Maine is particularly well-known as a great place to catch either smallmouth or largemouth bass. There are many great fishing lakes where you can find largemouth bass. Want to know the current record for this fish in Maine? Keep reading, and you’ll find out about the largest largemouth bass ever caught in Maine!
Background on the Largemouth Bass?
The largemouth bass, otherwise known as Micropteris salmoides, is a part of the sunfish family. As the name suggests, this fish has a large mouth. The mouth slopes slightly and extends past the eye of the fish. Its body is oval in cross-section and is somewhat compressed laterally. There are two common subspecies of the largemouth bass; these are the Florida largemouth and Northern largemouth. The Florida largemouth grows more quickly and to a larger size in warm waters. Largemouth bass are usually some shade of green on the head and back, with lighter colors on the side. The belly and underside of the head are a whitish color. Many of these fish have prominent lateral stripes that run from the snout to the base of the tail. The eyes of the fish are typically golden brown. These fish live in many types of water, including lakes, ponds, and even large rivers. Generally, they are warm water fish that prefer temperatures between 81 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. For this reason, the largemouth bass usually won’t go more than 18.8 feet below the surface. In cold temperate climates, such as Maine in the wintertime, these fish will mostly move into deeper areas of the water. They also tend to be in deeper waters at night. In the spring and during the day, they tend to be very close to the surface. The largemouth bass is one of the most sought-after species of freshwater game fish. There are many fishing methods that people use to catch this fish. They use artificial lures, such as surface plugs, and live bait, such as leeches, minnows, crawfish, and nightcrawlers. Because the largemouth bass is a fan of heavy cover, catching one can be a challenge. Even if you hook one, it will often go to the surface and shake free of the hook before going back undercover. This is why it is considered such an accomplishment to catch one, particularly a record-breaking large one!
What is the record for the largest largemouth bass ever caught in Maine?
So, you’re probably still wondering about the answer to the big question: what was the largest largemouth bass ever caught in Maine? This actually happened quite some time ago, in 1968. Robert Kamp of Denmark, Maine, caught an 11-pound, 10-ounce largemouth bass in Moose Pond. Moose Pond is still home to many fish species, including the largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead, rainbow trout, brook trout, lake trout, and landlocked salmon. Moose Pond is a body of water that spans about 1,694 acres. It’s located on the borders of the towns of Bridgton, Sweden, and Denmark. It’s a very popular location for both ice fishing in the winter and open water fishing during the rest of the year. The largemouth bass is still one of the most popular species of fish caught in this lake. Others include the brook trout and smallmouth bass.
How does Maine’s record-breaking largemouth bass compare to other largemouth bass?
The typical size for largemouth bass in Maine is 1 to 3 pounds and 12 to 16 inches. Occasionally, largemouth bass can be up to 8 pounds. This just goes to show how impressively sized Maine’s record-breaking largemouth bass was! However impressive as it may be, it isn’t the largest largemouth bass ever caught. There were two that are currently in a tie for this world record. The first was in Montgomery Lake in the state of Georgia. This fish, caught by George W. Perry in 1932, weighed in at 22 pounds and 4 ounces. In July 2009, Manabu Kurita of Shiga, Japan, caught an equally large largemouth bass while fishing on Lake Biwa.
What are some other great largemouth bass fishing lakes in Maine?
1. Belgrade Lakes
Only 10 miles from Augusta, the capital of Maine, this is a network of seven lakes amidst small islands. People know these lakes for large stocks of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, large northern pikes, and brook trout. Even though it is popular among city dwellers and travelers, there are plenty of great fishing spots here.
2. Cobbosseecontee Lake
In 2013, Bassmaster Magazine named this lake the top bass fishing lake in the state. It’s the largest lake in central Maine, with 5,543 acres of water that is full of largemouth bass. It’s actually one of the top choices for bass tournaments because of the many coves, inlets, islands, and drop-offs. People also commonly catch white perch, brown trout, and northern pike in this lake.
3. Megunticook Lake
Located in the coastal city of Camden, there are plenty of smallmouth and largemouth bass in this lake. You can also catch plenty of rainbow trout and white perch here. This 1,328-acre lake contains many islands, long open stretches, and small coves.
4. Rangeley Lake
If you go to the Western mountains of Maine, you’ll likely see this lake. There are plenty of smallmouth and largemouth bass here. What makes this lake unique is the population of landlocked salmon and Arctic charr, in addition to the bass. You can go both fly-fishing and ice fishing here, depending on the time of year.
5. Moosehead Lake
The largest lake in Maine is surrounded by several small towns. Salmon and trout are available for fishing in these waters between the months of May and October. You can catch a smallmouth or largemouth bass during this time of year as well.
