Thread: How Big Would You Consider a "Wall Hanger" Smallie

Originally Posted by Boondock

I have been catching a lot of small mouth bass while fishing for crappie over the past week. What would you guys say is a "wall hanger" size? Weight and/or Length?

Thanks in advance!

Just for me, personally ... I'd have to say 6lbs or better would be the cutoff. I've caught 4lb SMB, and like you ... they mostly came when Crappie fishing. :D
My reasoning is simply this ... the 4lb fish have come too easily & frequently, and the state record is 8.5lbs +/- ... so, a fish that falls in between those weights, or heavier, is where I'd make my minimum cutoff line. And while a 4 or 5lb fish is certainly a nice SMB, if I'm going to fork out the $$ for a mount, it's going to have to be a seriously nice fish :p

I'm still looking for a wall hanger Crappie ... but, 3lb Crappie just don't come all that often ... LOL !! I've experienced 2.5 - 2.75lb Crappie, and hung but lost Crappie that I believe would have been 3lbs (twice :o ) ... so I set 3lbs as the minimum "wall hanger" weight.

Here's a story, to illustrate my thinking on "trophy" fish ....

As a much younger man, I was heavy into Bass fishing. My goal was to put a 5lb LMB on my wall. I managed to hook & lose several fish that would have easily gone 6lbs + ... but, managed to eventually catch some that exceeded my 5lb minimum. The problem was, I caught a 5lb & a 6lb LMB, all on the same trip :p By that time, I'd changed my thinking a little on what I considered to be a real "wall hanger" fish. It wasn't so much a specific size, anymore, as it was "one that I felt I'd probably never surpass". Fast forward a few years ... and I hook & land a 7lb LMB. The lakes I was fishing at that time, were not giving up many fish of that size ... so I opted to call this 7lb fish my personal best, and have it mounted.

The only other fish I've had mounted (also caught Crappie fishing ) was a 12lb Tiger Muskie. The only reasons I had it mounted, was because I figured I'd never catch a bigger one, and I caught it on UL equipment & 4lb line (no steel leader) ... and I figured I'd never duplicate such a feat. :p

Neither of my mounted fish are "exceptional" fish, in their own rights (for their respective species) ... they're just "personal exceptions", fish that are my personal best & unlikely to be surpassed (by me). That's what has become my interpretation of a "trophy" fish. At my age, it's not so much about the size/weight of the fish, that makes it a trophy worthy of having mounted ... it's the story behind the catching of the fish.

... luck2ya ... cp

I agree with CP. Ive caught quite a few nice ones at Cumberland and Dale but Im pretty sure to keep it would at least have to be 6 or 7 lbs, and over 22 inches. There are lots of 5 lbers swimming around waters like Dale, Cumberland,Laurel, and KY Lake.

I agree! The first smallie I mounted was a 4lb12oz fish. I then mounted a
6lb 10oz smallie, this is my personal best....still waiting for a 7.
Best Crappie is 2lb 14oz. Bluegill 2lb 3oz. Chinook....36lb 3oz.
Walleye...13lb 7oz. LM..6lb Northern.....22lb 9oz,