45 lbs, but I did it in 30 minutes with a ball and chain. That was in 2000 on a place now known as the pumphouse. Biggest one day stringer from Fork I know of was Kelly Jordon's 63 lbs. His best 10 that day weighed 101 lbs. They were all weighed on a Cull-M-Rite scale and caught on 5" weighted swimbaits in 20-30 feet.

If you had a choice for the best month or months to fish Camelot for similar results as you had what would you suggest?

Now through March and July have been my best months, but don't kid yourself. Those types of trips are a rarity. Even there. I've been skunked more times than I can remember at the Bell.

I watched 60-70# under the dock next to ramp at San Vicentes just before they starting dumping rainbow trout from ramp from hatchery truck, they just started slowly toward the ramp then all he77 broke loose. Talk about a feeding frenzy of big fish. The lake was closed on that Monday but friend worked as a biologist there. Their lakes were only open on thur,fri,sat and Sunday back then., this was back in 1978.Knew a guy that had a limit of 56# he caught schooling after trout on live water dogs. You think Amistad is clear go check oot the southern Cal lakes.

I've had some high 20s on Rayburn. Quite a few 30s on Houston County. 4 days over 35 on Falcon and 2 over 40 on Falcon with the best being 48 at Falcon in 6 hours. All fish weighed on a Cull-M-Rite.

Now that reminds me of big bluefin coming up and feeding... I swear when the back up alarm sounded don’t put your hand in the water, you would come back with a stump...

But back in the day, the biologist out there, Larry Bottrof was showing a lot of people just how trained those big 12-15 pound bass had become.

Back in the early 80’s there was a 70+ pound of bass weighed in at Lower Otay, all 5 fish were mounted and on display at several tackle shows.

Made me remember Lakes of Danbury! Same thing when they'd back up the hatcery truck to the big lake and dump a couple tons of gizzard shad at the boat ramp. There were bones crushing for a solid hour. A Zara Spook didn't stand a chance!
In retrospect, I had several other 50+ days there from 1991-1994. Thanks fishbreeder!

I fished San Vicente in 2016 just a couple weeks after they re-opened it after an 8 year closure. Super high expectations and the results were very disappointing. was expecting DD bass to be caught or atleast caught by other boats out there. I should have known better as I got skunked at Castaic in 2014 thinking all those 20lb genes from 20 years ago were lurking .

I know a lot of people like to hate on others with nice equipment and boats, but he did not fish out of that rig to "prove something", he did it because that is the type of boat that is allowed on the lake he was fishing.

To flip the script, I would like to see him compete at Toledo Bend or other lakes where you have to navigate rough water to catch a good stringer in that boat

Thanks for the info. I learned to lower my expectations after fishing a couple ex-giant factories in Ca.

Great video.

fun fishing all day, 40+ many times in east texas and cali lakes. never got over 25 in a tourney.

I fished it back in September 2017 with a guide and we caught several up to 9 pounds, but based off what everyone was saying I wasn't expecting any DD's. Very Gin Clear Water for sure...

Maybe we should hit Cooper lake in the spring like way back when....

I remember that stringer that mike and glen had. That must have been 1998-99?

Biggest surprise for me was a 49# stringer on Palestine. I mean you see some low 30's on there occasionally and that's pretty awesome but 49# ? All I can say is WOW.

My customers and I have had some pretty impressive 5 fish strings from Fork, but some of the strings I've heard about and that have been mentioned on this thread are unbelievable.
Really unbelievable.

Really??

From Fork, really.

I was there in winter of 2016. Fishing was slow and it was strange seeing your shaky head on the bottom in 20+ feet of water. Bill from Barnacle Bills Tackle in Lemon Grove had some 100 fish days at San V after they first opened back up with fish up to 8 pounds. Back in the day, those hatchery trout never stood a chance. Those big bass were like sharks with blood in the water. That's why they started stocking a lot bigger trout. 85% of those 12 inchers were in a bass's belly and never got caught. I used to love talking to Larry when getting in at the end of the day. He knew everything that was happening on those lakes.

Yep I have met a lot of people in my life that stated they didn't believe in Jesus and as I have told them many times just because you don't believe doesn't mean he doesn't exist just means you are not smart enough to believe and go look and learn.

What tournament?

Wow, that's unusual. Mr. McCarty hasn't posted since May, 2016 and, out of nowhere, here he is. With Ken A. commenting right behind him. On BOTH of Richard's posts, too. You guys just turned this silly. I'm out.

Don't remember for sure Jaret was maybe 10-12 years ago but I think it was a Media tournament and seems like it was the Coleman bro's. I think it is still a lake record.

No offense meant in my post.
I read TFF all the time, but simply choose not to post often.
There was another thread where some incorrect info was posted about me, and although flattering, it wasn't true.
I logged in to set the record straight.
I ran across this thread and decided to make a comment based on my years on the lake.
I haven't talked to Ken in probably 6 or 7 years, so there is no collusion if that's what you're inferring.
Sorry if my post offends you.

