if you're hoping to catch a largemouth bass that weighs 10+ pounds, your best bet is to fish O.H. Ivie Lake near San Angelo. This 19,000-acre lake is known for producing quite a few monster bass that tip the scales at 13 pounds or better.

Here's one from earlier this year that weighed 14.75 pounds.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept
Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept
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Many lakes in Texas are great for catching huge bass, including quite a few right here in Deep East Texas. Lake O' The Pines, Lake Fork, Toledo Bend, and Sam Rayburn are some of the bigger lakes in the Pineywoods.

Then, there are also smaller lakes that also have a history of producing mammoth bass, Lake Nacogdoches, Steinhagen Lake, Lake Tyler, and Lake Murvaul, just to name a few.

Lake Naconiche

Just a few miles north of Nacogdoches, you'll find Lake Naconiche. This 692-acre lake is fed by Naconiche and Telesco Creeks. It was impounded in 2009 and has gained a reputation as a hidden jewel for largemouth bass.

On February 8, Frankie Griffin of Alma, Arkansas reeled in a bass that weighed 11.63 pounds.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept
Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept
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A few days earlier (2/5), Ben Milliken of New Caney, TX caught a 13.15 Legacy Lunker.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept
Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept
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Milliken positioned his boat in about 30 feet of water looking for fish to target. He had just caught one a little over 10 pounds about 45 minutes before.

“I noticed the big ones were really starting to raise up out of the brush on the bottom of the lake,” said Milliken. “I was using a little 6th Sense juggle minnow on a 1/16-ounce jig head and dropped it down and led her by a long ways. Lucky enough, she came right up to it and ate it while I was twitching it in, so it was pretty awesome. I caught her using a spinning rod with a six-pound braid and six-pound flouro leader so it was a really light line. I fought it forever, but she came right up to the surface and when I saw her, I knew it was a giant one so I took my time and got her in. It was pretty exciting!”

A couple of 8-pounders have also been caught since the first of January including this one weighing 8.80, brought in by David Russell of Garrison, Texas.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept
Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept
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Biggest Payout in Amateur Bass Fishing History

The 40th annual Big Bass Splash on Lake Sam Rayburn is coming up April 19-21, featuring $1.3 million in guaranteed cash and prizes.

Here are Some of The Largest Bass Caught in Deep East Texas in 2023

Numerous big bass have been caught in Pineywoods-area lakes in 2023. Here's a look at some of those catches according to the Toyota ShareLunker program

Gallery Credit: Danny Merrell

2023 Big Bass Splash Sam Rayburn

Here are some of the enormous bass and other notable moments from the 2023 Big Bass Splash on Lake Sam Rayburn

Gallery Credit: Danny Merrell

 

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