World Record Bass - Here's the full story...

[Ron C]

This will get your heart pumping!

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/fish ... akley_25.1

[millsryno]

What a story, what a fish! One nice thing about this story is that there is not a whole lot of debate whether or not that is a world record size. I think 9 of 10 of us would agree it is. Whether or not it is recognized as a world record, well we will have to wait and see. Isn't it ironic, though, that with all of these fish on the record books, there is always controversy. I imagine there will be with this one, too. Imagine if that record is never broken by the time we all pass on, our kin won't believe the story.

If one thing comes out of all this, though, is I hope that this helps promote Catch and Release fishing. If there was ever a doubt in your mind about catch and release, this should prove to you that it works! I hope that any media that this fish gets, they really play up the catch and release aspect of it. This could really elevate catch and release fishing to a whole new level. My hat goes off to Mac Weakley for letting this fish live another day and I truely hope he becomes the poster child for CPR (catch, photo, release).

I'm interested to know, how many of us would HONESTLY release this fish? Think about it...that fish is worth a lot of money. It would be perfectly legal to keep it. Be honest, no BS. It would be your right to keep it, so if anybody gives you crap for it, don't sweat it.

A few years ago, I would have kept it. I was uneducated on the topic. Nowadays, I'd let her go, no doubt about it. If handled correctly, it can bring you just as much money, fame, etc.

[Bassin]

Maybe they didn't want to keep it because of the new info coming out...Bassfan.com is reporting that the fish was actually "found" by a younger pair of anglers the day before, after being asked to leave the fish by these successful and well know Trophy hunters (that "hooked" the bass) and having unsuccessfully tried to get her to bite. The pair left the fish. The next morning (Monday), the "successful pair some how got a jump on all the other anglers waiting to enter the park behind locked gates, and were the first ones to the "Bed"....The rest has been reported..
Bryan

[Kelly Ripa]

Sound's like a chapter from Sowbelly to me Whatever, she grew up to be the biggest bass in the world...in a 70 acre aquarium! I think Porter Hall has some more years of feeding to do before one of his fish is the next world record. Any guess's on what she weighs next time she's caught

[Otay Michael]

Well, she is four pounds heavier than three years ago, so I'd say 29.3 the next time she is snagged!

Here is today's Union Tribune expanded/full report from yesterdays catch: http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/ou ... 1bass.html

[ash]

Be careful bassin someone could PM you and say that what you are eleging is slanderous. I know I have recieved that PM before...

[MikeL]

Good job John, your learning!

ML

[Kelly Ripa]

I mean caught...I don't know about you all ???but I wouldn't be very calm nor cool or collected After I caught that fish...I don't think it would even registered in my brian that she was foul hooked I'd be shaking for the rest of my life...Well boys now we know what the weight is we got to beat....No more worring about the scale....25.1.... That there is an exceptional limit

Rip

[Otay Michael]

Bassin, you may want to read the facts from today's Union Tribune with the latest quotes from those there, etc.. I think you wlll see where they 'legally entered' the lake ahead of the folks in line with a clever move. By claiming otherwise, especially without facts/proof, you can be sued for libel.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/ou ... 1bass.html

[Otay Michael]

Now it's to be considered a record even without the measurments: Here is the article, just out at 11 a.m. PST today, Tuesday March 21st:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/ou ... 1bass.html

[Ray L.]

You all should watch what you say right now. I have already warned a couple of people to not say anything about this.

[Bill Hutcheson]

Guys,

The hyperbole going on in the uninformed press - ie: major media sport sections, ESPN - is comical. Most of these people don't have a clue (other than perhaps Ed Zieralski) of what is really going on here and what a world record fish is all about.

For starters, these guys were correct in everything they did. Peroid. They knew this fish would not stand up to world record scrutiny and as such, released the fish. Hats off to them. I am in no way dissing these guys nor am I doubting the size of thier catch. I am just going to state facts.

The hand scale they used is likely not IGFA recognized or has it likely been certified. IGFA "Weight requirements rule #6 states that "All record fish should be weighed on scales that have been checked and certified for accuracy by government agencies or other qualified accredited organizations.

IGFA rules specifically state under "weight requirements" item #4 says "No estimated weights will be accepted. Fish weighed only at sea or on other bodies of water will not be accepted". Now, this fish was caught very close to both the pier and boat dock, so it might have been weighed on solid ground. That would take care of this section.

Based upon the fact that Dixon has a certified scale a mere 100 yards from the boat docks, I am sure that IGFA will want to know why it was not weighed on that scale.

It has also been well established that the fish was accidentally snagged. While IGFA rules state "a fish may not be intentionally foul hooked", California Fish and Game rules are clear with respect to snagging of fish. These rules, in a nutshell, state that a fish is illegally caught if the hook is not taken in the mouth. I don't know how a fish will be considered a record when it is caught in violation of a state law.

While this is indeed a monster fish that will probably make Dixon look like the shark hunting scene from the original "Jaws" movie for the next few months, I doubt all the spastic undulations by the uniformed press will find this fish as our new official World Record Largemouth Bass. That's it in a nutshell so don't hold your breath!

[BigJeff]

The latest and greatest news update on the story. They will not be submitting documentation to have the fish certified per this article.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/ou ... 1bass.html

[basswrangler]

Guys! Bassin was stating what was said in an article on another site(Bassfan.com). It says so in his post even. Quit trying to scare him with all this "your gonna get sued for libal" and other warnings. If someone were to make up stories about it, THEY would be the ones that could get into trouble. And as for telling people to " quit talking about it" and "don't say anything", doesn't that contradict what a forum is for? Funny, I always thought the forums were for the OPEN discussion of ALL things relating to fishing. Sorry if this offends anyone, but I felt it needed to be said.

