Originally posted November 23, 2019 – updated December 23, 2023. We hope you love these products and recommendations. Please know that we may collect a share of the sales or other compensation from the links on this page.

1.Fishing Line – Removing old line and re-spooling with fresh fishing line is relatively cheap, can be done in a matter of minutes, and could be the difference between landing that lunker or breaking on off at the boat.  

Get it from Amazon for $18.92

2. Head Lamp – Having a head lamp is a basic essential for all anglers. Whether searching for the right lure in the morning dawn or packing up right a dusk after a long day on the water – having a head lamp to pop on is a great convenience and frees up your hands. Don’t forger that people can and do fish at night.  

Get it from Amazon for $13.97

3. Pliers – This simple tool makes such a difference on the water. From cutting line to crushing barbs to removing hooks from fishes mouths, pliers a versatile tool that is essential for every fisherman to have.  

Get it from Amazon for $23.99

4. Rod Sleeves – Carrying around multiple rods almost requires rod sleeves, not just for the general protection that the sleeves provide, but to also ensure there is no criss-crossing and accidental damage to your poles.  

Get it from Amazon for $16.99

5. Reel Bag – A reel bag is good for storage, travel, and for the fisherman who works with his reels often. This promising review on Amazon says it all, “Movable pockets, secure, lightweight, no complaints.“  

Get it from Amazon for $16.99

6. Fish Book or Magazine Subscription – Legitimate magazines still do exist. You can choose from digital or print versions. They are easily gifted via Amazon too!  

Get it from Amazon for $10.00

7. Filet Knife – Many anglers practice the Catch-Photo-Release (CPR) method, especially with largemouth. Catfish however, are quite tasty and easy to catch. Having a good, sharp knife around is never a bad idea.  

Get it from Amazon for $29.99

8. Tackle Organization – Getting a premium tackle storage box can be quite helpful. Not only are there several compartments to store all sorts of gear – from hard baits, to soft plastics, to extra fishing line – but most come with a flat bottom and sturdy handle for easy portability.  

Get it from Amazon for $26.24

9. Polarized Sunglasses – A quality pair of sunglasses can make a big difference on the water. Less eye strain combined with the ability to “see” further into the water makes having a pair of polarized glasses a fishing must. Sunglasses lenses are typically made of plastic or glass and come in a variety of different colors – each color is best suited for specific weather conditions. You can easily find a quality pair of polarized sunglasses for $26.99 – like these.  

Get it from Amazon for $135.85

10. Tournament Identifier Cull Kit – Whether it’s a friendly fishing match between buddies or the real-deal money tournament – using a cull-kit is an easy way to keep track of multiple fish in a live well.  

Get it from Amazon for $23.93

11. Rod Rack – Storage and organization is just as important at home as it is on the go. Consider an on-the-ground circular rod rack or a wall rod rack or both!  

Get it from Amazon for $29.84

12. Latest and greatest from ICAST – While ICAST has lots and lots of 2019 winner from different categories – this year’s freshwater soft plastic lure winner is the Phantom Spider by Lunkerhunt.

Get it from Amazon for $9.49

13. Hawg Trough – A scale is not the only way to get stats on a fish. Many anglers – especially kayak fishermen – now use Hawg Trough’s. A Hawg Trough is essentially a glorified plastic ruler. Pro tip: darken the measurement lines with a sharpie for easier fish length determination. Darkening the measurement lines if often required for tournaments and helps get accurate measurements from pictures.  

Get it from Amazon for $29.99

14. Scale – Having a nice scale on hand is always great to truly know how much that “huge” fish weighed. Many anglers will use a strong lip-grip tool in conjunction with the scale so that their is less potential to harm to the fish.  

Get it from Amazon for $25.99

15. Glasses Retainer – Using a glasses retainer ensures that you know where your glasses are at all times – around your neck or on your face. Retainers also make it a breeze to constantly take your glasses on and off. Expensive pairs of glasses deserve retainers so that they don’t get stepped on, get flung off, or fall overboard.  

