Bassin' USA - Bass Fishing Forum Archives

Hey all,I've been hearing rumors,that a new world record large mouth bass,has been caught.I heard that the bass was over 25 lbs.I don't know where or who caught it.Can anyone fill me in,on this rumor?

Try here.

There are a number of articles on the fish. Try Googling "25 Lb Bass". I found out about it last week, have been following the controversy ever since.

Richard.

Bassman, even if the fish weighed 25 pounds, which I doubt, it will not be recognized as a world record. NONE of the guidelines were met. They used a non-certifiable scale-didn't measure the fish-didn't report the fish to the DNR or state fisheries agents-Didn't take any scale samples to ascertain species-didn't supply credible witnesses. No way this fish is going to make any record books. Why would anyone throw back a fish worth potentially $2 million? I'm afraid this is just another internet scam much like the previous three or four. :rolleyes:

Johnnie, I don't know where you come up with an internet scam. You'll remember that another guy came up with a 32 lb'er and was disqualified for similiar reasons. If I caught a 25 pounder there is no way I could get it certified. Who the heck has a certified scale, a fisheres biologist, video cam and a soft measuring tape with him? If I caught a fish that size I'd have to kill it to keep the scoreres happy. Personally I would keep the fish and sell it to BassPro, and let them fight it out. carl

And PS. Two years ago a guy from OK came here to fish for Muskie. We have several world class Muskie lakes in IL. One of the best is 30 minutes from my house. The guy caught a monster, much to the chagrin of local muskie anglers. It was measured, weigh'd, photo graphed, and was declared a state record, along with a few other state records, and released. So why is a bass record so damn different, esp. when there is a milion dollar prize for the largest muskie? C

Hey Carl, chill my friend.
Every grocery store, convenience store and some bait shops have certified scales, they're not hard to find. Cell phones offer easy access to DNR officials and BASS has said that even an "idiot" could garner $2 million for a new record bass.
As an Outdoor writer, you'll never know how many bogus photos and information I receive about world record bass catches, but there is always a problem with the catch, like no legal for trade scale or eight pound diving weights added to the stomach.
Let me catch that baby and I'll show you how it should be handled.
I want someone to break the record, but I hope it's someone who will respect what a magnificent fish it truly is, not some perch jerker who found a dying bass and stuck a hook in its mouth.
These stories come up about once a year and always prove to be faked. When Bob CRupi of California caught the second largest bass ever caught, he knew what to do, and took care of business. He weighed it-photographed it, took scale samples, meassured it, had witnesses to all this including the DNR then released the fish alive. Even that fish was worth a lot of money, but he thought he could catch it again after it gained three or four ounces.

Johnnie, it isn't a fake.

There were several witnesses to the catch. But, the fish was (unintentionally) foul-hooked. Weakly knew it wasn't a fair catch, and a violation of California DW regulations. While I find a number of problems with the catch as far as careful documentation, I think the man did the right thing by returning the fish, alive, to the lake. Knowing the regulations, he didn’t make the effort to go through the process. Simply returning the fish after weighing on whatever scales were at hand and photographs.

Now, I am well aware of the accuracy standards of hand-held scales most fishermen carry. But a variance in excess of two and a half pounds? That’s a bit much even for spring scales.

The IFGA stated it may have allowed the submission had he done it by the numbers, their rules state a fish is eligible if it is unintentionally foul hooked.

Weakley was fishing a bed, hooking the fish with the jig in the body while attempting a hookset on the buck. (Or so I am to understand.)

The controversy will rage for years, it is my thought that Weakley did the right thing. I’m not sure I have the character not to be tempted by such an opportunity, I hope I do.

A world record Bass submitted for Official Recognition will be scrutinized very closely, and I mean very, very, very closely with an Electron Tunneling Microscope. Every single micro-second between the time of catch and official recording will examined by nearly every Bass Fisherman everywhere.

The prestige of such a catch is enough to cause that kind of scrutiny. Add the fact the fish will be worth several million dollars to the lucky stiff who lands it and the pressure will be enormous to make sure every I is dotted and T crossed.

Richard.

I hope i catch the next one. lol me and the other millions of fisherman out there, hey you never now. i can have dreams right lol. happy fishing you guys...

Yep, Johnnie you're right. I was a little perturbed because nonone responded to my posts, but gosh what if one of these guys does really pull one in? Can't they have a catagory for the almosts? For me this is all (forgot the word) because IL"s largest is 11 something. Academic! PS. Wrote Craig and got a good answer to finesse fishing. To change the subject, was out today and couldn't get a bite. Previosly, I had found loads of fish stacked up on drops near shallow water, now they're gone, gone. I'll be out tomarrow, and plan to fish more jigs and plastics. We'll see. The water is 51 so there's got to be some movement. Take care, Carl

I just saw bass center on espn.The fish was huge.I agree with with him to return the fish to the lake.I always knew,that the next record bass would come from california.I live in arizona,but bass fish in california alot.I have caught alot of bass in the 15-19 lbs range.Now there will be alot of fisherman at lake dixon,trying for this fish.I believe the record will fall sometime this year. Good luck and happy fishing all.