Smallmouth Bass State & World Records
Smallmouth bass are one of the most fun freshwater species to fish for. Below you will learn what makes a trophy smallmouth bass and the state and world records.

World Record Smallmouth Bass
The world record smallmouth bass weighed 22 lb 4 oz and was caught by George Perry. George caught the record smallmouth on Montgomery Lake in Georgia in June 1932.
Smallmouth Bass Records by State
State | Weight | Location | Caught By | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | 10 lbs 8 oz | Wheeler Dam tailwater | Owen F. Smith | 10/8/1950 |
Arizona | 7 lbs .96 oz | Roosevelt Lake | Dennis K. Barnhill | 3/18/1988 |
Arkansas | 7 lbs 5 oz | Bull Shoals Lake | Acie Dickerson | 4/1/1969 |
California | 9 lbs 13 oz | Pardee Reservoir | Hardin, Harold | 7/3/2007 |
Colorado | 6.69 lbs | Aurora Reservoir | Raymond Ong | 7/3/1905 |
Connecticut | 7 lbs | Shenipsit Lake, Tolland | James Bonan | 6/17/1905 |
Delaware | 4 lbs 15.5 oz | N/A | Jerry Proffitt | 6/11/1905 |
Georgia | 7 lb 2 oz | Lake Chatuge | Jack Hall | 3/1/1973 |
Hawaii | 4.98 lbs | Secret Location | Chad Boteilho | 2/7/2004 |
Idaho | 9.72 lbs | Dworshak Reservoir | Dan Steigers | 10/28/2006 |
Illinois | 6 lbs 7 oz | strip mine lake | Mark Samp | 3/26/1985 |
Indiana | 7 lb 4 oz | Twin Lake | Dana Yoder | 6/14/1905 |
Iowa | 7 lbs 12 oz | West Okoboji Lake | Rick Gray | 9/1/1990 |
Kansas | 6.88 lbs | Milford Reservoir | Frank Evans Jr. | 4/4/2010 |
Kentucky | 11 lbs 15 oz | Dale Hollow Lake | David L. Hayes | 7/9/1955 |
Maine | 8 lbs | Thompson Lake | George Dyer | 5/23/1905 |
Maryland | 6.0 lbs | Susquehanna River | Charles Janes | N/A |
Maryland | 8.2 lbs | Liberty Reservoir | Gary Peters | N/A |
Massachusetts | 8 lbs | Wachusett Reservoir | Barbara Sasen | 6/13/1905 |
Michigan | 9.25 lbs | Long Lake | W. F. Shoemaker | 3/20/1905 |
Minnesota | 8 lbs | West Battle Lake | John Creighton | 5/1/1905 |
Mississippi | 7 lbs 15 oz | Pickwick Lake | Thomas Wilbanks | 1/24/1987 |
Missouri | 7 lbs 2 oz | Stockton Lake | Kevin S. Clingan | 12/18/1994 |
Montana | 6 lbs 6.4 oz | Flathead River | Ken Riska | 4/16/2000 |
Montana | 6 lbs 6. oz | Fort Peck Reservoir | Mike Otten | 7/30/2002 |
Nebraska | 7 lbs 4 oz | Missouri River | DENNIS SWANSON | 9/16/2000 |
Nevada | 6 lbs 4 oz | South Fork Reservoir | Steven Loveridge | 6/24/1905 |
New Hampshire | 7 lbs 14.5 oz | Goose Pond | Francis H. Loud | 8/1/1970 |
New Jersey | 7 lbs 2 oz | Round Valley Reservoir | Carol Marciniak | 6/12/1905 |
New Mexico | 7lb 3oz | Ute Lake | Cale Sanders | 6/28/1905 |
New York | 8 lb 6 oz | Cayuga Lake | Thomas Russell Jr. | 6/15/2022 |
North Carolina | 10 oz | Hiwassee Reservoir | Archie Lampkin | 6/1/1951 |
North Dakota | 5 lbs 15 oz | Spiritwood Lake | N/A | 6/25/1905 |
Ohio | 9.5 lbs | Lake Erie | Randy Van Dam | 6/16/1993 |
Oklahoma | 8 lbs 7 oz | Lawtonka Lake | Ryan Wasser | 3/31/2012 |
Oregon | 8 lbs 1.76 oz | Henry Hagg Lake | Nick Rubeo | 6/27/1905 |
Pennsylvania | 8 lb 8 oz | Scotts Run Lake | Robert T. Steelman | 6/19/1905 |
Rhode Island | 5 lbs 15 oz | Wash Pond | B. Ferris | Sept. 1977 |
South Carolina | 9 lbs 7 oz | Lake Jocassee | Terry Dodson | 6/23/1905 |
South Dakota | 6 lbs 2 oz | Lewis & Clark Lake | Loran Moore | 10/3/1999 |
Texas | 7 lbs 14.88 oz | Lake Meredith | Timothy Teague | 3/13/1998 |
Utah | 7 lbs 6 oz | Midview Reservoir | Alan Iorg | 6/18/1905 |
Vermont | 6 lbs 13 oz | Lake Eden | Issac Spaulding | 9/10/2003 |
Virginia | 8 lbs 1 oz | New River | Donald S. Eaton, Jr. | 3/12/2003 |
Washington | 8 lbs 12 oz | Columbia River | Ray Wonacott | 4/23/1966 |
West Virginia | 9.75 lbs | South Branch | David Lindsay | 5/24/1905 |
Wisconsin | 9 lbs 1 oz | Indian Lake | N/A | 6/21/1950 |
Wyoming | 5 lbs .94 oz | Flaming Gorge Reservoir | Bubba O’Neil | 6/25/1905 |
What state has the largest Smallmouth bass?
Kentucky is the state with the largest smallmouth bass ever caught in the United States. It was caught by David L. Hayes and weighed 11 lbs 15 oz.
What is the largest smallmouth ever caught?
The biggest smallmouth bass ever caught weighted 11 lbs 15 ounces. It was caught on Dale Hollow Lake in Kentucky by David L. Hayes on 7/9/1955.
What is the average size smallmouth bass?
The average size smallmouth bass typically caught are between 8-16 inches long and weight 1-3 pounds.. This is much smaller than the world record of 11 lbs 15 oz.
What size smallmouth bass is considered a trophy?
Smallmouth bass start to be considered trophy at 20 inches long or weight more than 5 lbs. How large smallmouth bass typically get varies by state, we have a guide on what’s considered a good size bass by state.