Get it from Amazon for $10.96

16. Hat – Spending the day in the sun can be brutal on your skin. A moisture-wicking UV-protecting wide brim hat can offer a great amount of head and face cover.  

Get it from Amazon for $29.99

17. Fishing Gloves – Have the hat? Have a long sleeve shirt? Pants? While fishermen typically cover all other areas of their body, their hands and fingers are typically the last thought on their mind, and are often overlooked and left exposed to the elements. However, the area should not be ignored and should either be protected well with sunscreen or specially made fishing gloves.  

Get it from Amazon for $18.98

18. In-Ground Rod Holder – Fishing is supposed to be a relaxing hobby. What better way to take that to the max but with a in the ground rod holder. Just shove it in to the ground, cast out your bait, and keep an eye on your rod.  

Get it from Amazon for $6.16

19. Fishing Seat – See above re: relaxing fishing. A portable chair with back support that can also hold items sounds like the swiss army knife of chairs. Holds up to 250 pounds!  

Get it from Amazon for $39.99

20. Hard Baits – New lures to test and try or that become a favorite are always worth getting. You can also never have enough. Pick the color and size that best suits your location the fish you typically see.  

Get it from Amazon for $4.99

21. Soft Plastics – These are hands down the most popular lure or method of largemouth bass fishing. Soft plastics come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and scents. A classic soft plastic that many beginner anglers use is the 5 inch worm in watermelon with black flake.  

Get it from Amazon for $4.99

22. Bait Bucket with Aerator – Bait won’t keep with an aerator at the very least. Some will do this with just any ole bucket – which is fine and cheaper. The specially made bait bucket provides an easy access lid for bait that can jump or crawl out.  

Get it from Amazon for $22.22

23. Rod Cleaning or Repair Kit – Rods get dirty. Rods get broken. Having a cleaning or repair kit can help extend the life and maximize the value of your favorite rods. One can also get satisfaction from restoring something that was once broken back to working condition.  

Get it from Amazon for $25.74

24. Fishing Grips – Most grips slide easily over the existing handles and simply add a pop of color while providing extra grip and comfort.  

Get it from Amazon for $6.06

25. Fishing Box Subscription – Getting a box of new and curated fishing items delivered to your door each month is exciting. Getting its a gift is even better. The most popular websites, Lucky Tackle Box and Mystery Tackle Box, both make it easy to gift multi-month subscriptions. Always check around on the internet for a discount count code before purchasing at full-price.  

Get it from Lucky Tackle Box or Mystery Tackle Box

26. Fishing DVD’s – When the wifi is down or when you are at the far and away lake house – it’s nice to have the physical DVD to pop in and watch some great fishing actions while also getting some tips and tricks to employ the next time you are out.  

Get it from Amazon for $6.99

27. Neck Guard – Covering up your neck can be easy, stylish, and cheap – it also can protect you from the sun!  

Get it from Amazon for $12.99

28. Storage – kayak rack in garage – Getting your kayak inside your garage is one thing – getting up on the wall is another. It’ll make a world of difference once you have your kayak(s) up on the wall and off the ground. Check out this link for a how-to on kayak wall hanging.  

Get a 4-pack from Amazon for $27.99

29. Bobber with Light – This product is actually a light that goes underwater to attract fish – which is kind of cooler than a light-up bobber anyway. Both are cool and should be considered if you’ll be fishing with kids or at night.  

Get it from Amazon for $18.99

30. Line Cutter Ring – This ingenious invention hit the market several years ago and is now available to the mass market for a little over $10 bucks. Wearing the ring makes retying and cutting line a breeze.  

Get it from Amazon for $11.99

31. Camera to Record Record Catches – Having a camera on board or around that’s in a waterproof casing that floats just feels safer than using your phone. Top end cameras like the GoPro offer better quality videos too.  

Get it from Amazon for $329.99

32. Fishing Scent – Adding a little fishing scent to your lures is an easy way to differentiate your lure attractants while on the water. Don’t be afraid to put this on soft or hard baits.  

Get it from Amazon for $9.49

33. Knife – Finally on this list is a knife. A simple knife is one of the most convenient and handy tools to have in life in general. Having a knife on your person can make up for a lot of things in a jam – it’s a good idea to have one.  

Get it from Amazon for $10.50

Updated December 14, 2021. Originally published November 28, 2016.

In-Fisherman Magazine

1 – Tackle Subscription/Magazine Subscription (~$15)

Monthly subscription boxes are all the rage these days and you can find many different options to meet your needs. Mystery Tackle Box and Lucky Tackle Box are two of the most popular – subscriptions start as low as $15/month and each website has the option to give the subscription as a gift. If magazines are more your style; In-Fisherman, Sport Fishing and Bassmaster are all great options.

Rapala Scissors

2 – Line Cutter Scissors (~$5)

While most anglers have a pair of pliers – not many have line cutter scissors. This little tool is extremely useful when re-tying knots. Fishing scissors allows the fisherman to accurately remove tags in a quick and efficient manner.

Largemouth Bass Art

3 – Fishing Art (~$10-$1000)

A fisherman loves all thing fishing – and that includes artwork. The world wide internet offers art items for a man-cave such as this awesome tin sign or a street-type sign. You can also find more refined office and home fishing artwork like this realistic painting of a bass vs dragonfly or this more abstract concept that includes very vivid colors. To make this holiday season a truly memorable experience try going for the original drawing or prints if for sale.

GoPro Camera

4 – Action Camera ($100+)

Sure you get to see all the great pictures of your favorite angler holding his new record fish and smiling but what if you could watch a short video clip which captured all the awesome hook-setting, heart pounding action that took place to land that record fish – an action camera like a GoPro can allow anglers to share their experience with you. Action cameras are often waterproof and can be mounted in many different ways for different angle shots.

Costa Sunglasses

5 – Sunglasses ($100+)

Polarized sunglasses can be a game changer on the water – allowing anglers to see into the water at greater depths and with greater clarity. Costa Del Mar is the primo brand name when it comes to fishing sunglasses and the cost of these sunglasses is totally worth it. You’ll soon be hearing stories about how he or she wouldn’t have caught a fish without them. Opt for glass for the best quality and a scratch resistant lens (also more expensive) or for plastic lenses if your angler is prone to dropping things (impact resistant).

Fishing Rain Gear

6 – Rain Gear ($30-$100)

Just because the weather is bad doesn’t mean the fishing is bad. Bass often are biting most as a storm front approaches. That can mean that anglers often get caught in the rain or simply just decide to fish in it. A good set of fishing rain gear can go a long way in making fisherman warm and dry in the midst of a downpour.

Hawg Trough

7 – Hawg Trough/Scale ($15-20)

Stop all those BIG FISH stories by gifting a Hawg Trough (fish length measuring device) or a fishing scale – that way you’ll know for sure when they say their fish was “this” big.

YETI Cooler

8 – Cooler ($250+)

Being on the water all day takes its toll – anglers can quickly become drained of fluids. Staying hydrated is key. Just like Costa is the name in sunglasses – YETI is the name in coolers. Yeti coolers fit snugly in the back of kayaks and provide no-skid surfaces when installed on boats. If a hard-body cooler shell is not preferred YETI also offers soft-sided cooler bag options.

Berkley Logo

9 – Fishing Stickers/Decals (~$5)

Fishing stickers are a cheap and easy gift to give to anglers. Brand names stickers are often placed on boats, kayaks, tackle boxes and vehicles. You can’t go wrong with brand name stickers from: Costa, Yeti, Abu Garcia, Gary Yamamto, Shimano, Rapala and Berkley. If brand names are their style – try going with classic bass fishing stickers and decals.

