I came across this impressive list of the 50 biggest smallmouth on the TPWD website. https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/programs/fishrecords/freshwater/top50_smallmouth.phtml
However, only 2 have been caught after 2000. Only a few were caught before 1990. The state record was caught out of Lake Meredith. Meredith has been stocked with smallmouth the last 2 years but it was 1977 before that. Whitney has the most on the list and they quit stocking it in 2011. Anyone catching smallmouths there now? I did notice that Belton and Grapevine have received stockings in the last couple of years. I have personally caught some nice smallmouth out of Texoma and Ray Roberts but Texoma hasn't been stocked since 1987 and they have never stocked smallmouth in Roberts. https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/action/stock_bywater.php?WB_code=0622
TP&W does a great job but I have to wonder why the smallmouth fishing isn't a little better on more lakes. What was working so well in the 90's that isn't working that good now?

The smallmouth on Whitney took a huge hit from the golden algae

Had better grass in the 90s? Grass makes clean water and smallmouth thrive in clean water.

I've caught a few on Stillhouse and two on the Brazos below Whitney.

I wish they would dump a LOT Of them in Alan Henry! I don�t understand how they didn�t thrive the first time. The lake seems perfect for them. Deep and clear!

You obviously don�t spend time on Texoma.

Golden algae, then they spent a butt load trying to re-stock smallies only to have golden algae hit again. After that they gave up, because they never know when golden algae is gonna hit.

Meanwhile guys are out on Bridgeport catching solid smallmouth.

Bridgeport obviously has a decent reproducing population of smallmouth. TP&W hasn't stocked any there since 1985. https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/action/stock_bywater.php?WB_code=0109 They should probably help that population a little with a few smallmouth stockings. Can a guy go fish the lake, target smallmouths and expect to catch a limit?

Good smallmouth lake. �Expect to catch a limit�? Heck, I can barely �expect� to catch a limit of largemouth bass anywhere most of the time!

I should probably re-phrase the "limit" question. LOL I am happy to catch a limit of any bass species anytime on any lake. Several times at Texoma I have got into a really good school of smallies and caught well over a limit. I have caught some nice smallmouth at Roberts but I think 2 in a days fishing is as many as my boat has seen. So where should a guy fishing Bridgeport have his expectations? Closer to Ray Roberts than Texoma?

Seen One over 7 weighed in at Bridgeport. It was when Cabela�s was opening their store in fr worth. Whatever year that was.

That was In 04 I remember That fish

I remember when Ron Garner was the smallmouth king on Whitney and in all of Texas for that matter in the mid/late 1990�s. See how often he shows up in these records: https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/programs/fishrecords/freshwater/top50_smallmouth.phtml He was not secretive about his success and even often wrote articles in the newspaper(remember newspapers?) and magazines on targeting these large smallmouths. I also remember he often fished at night. Where did all the smallies go? I have heard all the suggestions. Drought, fluxuations, Golden algae......I don�t know but all the other species made very good comebacks(several times) from these �phenomena�s of nature�. Not sure why the smallies did not. I don�t know that Whitney actually had successful smallmouth spawning for a self sustained population. Were they simply catching the older stocked fish? Who knows. You occasionally hear people say they don�t see them very often anymore but without a photograph as proof I don�t believe any exist in the lake anymore. Zero. Strange for a lake that was the �trophy smallmouth lake� for Texas just over 20 years ago.

Just an FYI, most of those fish Mr Garner caught on Whitney were live bait fishing.. much like one of the well renowned striper guides on Texoma that kills the smallies. Free lining live shad. I dont have an issue with that, but its worth noting.

I had a nice smallie on Whitney knock a topwater bait into the air 3 times trying to get it last year. It was right by the boat so I got a great look at the fish, no doubt a smallie but never got a hook in it.

Lake Grapevine has come on strong in the last few years, lake record has been broken a couple of times. I've actually had a few trips where I caught 8-10 smallies in a day, with a couple of good ones mixed in. Texoma is still the number 1 Smallie lake in Texas though IMO. Size and numbers in big Tex are awesome.