[BigJeff]

Not trying to stir the pot but Bassfan.com has this issue as their lead story today. They have the backstory on how the fish was located, etc.

http://www.bassfan.com/news_article.asp?ID=1660

Even if they dont get a world record title in the official record books, as the unofficial world record, that fish is still a ------- toad!!!

[Ron C]

They will not be submitting documentation to have the fish certified per this article.

The way I read this article, they ARE going to submit an application with the IGFA.

Weakley said Monday that he will apply for the record. He defended his decision not to take measurements.

I hope that he does and, quite honestly, I hope that the IGFA does certify the fish as a new world record; asterisk or not.

While the 22-4 mark has nearly been broken a few times, I do not believe that that are many (if any) other 25+ pound fish ANYWHERE.

[Kelly Ripa]

basswrangler... the folks that Ray was writing to and about did not take offense. I didn't either And your statement about the forum being open It's true! It is an open forum.That's why we write on this forum and we thank you for your first post. Does this mean he's an official NutCase Boys?....Just ribb'n ya Wrangler If you know Ray ...Like some of us know Ray You'd understand

[basswrangler]

Kelly Ripa, you actually had me LOL. Thanks. I needed to laugh, too. There were more people than Ray who had said something to Bassin. Ray was at least asking, others were flat out telling him to watch his mouth. The ribbing is always welcome, btw. If we can't have fun, what use is there being alive?

Mac's fish is beast of a fish, no matter how you view it.

[Little Fin]

Just to be clear, what would a world record, largemouth bass bring to the angler who caught it? Anyone have an overall idea on what the overall picture would look like?

[sTony]

Only thing I'll say about all this is simple and to the point, that's no way for anyone to hold a fish of that size. Sure hope he didn't do permanent damage to that fish before he released her back to Dixon. Sorry but to my mind a guy fishing for HUGE fish on a regular basis flat out oughta know better.

sTony

[Kelly Ripa]

Maybe at the time it was heading for the wall sTony ...Did I read that the boys went out on the water to deliberate?

[Ron C]

...but here is what I posted on the Northern Board regarding that very issue:
============================================================
A VERY good point by TopCat...
...and an equally great question by millsryno. Holding any big bass only by its lower jaw puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the fish's jaw (by its shear weight alone). If the fish were to buck (as they often do) while being held like this, it could possibly break the lower jaw.

Whenever I take photographs of my team anglers holding their big bass, I always instruct them to support the fish with their other hand on the underside just in front of the tail. This removes the pressure from the jaw without putting pressure on any of the fish's vital organs. Holding a bass in this manner also (usually) keeps the fish from bucking.

Here is a photo of our own Hipster properly holding his recent 10 pounder:



Thanks to TopCat for his great observation and to millsryno for his great question.

[Hipster]

Dang Ron,

You keep posting my teeny 10.2 in the same theads as that giant prehistoric relic of a mammoth beast, and my personal best keeps looking smaller and smaller!!! HAR HAR


P.S. thanks for th kudos

When ya coming back through No-Cal again?

[sTony]

You can find a complete accounting of what transpired by a young witness over in an interview from Jon Storm on Bassfan.com.

Here is the latest link that says Wheatley won't submit to the IGFA:

http://www.bassfan.com/news_article.asp?ID=1661

sTony

[toadhunter]

Just curious, what is the weight of the fish you are holding by the jaw in your picture that accompanies your posts? What is the maximum weight a fish can be and still be ok to be held by it's jaw? Should we never hold a fish like that?

Thanks,
TH

[Ron C]

...It wasn't about your stupid fish anyway (Damn, that sounds like something my wife would say!). It's about how you HELD your fish for the photos. But, at your request, I'll stop showing your tiny 10-2 and show a BIGGER fish being held properly for photos:


Paul Bailey and his 11.13 pound Lake Casitas Beauty

Good Fishing!

Ron C

PS: Just messing with you Mark.

[Ron C]

...in his defense (and everybody elses who has ever held a fish this way for photos - myself included), if the fish does not buck, the risk of injury to the fish is minimal or even non-existant. And even if it does buck, that doesn't necessarily meam that the fish will be injured. Supporting the fish by the bottom (in front of the tail) simply significantly reduces the risk of possible injury and (as I previously noted) usually keeps the fish from bucking - but not always.

Based on Mac Weakley's account of his world record catch, the fish was extremely docile and probably did not buck while being photographed:

[quote]She sat there like she'd done all this before,â€

[sTony]

The fish I was holding was roughly less then a third of the weight of the fish I was referring to and I was very close to the deck of the boat so if the fish did start to buck I could ease her down on the deck quickly. I also got a photo of the fish with my hand supporting the weight entirely and she was extremely docile the entire time we took the photos. But you're right, at 8 pounds, she was likely large enough to be held in a different manner. I'm not sure at what weight one should better support the weight of the fish but I'm pretty sure that over 20 pounds would surely qualify. Likely any active fish over 5 pounds but I'm not a biologist. I'd also think that over 20 pounds just the mere weight of the fish was putting undo stress whether the fish was docile or not.

sTony

[Bison]

The video is out on espn.com

[millsryno]

Can you post a link? I don't see it.

[Sean Graf]

Click the link on the right side.

http://search.espn.go.com/keyword/searc ... 0&Find.y=0