Largemouth Bass Picture Frame

10 – Bass Picture Frame (~$15)

This one is cheap, easy and sentimental. Step one: buy bass themed picture frame. Step two: print out photo of angler with their best catch. Step three: frame photo for excellent and personalized gift idea. To flip the script – you could print a out a photo of your biggest catch and autograph it to your “biggest fan” as a funny way to gift the frame.

Long-sleeved Fishing Shirt

11 – Fishing Clothing – hat, gloves, pants, shirt ($10-$40)

Yes, your favorite angler wears clothes when they fish – but do they wear fishing gear? Are they adequately protected from the sun? Or are they too cheap to spend money on fishing clothing and would rather save it all for baits? Now is your time to gift an item or two to give your favorite angler a better experience out on the water. Fishing is a huge sport and fishing product lines have been developed for hats, gloves, pants and shirts.

Cabela’s Fishing Bag

12 – Fishing Bag (~$20)

Most anglers have a tackle box but not all have a fishing bag. A fishing bag is versatile and great for anglers on the move. Whether it’s fishing a local pond or getting down to your favorite spot – having a fishing bag makes it much easier for an angler to carry a rod and baits and still have a hand free.

Waterproof Case

13 – Waterproof Case ($15-$35)

Nobody wants to have their phone destroyed because of a rogue wave or an unintended swim. A waterproof case is a quick and easy way for fishermen to protect their valuables from the elements. Locking plastic cases have long been the norm but YETI has recently introduced a new soft-sided bag which has impressed many anglers.

Whistle

14 – Safety Items ($5+)

Safety while on the water is something to take very seriously. It is relatively cheap and easy to equip an angler with many safety tools such as: a whistle, air horn, compass and para-cord, flare gun, life jacket and more.

Fishing Chair

15 – Fishing Chair

Not everyone knows that there are specially made fishing chairs that anglers can not only when on the ice but also on banks or piers.

All links accurate as of November 24, 2019. Originally published December 3, 2017. Please know that we may collect a share of the sales or other compensation from the links on this page.

#1. Bass Ceiling Fan/Light Chain

See a largemouth bass every single time you reach to turn on the light. See it swing in circles to the motion of your fan.

Buy on Amazon – $8.90

#2. Flying Remote Control Bass

Fly this bad boy all around your man-cave, heck, make it the whole house.

Get it on Amazon – $24.99

#3. Bass Popper Toy

Angry that you couldn’t go fishing? Squeeze away at your very own largemouth bass shaped popper toy!

Get from Amazon – $9.99

#4. Hand Painted Bass Replica

Order this hand painted largemouth bass replica to remind yourself of the beauty of this fish you pursue – and to support someone who hand paints fish replicas.

Sold through Amazon – $21.99

#5. Toy Fishing Truck and Boat Combo

Guys will always want toy trucks – always – no matter the age. Nowadays, you can get a toy truck with a nice bass boat hitched behind. Bonus points if you are able to find the exact make and model vehicle your buddy drives – give it a shot, seriously.

On Amazon – $54.95

#6. Largemouth Bass Throw Pillow

Get an avid angler this largemouth bass throw pillow so they can rest their head on a comfy plush bass and dream of the record catches to come.

Buy with Amazon Prime – $12.71

#7. Largemouth Bass Weather Vein

Nothing screams, “I LOVE BASS!” to the neighborhood like a largemouth bass shaped weather vein on prominent display on your roof.

Purchase from Amazon – $31.95

#8. Largemouth Bass T-Shirt

Don’t even think about going to grab the newspaper or check the mail without a bass on your chest.

Found on Amazon – $13.99

#9. Largemouth Bass Wall Art

Tin signs, posters, original art….are all acceptable choices for your walls.

Many choices on Amazon – $24.99

#10. Largemouth Bass Salt and Pepper Shaker Holder

If there will be food served in your bass themed room then step up and get this salt and pepper shaker holder to complete the room.

Order on Amazon – $12.99

#11. Fishing Reel Trinket/Storage Box

Make storage cool! Also a great place to put all the leftover hooks and lures you’ve been meaning to clean.

