The most bass caught in some year. Same idea. The most refers indirectly some statistics somewhere or other.

http://www.sixoldgeezers.com/wild9al.jpg

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The most bass

caught in some year. Same idea. The most refers indirectly to some statistics somewhere or other.

If you look at the chart, you will see that there is a year in which "the most bass caught was 130".

The most x is used when referring indirectly or directly to some statistical source of numbers. It is "the most" of all the numbers given in that source for some period. In the chart, that would be in 2005 year.

Versus: Most bass are not caught using nets. [a general statement]

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