Kyler Leslie holds up the 7.71-pound, 25-inch-long largemouth bass that ties a Massachusetts state record in the catch-and-release division. Photo by Mike Leslie Obsession can take root at any age.

In fact, largemouth can be found in lakes and farm ponds in all 50 U.S. states. And every state, minus Alaska, maintains records of the biggest bass ever landed by an angler. One of the oldest ...

Incidentally, the state record for largemouth bass in Massachusetts is 15 pounds, 8 ounces, measuring 28 inches. It was caught out of Sampson Pond in Carver by Walter Bolonis in 1975.