Buy on Amazon – $39.95

#12. Fishing Themed Throw-Rug

Nothing ties a room together like a well placed bass themed rug.

Can be found on Amazon – $39.99

#13. Fishing organization

For the fisherman who would like to be organized but spends all his free time fishing. Tackle box decals make it super easy to grab-n-go! Extra points for personalization and waterproof stickers.

Order from Amazon – $28.70

#14. Fishing Journal/Log Book

Ok, there a ton of killer smartphone apps out there but there is something nostalgic about keeping track of your fishing trips on paper – you never have to worry about battery life.

Buy on Amazon – $11.95

#15. Fishing Magazine Subscription

There are several to choose from but only a few that are quality. In-Fisherman is quality BUT covers a multitude of fishing. Bassmaster or Field and Stream are a couple other obvious options.

Subscribe to the paper or kindle version via Amazon – $1.50 or $10

#16. Lure Display

This can be done in two ways – purchase the complete and likely better finished product from a professional at a much higher price. Or buy the supplies from a craft store like Hobby Lobby and make a pretty nice DIY lure display at a fraction of the price.

Get it on Amazon -$89.95

#17. Bass Shower Curtain

If the man-cave bass theme is not enough – set the tone for the bathroom with this awesome largemouth bass shower curtain.

Buy on Amazon – $16.99

#18. Bass slippers

Bass shirt, bass coffee cup, bass slippers. What’s next, bass shorts and socks?

Get them on Amazon – $22.88

#19. Bass Bottle Opener

Catch a bass while your catching a buzz…..responsibly.

Found on Amazon – $11.99

#20. Bass shaped candy or food

Lastly, every guy loves food – amirite – so why not bass or fished shaped chocolate candy or cookies. This mold will allow you to melt some Hershey’s bars into bass shape – as many times as you want. 

Buy on Amazon – $14.99

Best of Category – Boating Accessories – Garmin USA
Product: Force Trolling Motor
Price: $3,199.99

Best of Category – Boats and Watercraft – Hobie
Product: Mirage ProAngler 14 with 360 Drive Technology
Price: $4,799

Best of Category – Eyewear – Costa Del Mar, Inc.
Product: WaterWoman
Price: $128.68

Best of Category – Footwear – Frogg Toggs
Product: Skipper
Price: Available Spring 2020

Best of Category – Giftware – 13 Fishing 
Product: Fillet Table Beverage Management System
Price: Could Not Locate

Best of Category – Lifestyle Apparel – AFTCO/American Fishing Tackle Company

Product: Yurei Air-O-Mesh Performance Shirt
Price: $55 – Available January 2020

Best of Category – Technical Apparel – Cold Weather – Simms Fishing Products
Product: M’s G4Z® Stockingfoot Wader
Price: $849.95

Best of Category – Technical Apparel – Warm Weather – AFTCO/American Fishing Tackle Company
Product: Overboard Submersible Shorts
Price: $99 – Available January 2020

Best of Category – Ice Fishing – Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc.
Product: Ice Helix 7 Chirp GPS G3N All-Season
Price: $795.50

Best of Category – Cooler and Bait/Storage – Plano Synergy

Product: Frabill Magnum Bait Station 30
Price: $173.68

Best of Category – Cutlery, Hand Pliers or Tools – Bubba
Product: 110V Electric Fillet Knife
Price: $111.02

Best of Category – Electronics – Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc.
Product: MEGA 360 Imaging
Price: $1,199.99 – Available Soon

Best of Category – Fly Fishing Accessory – Simms Fishing Products
Product: Dry Creek® Z Sling Pack
Price: $199.97

Best of Category – Fishing Accessory – American Tackle Company
Product: MW20 Finesse Set
Price: Not Listed

Best of Category – Fishing Line – PowerPro
Product: Moon Shine Braid
Price: $20.99 – $43.99

Best of Category – Kids’ Tackle – Anything Possible Brands
Product: The Bumblebee by ProFISHiency
Price: Could Not Locate

Best of Category – Tackle Management – Plano Synergy
Product: Plano EDGE
Price: Multiple Sizes – $22.54+

Best of Category – Terminal Tackle – Rapala
Product: VMC Bladed Hybrid Treble Short
Price: $5.99

Best of Category – Freshwater Soft Lure – Lunkerhunt
Product: Phantom Spider
Price: $9.49

Best of Category – Saltwater Soft Lure – LIVETARGET
Product: Slow-Roll Shiner
Price: $9.99

Best of Category – Freshwater Hard Lure – LIVETARGET
Product: Erratic Shiner
Price: $9.99

Best of Category – Saltwater Hard Lure – LIVETARGET
Product: Flutter Sardine
Price: $9.99

Best of Category – Freshwater Reel – Shimano
Product: SLX DC Baitcasting Reels
Price: $189.99

Best of Category – Saltwater Reel – Shimano
Product: Stradic FL Spinning Reel
Price: $199.98 – $239.93

Best of Category – Fly Reel – SEiGLER Reels
Product: SF (Small Fly)
Price: $750

Best of Category – Freshwater Rod – St. Croix of Park Falls
Product: Mojo Bass Glass MGC72HM Rip N’ Chatter Rod
Price: $160

Best of Category – Saltwater Rod – St. Croix of Park Falls
Product: Avid Surf VSS80MMF
Price: $260

Best of Category – Fly Fishing Rod – St. Croix of Park Falls
Product: Imperial Salt IS908.4
Price: From $340

Best of Category – Rod & Reel Combo – Lew’s Fishing 
Product: Lew’s Mach Smash Baitcast Combo
Price: $129.99

Manabu Kurita and his record setting largemouth bass in Japan.

*Manabu Kurita officially tied Perry’s record from 1932 but his fish did not weigh 2 ounces more than Perry’s so it did not officially beat it.

*Dave Zimmerlee – several anglers claimed to have seen Zimmerlee pull the dying bass from the water instead of actually catching it. Zimmerlee denies this claim.

*Johnny Garduno – anglers claimed that Garduno used his net to scoop his bass as it investigated his stringer of trout.

*Sandy DeFresco – weights were found in the belly of this fish but nobody could explain why. Defresco was awarded the weight of the fish minus the 2.5 pound weight.

*Mike Long – after an expose and in-depth report by Kellen Ellis titled The Dark Secret of “America’s Big Bass Guru” – all of Mike Long’s catches are now suspect.

Interesting Note:

Mac Weakley in California.

An angler from California named Mac Weakley actually caught the largest largemouth bass ever but it did not count towards any records because he foul-hooked it!

On March 20, 2006 Mac caught a 25.1 pound bass with a distinctive dot on the bottom of her gill-plate on Lake Dixon the US state of California.

Mac could have gone the way of controversy as a few of the angler above but did not. He released Dottie after a quick picture. She died of old age 3 years later.

Lucky Tackle Box (LTB) and Mystery Tackle Box (MTB) side-by-side comparison.

Two of the most popular bass fishing monthly subscription boxes are Lucky Tackle Box (LTB) and the

Mystery Tackle Box (MTB). Both currently offer an entry level subscription package for $14.99/month, or cheaper if you subscribe for multiple months at once.

Both MTB and LTB typically accept a variety of promotional codes (even old ones) that allow you get a box for $5 including free shipping. You can simply cancel the subscription after the month and get the bait box for just 5 bucks. I found the following promotion codes on the web: For $10 off Mystery Tackle Box try: TRYMTB. For $10 off Lucky Tackle Box try: SAVE10

This video compares the July 2017 bass fishing gear (normal $14.99 membership) box shipment from each company: Lucky Tackle Box (LTB) and Mystery Tackle Box (MTB). The estimated retail value for LTB was $44.75 while the retail value of MTB was $24.83. The Lucky Tackle Box focused on topwater baits while the Mystery Tackle Box contained drop shot baits with the added frog.

