Building The World Record Bass

[WRB]

This months Bassmaster, Apl 2014', has a article by James Hall about Texan Gary Schwartz creating lakes to grow world record size bass. Interesting concepts and Schwatrz has the money and desire to do this. Gary's key prey is fresh water prawns that are not natural in fresh water lakes, they require salt water to spawn. The pure FLMB bass in lakes La Perla (90 acres) and Jalisco (60 arches) have pond raised prey that are used to feed the bass, along with shad and other baitfish

Now the bar is being raised and the question is this ethical will certainly follow, mark your calendars for 2020!

Tom

[Darren.]

This months Bassmaster, Apl 2014', has a article by James Hall about Texan Gary Schwartz creating lakes to grow world record size bass. Interesting concepts and Schwatrz has the money and desire to do this. Gary's key prey is fresh water prawns that are not natural in fresh water lakes, they require salt water to spawn. The pure FLMB bass in lakes La Perla (90 acres) and Jalisco (60 arches) have pond raised prey that are used to feed the bass, along with shad and other baitfish

Now the bar is being raised and the question is this ethical will certainly follow, mark your calendars for 2020!

Tom

 

Interesting, Tom. Is Schwartz (I assume yes) doing this only in Texas, or in CA and FL as well?

[NEjitterbugger]

My friend is actually writing a paper for English class about this topic, whether it is ethically correct or not. I know it's not the way I wanna see the record get broken...

[flyfisher]

I believe there are standards that need to be met and this sounds like it wouldn't meet the criteria.....but I could be wrong

[WRB]

Gary Schwartz developed white tail deer ranches to grow record deer, his Tecomate seed co is famous.

Schwartz hired John Jones and his team of biologist to build his lakes, Schwartz is in Laredo TX.

Gene Lau tired this in Florida several years ago and was wiped out by poachers, I don't know of any private lakes in California raising bass, the water is too expensive and importing any type of none native prey is impossible. Giant bass in CA just happened, wasn't planned or managed. Texas has a good fishery management system, California does it by neglect.

Tom

[shimmy]

i agree with attempting to make a lake with the "perfect environment". However, i am iffy about adding specific baitfish that are unnatural to freshwater. It just seems like a stretch. I can jump on board for trout being stocked even though they are indigenous elsewhere. Maybe it is a double standard, but i guess once the situations become too test tuby to me, i shun from it. However, i would gladly note that i would happily fish the waters with such conditions

[fishva]

Sounds like those quail farms where the 'guides' go out ahead of you and release the quail from the traps so you can burn them down. I'm sure it's fun, but it isn't exactly sport at that point.

[AK-Jax86]

I got my magazine in the mail today and just read the article very interesting. I think it can be done with the right conditions and most importantly the right fish.

[Hi Salenity]

My dad has a few farm Ponds. One of them he had dug he stocked catfish in and he feeds them. They are now fairly big and you can fish it almost anytime and catch one in the 10-13+ range within an hour.

I can't say it's not a great time landing a fish like that but wiggling a worm in front of a feeder bores me to death

I'd imagine any "Trophy" lake would be about the same?

I guess what I'm trying to say is you leave with no sense of accomplishment.

[Hi Salenity]

Why not just do it in some huge Aquarium in a BPS somewhere?

[Lund Explorer]

More and more sportsmen are looking for the ultimate fishing experience where everything but the budget has to be compressed.  Every serious bass fisherman has been on a decades long quest to cut down the odds to catching more or bigger fish.  The truth of the matter is that the deeper the wallet, the more willing you are to spend that cash, the better the chance that those odds are getting cut.

 

The only question is what constitutes fair chase.  That and how many of these ( * ) you want to see in the record books!

[Robert Coggins]

The quest for the world record bass, their was a book "Sowbelly". It covered some attempts in growing a world record.

[jhoffman]

I dont think prawns and shad are enough. Think about those cali bass, what are the eating? Trout and Hitch.. those are big meals.

[Mainebass1984]

That's cool I suppose. It is just not the same as catching a giant bass in the wild. Might as well grow the fish in a hatchery, stock into a 50 gallon tank and sell the chance to catch it to the highest bidder... It is crazy how science and money can take all of the sport of fishing. Just like guided hunts in a caged area. Release the animal in fenced in acre of land, shoot it, and then be proud of the it ? Trophy and record fish and animals shouldn't be a product manufactured by a company. Just my opinion..

[F14A-B]

The moral aptitude of our great nation is seriously compromised ..we can see this every day... I believe people will stop at nothing to achieve a thing.. Whether good or bad?....It Should, be the point, but it is a question of actual law or not. Texas may grow a really huge LMB... However California is so close now... I can't imagine a new world record coming from any place other than Cali !

[slonezp]

LOL..

I didn't mean that to be funny. I don't know all the logistics, but I believe the water he guides on is managed to produce trophies. The resort caters to high end clients.

