I havent measured or weighed alot of them, 'specially the big ones, cause they are, as you know, the breeding females, and old, so I dont monkey with them too long..

But I did keep one of my biggest...oddly also a 42.5 incher...on that one we were fishing a small lake in Sask. while on a bear hunt. The guides had said there was nothing but little ones in there, but I kept catching little 3 pounders with tooth marks on them......lo and behold, up comes my 18 pounder...no slot there so I killed it to show the guides...and they had it mounted for the cabin grin

Never had the big one get away...that I know of...but my usual lure set-up is a 12 inch leader, a six inch mepps with a six inch plastic worm behind it, and I can't tell you how many times one has taken it from behind, engulfed the whole two foot long combo, and cut the line instantly.... frown

I got pizzed one day at this and put on a 30" leader, same thing happened!! shocked


Ingwe

"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe