What is it suddenly about the yankee waters producing 5-6+ pound smallies? They've always had plenty of sheer numbers in MI, WI, MN, Canada and the Great Lakes but 20 years ago if you would've told anyone you were catching 30# sacks of browns in the Niagra River or the Great Lakes they would've locked you up in a rubber room. If you wanted a 5+ you had to come to TN.
Is it better mgmt? Is it improvements in water quality and cleaning up the waters up there that has taken this long to see the results of?
I seriously doubt that northern smallies will ever grow into 11+ world record status simply for the same reasons they'll never grow largemouths over 12-15#s, the growing season is to short and the fish are bigger the further south you go. But I've been amazed at the 6-8# browns that have come from northern waters in the last decade when it rarely if ever happened anytime before.
I'm gonna hafta get me a Erie trip up, offshore 40-100 fish days with chunky browns would be fun NO MATTER where it was! :at the bar
RA