Northern strain laregmouth

[milehi]

How big did northerns get before Orvile Ball hard the great idea to import pure florida strain bass to cali

[Kelly Ripa]

I think Cachuma was around 13 lbs. 4 ozs. before folks started moving the fish around than it jumped from that to 17 lbs. 3ozs. I caught a 12 in 1975 at Clearlake and that was huge back then before the Florida's were introduced. She shouldn't have set up housekeeping in April in the swimming area of our Resort. I'm sure Tom AKA: WRB has exact numbers....

[jiggin4bass]

Florida strain bass were introduced into Eastman lake in 1980 working with DFG and Madera bass club the club help build habit for the bass as water rose to hide in for up coming spawns over the years. I think the current lake record is still 16.9 pounds caught a few years back. I've seen some big fish on shocking trips I've been on with the DFG form the lake in years past.

[birdman920]

I remember back in the 70’s Northern strain would rarely exceed 9 or 10#s ! with the combination of people transporting pure strain Floridas from lake to lake and increased trout planting before the environmentalists put the stop to planting for years ! lake records began to topple with double digit bass now common in most lakes !

[milehi]

Had Tom in mind when I posted this, know he had an 8 out of big bear in the late '60s I believe. Think the bbz buy had a mid 13 out of piru I think

[WRB]

The California State record Largemouth bass before Florida strain LMB introduced in 1959 was 14.7 lbs. I did weigh on my certified lab spring scale a 15 1/4 lb LMB in 1962 caught by a rent boat trolling a Mirro lure.
My PB NLMB was 12 1/4 lbs from Casitas in 1971 before FLMB were intruded in Casitas. The skin mount hangs in my garage along with a replica 18.6 FLMB caught at Casitas in 1981, same jig and same location as the NLMB. The replica represents my 5 PB FLMB, also hangs in my garage.
Yes I did catch a 8 lb NLMB at Big Bear Lake in 1963 on a frog colored Bomber 300, I believe the BBL record at that time was 9 lbs caught by Boots Pryor Big Bear Lake Sportsman Club record.
Lakes that freeze over like Big Bear and Arrowhead only have NLMB because Florida strain can’t servive water under 45 degrees. They tried FLMB in BBL, they died over the winter.
Tom

[milehi]

Thanks Tom. Didn't know about the 9, a guy claimed the record a few years ago with a 6_4, go figure. Know of 3 legit 8s from the early 80s

[biteme]

I caught a 10.1 out of Pardee years back. It was northern strain.

[WRB]

Thanks Tom. Didn't know about the 9, a guy claimed the record a few years ago with a 6_4, go figure. Know of 3 legit 8s from the early 80s

Big Bear Lake fish record keeping is non existent today.
The local rag The Grizzly was a good source until it burned to the ground loosing it’s history.
The Big Bear Valley Sportsman Club should have a history of records if it’s still around?
It’s seems each sporting has their own set of record catches.
Tom

[milehi]

My buddy who lives in bb thinks it out at the gun range

[Pete G]

Back in the 70's, a fish over 8 was considered a trophy. If you belonged to the California Lunker Club they would mount it for free. It was 12 for Florida bass.

[mark poulson]

In 2009, Mike Iljin caught an 12.76lb Northern Largemouth from Lake Pyramid, at the top of the Grapevine in SoCal.
I had to dig out the photo to get it straight.

[drew]

I don't believe we have ever had pure northern strain in CA. Any that had genetics from south of NY and north of Okeechobee are an intergrades. Genetically a mixture of both.

