We’ve caught several over 6, but I can only remember a couple in the low 7s. The biologists say their lifespan is shortened due to the hot water. Their metabolism runs high all year long.

Monticello constantly put out bass over 7, and look at squaw it used to put out big bass all the time.

I think it has much more due to not getting stocked by TPWD

In 1983 Bill Ockerhausen caught a winter time bass that weighed over 15lbs and was the public water state record bass at the time(Private Lake Echo had a couple bigger in 1981). His 15lb bass doesn’t even sit in the top 50 bass in Texas any more. Thought it was going to be the next great trophy bass lake. Turned out to not be the case. Did however turn out to be one of the best and most consistent bass fishing lakes for quantities in Texas though. I would have to agree that several years of removing small bass(quantity’s) would help the quality of bass there. Welsh record: https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/action/waterecords.php?WB_code=0867 Texas state top 50: https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/programs/fishrecords/freshwater/top50_largemouth.phtml

Monticello constantly put out bass over 7, and look at squaw it used to put out big bass all the time.

I think it has much more due to not getting stocked by TPWD

One thing I think should be considered, F1 and F2 strain bass doesn’t have a play in the
Genetics as it once dominated in the beginning. More or less more native then the latter.

didnt weigh either one but i should have after talking to Steven at R&R he said he hasnt heard of a fish over 7 pounds in the last 10 years. we went back the next 2 days and absolutely crushed them and weighed many over 5. threw back alot that we didnt weigh but eye balled to be at 5 or better .biggest on the scale was 5.13 i think. Honestly our best 20 fish in that 3 day bite went 100 pounds. I should have weighed those 2 big ones i caught but didnt know how truly special a 7 pounder from welsh was. i can almost garentee that one was 6+ and thw other was flirting with 7 but. no weight. we will never know.

I know a few guys who know were the BIG Gurls hang...Throwing some bigger baits will pay off too

In December 2015...I had 4 fish over 7 Lbs and the biggest was 8.6Lbs along with about a dozen 5-6lbers...Best day I ever had out there!