E. Scott Yarbro braved the snow flurries and strong winds on the morning of March 11, 1998, and ventured out to Pickwick Lake, located in Counce, Tennessee. Not long after the plastic grub he was casting hit the water, Beal came tight on the trophy smallmouth.After a 15 minute fight on an 8-pound test and no leader, Beal boated the fish which bottomed-out his 10-pound scale. The catch has held the distinction of the heaviest smallmouth caught on 16-pound fly tippet for nearly 20 years.One of the reasons why smallmouth bass are such a popular game fish is because anyone can catch them. David Lee Hayes lived with this wife Ruth, and their young son, in Leitchfield, Kentucky. The smallmouth bass is found in clearer water than the largemouth, especially streams, rivers, and the rocky areas and stumps and also sandy bottoms of lakes and reservoirs. "Bass biology and identification" see section entitled, "Smallmouth Bass", Minnesota Department of Natural Resources,
lists as the all-tackle world record an 11-pound, 15-ounce smallmouth caught in Tennessee’s Dale Hollow Lake in 1955. But that doesn't mean the catch wasn't controversial.
This has created a feud between the two states, who both want to claim ownership for this monumental catch, and understandably so.In 2001, angler Terry Dodson made angling headlines for the world record smallmouth he pulled from Lake Jocassee, which is located in far northwest section of South Carolina and very close to the North Carolina border.
David Lee Hayes lived with this wife Ruth, and their young son, in Leitchfield, Kentucky. Had the line tested accurately, his catch would have never been listed as world record because the 12-pound line class record was a couple ounces heavier at the time.When it comes to catching trophy smallmouth on ultra-light tackle, that title belongs to multiple record holder Herbert Ratner.On the morning of June 2, 1997 while fishing a live minnow on the Tennessee side of Pickwick Lake, Ratner skillfully played a 7-pound smallmouth on straight 2-pound tackle (no leader) for nearly 20 minutes, before he could subdue the fish.As if that wasn't impressive enough, Ratner was also able to properly document the fish on the shoreline and then release it alive.
After several very exciting minutes the fish finally came to the net and was safely in the boat.That should have been the end of the matter, until somebody caught a bigger fish, but forty years later, in 1996, an affidavit was discovered filed away in a drawer in one of the offices at the lake.
Angler: David Hays Date: July 8 / 1955 Location: Dale Hallow Lake, Kentucky Length: 27 inches Girth: 21.66 inches As usual, there is controversy. Although oftentimes overshadowed by their larger-mouthed relatives, the And while they don't grow as big as largemouths, pound-for-pound, smallmouth bass are every bit as strong and aggressive.Couple these facts with their beautifully mottled complexion, and it's no wonder why anglers have pursued smallmouth bass for centuries.So without further ado, here's 10 of the biggest smallmouth bass ever recorded:David Hayes' celebrated 5.41 kg (11 pounds, 15 ounces) All-Tackle world record smallmouth bass has seen its share of controversy over the years.Hayes caught his record fish on July 9, 1955 while trolling a lure in Dale Hollow Reservoir, Tennessee, without a doubt the most famed body of water for producing massive smallmouth bass.In fact, the three heaviest smallmouth ever recorded have come from Dale Hallow!Hayes' catch held the All-Tackle title for 41 years, despite swirling rumors throughout the angling community denouncing his catch. The All-Tackle record for largemouth bass is the most sought after game fish record in the world.