#1a Manabu Kurita

Rank: 1a*

Weight: 22.311 lbs

Angler: Manabu Kurita

Location: Lake Biwa, Shiga, Japan

Date: July 2, 2009

*Manabu Kurita officially tied Perry’s record from 1932 but his fish did not weigh 2 ounces more than Perry’s so it did not officially beat it.

Rank: 1b*

Weight: 22.25 lbs

Angler: George Perry

Location: Montgomery Lake, Georgia, USA

Date: June 2, 1932

#3 Bob Crupi

Rank: 3

Weight: 22.01 lbs

Angler: Robert “Bob” Crupi

Location: Castaic Lake, California, USA

Date: March 12, 1991

Bob caught his record bass using a live crayfish as bait.

Rank: 4

Weight: 21.75 lbs

Angler: Michael Arujo

Location: Castaic Lake, California, USA

Date: March 5, 1991

#5 Jed Dickerson

Rank: 5

Weight: 21.688 lbs

Angler: Jed Dickerson

Location: Lake Dixon, California, USA

Date: May 31, 2003

The fish that Jed caught was the famous Dottie. She was caught by Mike Long two years earlier weighing 20.75 lbs. She is one of the most popular bass to ever lived and widely considered to be the biggest.

#6 Raymond Easley

Rank: 6

Weight: 21.2 lbs

Angler: Raymond Easley

Location: Lake Casitas, California, USA

Date: March 4, 1980

#7 Robert Crupi

Rank: 7

Weight: 21.01 lbs

Angler: Robert “Bob” Crupi

Location: Castaic Lake, California, USA

Date: March 9, 1990

#8 Dave Zimmerlee

Rank: 8*

Weight: 20.938

Angler: Dave Zimmerlee

Location: Miramar Reservoir, California, USA

Date: June 23, 1973

*Several anglers claimed to have seen Zimmerlee pull the dying bass from the water instead of actually catching it. Zimmerlee denied those claims and was featured on the cover of Bassmaster a few months later.

#9 Leo Torres

Rank: 9

Weight: 20.86 lbs

Angler: Leo Torres

Location: Castaic Lake, California, USA

Date: February 4, 1990

#10 Mike Long

Rank: 10

Weight: 20.75 lbs

Angler: Mike Long

Location: Lake Dixon, California, USA

Date: April 27, 2001

In the early 2000’s, deep in the heart of Southern California, just a short drive north of San Diego on a small reservoir known as Dixon Lake; three anglers: Jed Dickerson, Mac Weakley, and Mike Winn were on a quest to catch the worlds biggest largemouth bass. In California, where the temperatures are just right, combined with the rainbow trout stocking efforts by the local park – allow the largemouth bass in Lake Dixon to grow to enormous sizes.

The men continued on with the pursuit of big bass for years – never able to satisfy their desire for catching the largest bass in the world. Then, on March 19, 2006, when the 3 friends were out on the lake fishing the men spotted “Dottie” – a 25 lb female largemouth stuffed full of rainbow trout and distinguished by a black dot on her right gil-plate. Because the lake was closing soon the men decided to rent a campsite for the night to be the first back on the water in the morning. The next morning the men were able to re-locate “Dottie” and took turns casting to the fish.

Mac Weakley couldn’t quite see his jig, saw a flash, and felt a tap on his line so he swung back and set the hook! After a short fight the men were able to net the fish and get her in the boat – to everyone’s dismay, the fish was foul-hooked. Foul-hooked means the fish was hooked outside of the mouth and therefore not considered a world-record. The men quickly weighed the fish (25.1 pounds) and returned her alive to water. If certified, she would have out-weighed the current world record by almost 2 pounds.

In early 2008 Jed Dickerson received a call from Dixon Lake officials saying that Dottie was found floating on the top of the water and subsequently died. Here’s to hoping her generations of offspring live to outgrow her.

Jed Dickerson with a deceased “Dottie” in 2008.