[WRB]

California Largemouth bass were transplanted from Minnesota in 1890.
Pure Florida strain Largemouth were introduced by Orville Ball from Cypress Springs Florida to ponds where lake Miramar is now located in 1959. The FLMB raised in the ponds were transferred to Upper Otay lake then transplanted into San Diego City lakes, lake Hodges and San Vicente.
Upper Otay and lake Hodges had no Northern strain LMB at that time period, the SD city lakes did. The Miramar dam was finished and filled with water releasing what FLMB still populated the ponds.
From 1890 to 1959 California’s LMB were pure Northern strain LMB.
Castaic received NLMB from Van Norman dam water supply after the 1971 earthquake. In 1973 both Casitas and Castaic received FLMB plants along with several lakes in California that requested them.
Tom

[mark poulson]

California Largemouth bass were transplanted from Minnesota in 1890.
Pure Florida strain Largemouth were introduced by Orville Ball from Cypress Springs Florida to ponds where lake Miramar is now located in 1959. The FLMB raised in the ponds were transferred to Upper Otay lake then transplanted into San Diego City lakes, lake Hodges and San Vicente.
Upper Otay and lake Hodges had no Northern strain LMB at that time period, the SD city lakes did. The Miramar dam was finished and filled with water releasing what FLMB still populated the ponds.
From 1890 to 1959 California’s LMB were pure Northern strain LMB.
Castaic received NLMB from Van Norman dam water supply after the 1971 earthquake. In 1973 both Casitas and Castaic received FLMB plants.
Tom

Tom, does that mean the bass in Pyramid are northerns?

[WRB]

To the best of my knowledge the LMB In Pyramid came from Castaic, probably both NLMB and FLMB, don’t know how the Small outhitting got into pyramid?
Tom

[drew]

I don't know if the northern's where 100% pure, but the Florida strain where intergrades. No pure strain in CA and none in north FL. Today the lakes that have had plants of both are a mix.

California Largemouth bass were transplanted from Minnesota in 1890.
Pure Florida strain Largemouth were introduced by Orville Ball from Cypress Springs Florida to ponds where lake Miramar is now located in 1959. The FLMB raised in the ponds were transferred to Upper Otay lake then transplanted into San Diego City lakes, lake Hodges and San Vicente.
Upper Otay and lake Hodges had no Northern strain LMB at that time period, the SD city lakes did. The Miramar dam was finished and filled with water releasing what FLMB still populated the ponds.
From 1890 to 1959 California’s LMB were pure Northern strain LMB.
Castaic received NLMB from Van Norman dam water supply after the 1971 earthquake. In 1973 both Casitas and Castaic received FLMB plants along with several lakes in California that requested them.
Tom

[Kwin]

NLMB were introduced into CA in 1891 from Illinois. FLMB were first introduced into Upper Otay in 1959. Miramar and El Capitan were stocked in 1961, Casitas in 1968. The first FLMB NorCal introduction was Clear Lake in 1969 along with Hidden Valley and Hodges. Amador, Casitas, Clear Lake in 1970. Rancho Seco, Chabot, New Hogan and Clear Lake 1971. Silverwood, Castaic, New Hogan, Isabella, Folsom, San Vicente in 1972. New Hogan, Isabella, Folsom and Castaic in 1973. Folsom 1974. Shasta, Success, Eastman, Berryessa and Don Pedro 1980. "R-2 waters" in 1982. Eastman in 1983. Don Pedro and Folsom several times between 1988-1991.

Genetic Analysis conducted by CDFW in 1993 of 10 waters in CA showed the relative genetic contribution of NLMB as follows:
Folsom 40%
Don Pedro 33%
Berryessa 42%
Haiwee 100%
Shasta 59%
Rancho Seco 8%
Amador 48%
Clear Lake 50%
Perris 27%
Genetic analysis conducted by CDFW in 1998 of 5 waters in SoCal showed the relative genetic contribution of FLMB was:
Casitas 84%
Castaic 88%
Lower Otay 95%
Miramar 100%
Hodges 95%

[drew]

It is feasible that 25 and 30yrs ago there were two lakes in CA that had a pure strain of each. Unfortunately, if the results were only based on DNA and not the phenotype the results will be only so accurate. The fact is we have a mixture of the two and so does most of the world.

[WRB]

Miramar wasn’t stocked according to Botroff the biologist for the program.
When the Zimmerlee record bass showed in ‘73 the question came up.
Larry used the ponds at Miramar that had adult size FLMB to start rearing fingerling that were transferred to Upper Otay as I recall.
Good info
Tom