Big fish stringers on Fork are rarely documented and a lot of hearsay. But you can do it. But in a tournament? It's the nature of a slot lake. And of course you can always believe fishing stories about magical days......I have dumped 25 lbs back in the lake because it wouldn't get a check. Lake Cooper back in the 90s.........

I lived at Lakeside just north east of San Diego and fished San Vicente quit a bit and biggest fish was a heavy 10, they passed a law if you caught a trout you had to rip their gills out and put it on ice because people were using them for live bait. I caught a lot of fish on night crawlers using a coffee grinder reel and 6# line and had some strip all of my line off, but had a blast.

I’ve had a 27 pound limit (5 fish) of smallmouth too on a northern lake that will remain nameless. I’ve caught 100s more than 5 pounds and numerous 7s from that place.

My best largemouth day was Falcon where four of us caught 40 or so in the 6 to 10 pound range all from one rocky hump.

Earlier I mentioned the three biggest ones I caught. The biggest I didn’t catch was rather sickening.
I was with Frazier at Bell in March 2012. I saw a bed but all I could see was the tail due to clarity- it was like a paper plate. I caught the 8 lb male first, but knew I needed to wait a bit. Later in the afternoon I snuck up and got her to bite a 5” senko blind casting - that fish was very strong and hot- the area was filled with brush and junk so I couldn’t play her. She made a run under the back of the boat, literally pulled me to my knees and slammed my rod into the motor. Before I could release the spool she broke my 25lb big game, then a few moments later completely cleared the water with my senko in her mouth. Mike and I were both stunned. How could a fish that large completely clear the water - but she did. That was a big one, mid- possibly upper teen. Yuck...
Maybe it wasn’t as big as it seemed, but it sure looked a lot bigger than a 13.5 I caught the day before. You just can’t go messing with those giants without a few heartbreaks...
Guess this should have gone in the other thread about biggest fish I have seen but oh well- lol.

There was a over 40lb bag in a tournament on Palestine, it was Billy Ferguson and his partner. But it wasn't 49 lbs

Yes that was only a year or two ago, the 49# stringer was 10-12 years ago. I fished a tournament right after that and everybody was talking about it. It was in late Feb. or early March so I figured they were bedding fish.

I remember the story well. Those are the memories that haunt us.

I need to stop giving my money away. My biggest 5 fish from all year last year was barely over 30 lbs.

I've had a couple of 34-35lb. Days on Brady back in the 90's. Several 35lb. Days on a small public e.tx. lake in the last couple yrs. That has to remain nameless to save it.

Ignoring slot limits, 37 and change at Fork. Worked a fish for a while at the end of the day that ended up being the 1st fish of the next day that would culled the smallest fish and pushed 39. Was really happy those days.

Correction...Kelly was flattered that I gave him 9 lbs. His best 5 weighed 54lbs. 11oz., all weighed at The Minnow Bucket, December 13, 1995. The top 10 that day did weigh 101lbs. They were caught on spoons and the big salami. In 32'-40' of water. Sorry, it sux to get old and forget details. In my defense, it was a long time ago.

Cool trivia...SRA was setting channel marker buoys in the area that same day.

Good night.

Nico and I caught 57.85 once. 54.6 was our second best. Northern California. Sometimes if the huge ones are biting they all bite at once. There will always be someone else who caught more and bigger . I’m sure quite a few guys broke 60 on Casitas when it was good.

That's not correct. I lived in LA for 10 years and fished Castaic all the time. You can take your 90k rig there but you can only use the motor to trailer your boat. Your TM only to fish it.

Thanks for the correction.
I remember that.
Pretty impressive to have 5 that average 10 1/2 apiece, and 5 more that average 9+ apiece.
I never heard what the big fish was that day.
The smallest 5 is what is remarkable due to the fact that not a single fish in this 5 could weigh over 10 1/2 lbs.
5 fish weighing 46 lbs with the biggest weighing 9 something, is a ton of near clones.

Its confusing with all of these quotes but just trying to get us on the same page. Yes you can run the big motor on Castaic ( the main lake) but only trolling motor on the lagoon.

Me too........I think will learn to Team Rope!

Thanks for clearing that up. I thought gas engines were banned altogether.

.

And the fish keep getting bigger and bigger and ..............

My partner and I had 46 pounds, 10 ounces on Lake Austin in November 2013. We each caught our personal best that day, our smallest fish was a 7-12 which culled a 7, it was during a big bass event, all of our fish made the hourly payouts and #1 and #2 overall, we made some money that day. Then we all know what happened to that special little lake...

Loved fishing casitas growing up, my PB is from out of there. Best part about that lake was no ski boats or jet skis.

