grapevine...

They do. The record smallmouth in Cali is 9.83 lbs. Here is a link to a monster smallmouth my buddy Chris caught.

http://www.fishsniffer.com/ckellogg/070416pardee.html

I wanna catch one of these !!!!!

laurel lake it is located in corbin ky and is the most underated smallmouth lake in the world.

I will say one of the great lakes. With the zebra muscle problem and the gobbie and emersald shinner explosian its only a matter of time. Lake Michigan is one of the most underrated smallmouth fisheries in the states 5-6 pounders are vary common.

I vote California. Cali has produced a handful of smallies over the last 3 years. I don't know that anywhere is capable of growing an 11, but we've got one lake with 3 DIFFERENT confirmed 9 pounder released alive... that's a good start!

Good lord that is a fat smallie!!! I might have to change my vote to one of those Cali lakes....

Hey where you at in KY? I live down the street from Laurel.

Hope they don't stock them in Japan....

Smallmouth's are starting to get bigger and bigger all across the country! In lake Erie, 5 lbers are quite common these days! As for Texas, we have a few lakes that have fairly decent smallmouth fisheries!

I love to catch smallies and leave S.TX several times each year in search of smallies. I will give you a list ranking these lakes as I see it, with a little info on each.!

1. Belton - This is a highland style reservoir that is overlooked by many anglers, especially in the area! Located 30 minutes south of Waco, Belton has quitely grown into the state's premier smallie lake. There are lots of keeper fish on this lake with many smallies in the 3-4 lb range! The smallies concentrate in a particular portion of this lake making them easy to catch. My last trip to this lake I caught about 6 smallies, all keeper size; with a 3.5 lb large fish! The record for this lake is a tad under 7 lbs! Beautifull lake too!

2. Texoma - I cant rank it as first cause I have never fished it but the reports and pics dont lie, this lake has monster smallies! Texoma is one of the few lakes in the US where you have a ligitimate chance of catching a 6 lb smallie and a 10 lb LMB in the same day! From the pics I have seen I would really like to fish this lake. Lake smallie record is around 7 lbs!

3. Merideth - Merideth is another lake that could easily be #1 smallie lake. Also one of few lakes in US where 7 lb smallie and 10 lb LGM can me caught! I have never fish this lake but its hard to deny the reports and numbers. Lake record is almost 8 lbs! WOW!

4. Whitney - Again, I have not fished this lake but the TPWD gives it better smallie marks than any lake in TX, if you believe them! However, I heard that the lakes smallie population was drasticly hurt by Golden Algae. I believe the record is a tad under 8 lbs!

4. Canyon - This lake is like the secrete all time TX smallie lake! Most people only think this lake is good for skiing and boating, just keep thinking (l0l)! I take several trips a yr to Canyon, targeting smallies, and always catch decent numbers and size. I am always amazed over the size of the smallies on this lake. Many fish in the 3-4 lb range, and I have personally seen a 6 lber! Dont know why, but this lake has a much bigger population of smallies than the other hill country lakes? Very little fishing pressure and almost empty during the cold months, which is best smallie time! Lake record is about 6.5 lbs!

5. Stillhouse/Sqaw Creek/Opossom Kingdom/Amistad - These lakes also have catchable populations of smallies and each lakes record is over 5.5 lbs!

*Note.... Most of the hill country lakes have some smallie poplulation to them. Also, Sqaw Creek had a decent and growning smallie pop back in the 80s and 90s before the shut the lake down. Now that it is open, lets see!

Good Luck, sorry for blabbing but I love smallies!

There have been at least 2 over 7 lb's out of Bridgeport