Jason Collins' NY State Record Smallmouth, Almost!

[THE GOB-FATHER]

Well, the preseason bass fishing efforts found me catching this hawg smallie.. a 7lb 12 oz smallmouth bass! Only 8 ounces from nabbing the state record! No matter what.... record or not... it's a bass I'll never forget having the blessing to have caught!!!! Here she is:

[moordeer]

Thats a smallie to remember for sure! I believe the Va record is just over 8lb also. I would have thought the record up that way would be a little bigger than that.

[Kt29]

Now thats some kinda smallie Jason. Congratulations on a dream catch for sure.

[THE GOB-FATHER]

Thanks for the congrats guys! I truly enjoyed that moment as an angler from the soul. To shed a little light on the smallies up my way, especially the northern inland lakes and most importantly Lake Ontario... the fish that are caught by the average fisherman are averaging approx 2 lbs per smallmouth. I try to target tactics that are consistently hauling in the 3 3/4# - 4lbers. My goal, while fishing this species of bass, is to key in on the tactics to set the hook on bigger fish. I'm not satisfied for the day unless I hook a 4 lber. In my earlier years it wasn't about weight and size... it was about just catching them. Now that I have a solid backing in reeling in the monster slob bass... that's all I wanna catch now! Which I think is a testiment as to why I'm catching the above average weight on the lakes.

A 5 lb bass is a monster trophy around here. I've caught 5's, & 6's last year consistently. And now this year my best has been only 8 oz from the state record (out of lake erie at 8lbs 4oz). I think I can beat it. Had that fish had some eggs in her and it was a "season bass"... that fish would have certainly taken the rank. I try not to think of it and look to the post spawn phase to locate her again and set the hook in her upper lip after she's eaten well and fattened up to recoup! I'll be out there... and a record is looking to be broke! I'll give it my best!

[JerseyHunter]

CONGRATS BUD THATS A BEAUTY.

[LIL JerseyHunter]

Great looking catch iam on my way love to fish.

[LongSpur39]

What a hawg bro!!! WTG!! Man I miss that on the big pond! Some huge smallies! Just a matter of time before the record falls. Guy just got one in cayuga lake that went 7.9 on a rooster tail of all things. He was fishin for trout,just spinnin off shore. Nice smallie,I hope your gonna have him on the wall? Lol!