Best 5 bass 14" +, 35.00 lbs. Smallest- 5 that came in at a whopping 5.55 lbs. Both at Rayburn, both in 1995.

My best 5 in two days fishing
11,9,8,8,8=44lbs

....(directed at no one in particular) if I am going to claim a massive 5 fish bag...I am surely going to post pictures.

For Conroe 45.10# in the Stowaway Sunday Tournament a few years back in January. Dusty Shultz and Rusty Lawson.

46 lbs, 10 oz from Austin

11 lbs 1 oz


10 lbs 9 oz and 9 lbs 6 oz



Don’t have pictures of the 7-14 or 7-12 but here is the board at the end of the day.


Fixed the source of the images...

Lots of guides on Fork won't post pictures to keep other guides from finding them. LOL

There use to be a write up in the restaurant about Johnny Glass getting on some big spinner bait bite many years ago. I believe if I remember right the best five of those would be either just over 50 or dang close.

Sent you a PM Rob. In the middle of the page under "My Stuff" there will be a flashing icon.

Image blur is the bomb.

fixed the images for ya

he was talking about the guide could block out the back imagines so other guides wouldn't fine out, but that's not the reason they don't post pictures. they don't post pictures because the other guides who may have seen them on the water will know where they were and go to the area and fine the fish. This makes it harder for people to fine their fish if they don't even tell anyone they are catching till weeks later.

Thanks, I know. I was replying to KCB, photobucket blocked my images

Biggest for me 43-44#'s. Fork with Kerry Stafford in the early-mid 90's. Swimming lizards in the back of Searcy and Glade. That was all before lunch as a storm approached.

Went in to Minnow bucket for lunch. Someone asked Kerry how we did, he said "About 40 fish, best 5 over 40#'s."

I was standing in the hall waiting on the bathroom. A guide in line says, "Kerry Stafford is a lying MF. Nobody is catching them like that". I told him I was with Kerry and asked if he wanted Kerry's Card. He shut up after that. LOL

Best 5 in a tourny, 33.5 last spring on Sam.

Nice to see you back, Cam. But really, how many big fish did you catch at Fork that very few people even knew about?

Kerry put us on 'em real good, too, on a mid-90s trip. Our best 5 wouldn't have cracked 30lbs., but we had a 55+ fish day of 3-6 lbers. Ahhh, the good ol' days at Fork

Fouzman seems to have left this alone, but after calling me out, I haven't.
Since he has a direct line to Kelly Jordan, I wish he would address this.
What was the big fish in the top 5 (54-11) of the 10 that weighed 101 lbs?
I'm pretty darn good at math, and can figure out what the bottom fish could be, and what the top fish in the bottom 5 (46.89) could be.
I just want to see if my math is correct.

Two over 11 and three over 10 in the top five. Nothing under 9 in the 10 that weighed 101 lbs. I left it alone not because of you but because of the azzhat that likes to belittle a Fork guide.

I'll have to re-do my math
My numbers were wrong.
Rounding it hundreths, it should've read 54.75 lbs lbs top 5, and 46.25 lbs bottom 5.
Trying to keep the smallest fish in the top 5 heavier that the largest fish in the bottom 5.
Thanks.
When I read the 63 lb 5 fish stringer it caught me off guard.
My best 5 combined over 30 years only weighed 68.40 lbs.

Amazing number for your top 5 ever Mr McCarty.
Something to be proud of for sure. Very strong work over time!!

I have no dog in this hunt but I have been in the lodging business here on Fork since 1993 and can tell you which guides are straight shooters, which guides add a few numbers and pounds to their catch and which ones flat out lie. I've had guides drop my customers off and tell me that they had 30 only to visit with my customers and find out they had 4. (true story) Some of these guides are some of the biggest "names" that have ever guided here. On the other hand, some of the guides that are not "stars" are much better guides and much more honest about what they have and are catching. (Some of the "names" are some of the best as well)

One of the things that I have learned by being in the business of fishing here on Lake Fork over the past 25+ years is that fishermen will believe anything. My uncle also taught me that when he was guiding on Toledo in the early '70s. They are looking for a hero and are totally unrealistic in their expectations. Chasing a ghost. There have been a lot of remarkable fishing days here on Fork since she opened. However, we have to use a measured amount of skepticism when we hear the next remarkable fishing story. It really boils down to two words.....Fishermen lie. There is no magic spot. There is no magic lure. There is no fishing magician who always catches them. BTW my best 5 on Fork weighed 100. Do the math on that McCarty. lol

Wow! azzhat....

I must've really touched a nerve with you Chris. You're welcome to call me to discuss your little issue with me at any time bro. You got my number.

I think you put 1 too many zeros in your best 5.
Honest mistake.

It's funny because it's so true. Such an emotional topic too.

HaHa. You're figure is pretty close to accurate.