 

Riddle me this. The prawns and whatnot fed to the Texas bass, would be considered an evasive species except for the fact they are being purposely introduced by man. Is this where the issue lies? I don't see it any different than stocker trout in Cali.

[J Francho]

A lot of the management on that lake is centered around overcoming the fact that the water chemistry is not the most ideal to grow monster bass. Is it cheating? Sure, but not like you think. I've fished there with him, you have to figure them out. Also, this while catch them off the feeders thing is bunk. Those fish are waiting for kibble, and the bite literally dies at feeding time.

The fish are smart, strong, and very healthy. Fishing there was one of the most memorable experiences.

[atpns1234]

No difference then stocking a lake I suppose. While I don't really care for it. I would not mind someone dropping some in the lake behind the house!

[Master Bait'r]

Gary Schwartz developed white tail deer ranches to grow record deer, his Tecomate seed co is famous.

Schwartz hired John Jones and his team of biologist to build his lakes, Schwartz is in Laredo TX.

Gene Lau tired this in Florida several years ago and was wiped out by poachers, I don't know of any private lakes in California raising bass, the water is too expensive and importing any type of none native prey is impossible. Giant bass in CA just happened, wasn't planned or managed. Texas has a good fishery management system, California does it by neglect.

Tom

 

 

 

I honestly can admire the drive to do something like that but don't really respect any record or accolade that just sat around penned up waiting for someone to buy it's privilege more or less.  It's about nature imo, and this guy simply does not get it.  If you want to create a cool bass pond to fish, awesome and good for you- but if you're going to basically aquarium raise fish to try and pin a ribbon on your chest, you're a Texas-sized tool.  

[BridgerM]

If the efforts are actually successful in producing a 20lb+ bass, then great. I think that would be an accomplishment just for it to actually work. It would be interesting to see just how big a LMB can get.

 

Utah DWR puts a lot of emphasis on trout fisheries. They go through alot of effort to ensure our blue ribbon waters stay that way. They introduce new forage fish, predators to control other species, slot limits, etc. Is this natural? No. It seems every state manages its waters for a reason. I doubt there are many waters that have not had some kind of modification at some time. Like many things in life, its a matter of degree. Not black and white. I don't see any problem with creating a water for a specific purpose and being clear about it upfront.

[WRB]

I am not sure if this effort is unethical or not, or if it will succeed. If it does succeed then the ethical questions will be settled. I know the record White Tail deer that are harvested from managed high growth farms have caused there share controversy at first and are now accepted by the majority of hunters.

When California first started to produce giant bass there was and continues to be bias based on the bass being fed stocked trout. Same could be said about the bass in Japan and the end of the day it makes no difference to the IGFA.

My personal reaction to this program is the attempt to grow a world record bass is on a big budget and scale that could work. The one factor that is over looked is the climate and it may not support the needed 15 year growth cycle needed to attain growth over 20 lbs.

Lake Hodges in SoCal produced FLMB exceeding 20 lbs without trout as prey or any large size bait fish; threadfin shad, crappie, bluegill and catfish were the only species in Hodges when the 20.4 lb bass was caught. Climate and deep cool water with sanctuary area may have been more important than prey types.

Another factor being over looked is the year old bass needs abundant prey available and places to hide and survive to have fast growth rates at an early stage in life before they can become giants.

The fact that 1 FLMB in Schwartz lakes has grown to 13+ lbs  (in 5 years?) supports the program potentail. This program will produce a Texas state record!

Another fact not understood is how difficult it is to catch these bass on article lures and I don't know and didn't read if live bait is allowed? If the goal is to harvest a world record, live bait is more than likely in the mix and allowed by the IGFA.

Time will tell the tale. It's a very interesting project regardless of how we may feel about the outcome.

Tom

[McAlpine]

Any fish that comes from a private fishery should be exempt from record status. Otherwise, all you have done is set the bar for entry into record status for your catch at the size of your wallet.

Raising bass in what amounts to an aquarium and hand feeding them super proteins is fine for a science project but selling off access to engineered record book trophies to the highest bidder from private water (which is exactly what will happen) is disgusting to me.

You want to catch huge fish in a pay lake? Fine, I have no problem with that. However; don't expect the rest of the world to acknowledge your "accomplishment".

[Master Bait'r]

Any fish that comes from a private fishery should be exempt from record status. Otherwise, all you have done is set the bar for entry into record status for your catch at the size of your wallet.

Raising bass in what amounts to an aquarium and hand feeding them super proteins is fine for a science project but selling off access to engineered record book trophies to the highest bidder from private water (which is exactly what will happen) is disgusting to me.

You want to catch huge fish in a pay lake? Fine, I have no problem with that. However; don't expect the rest of the world to acknowledge your "accomplishment".

 

 

 

 

I pretty much feel the exact same way in the specific capacity of record legitimacy, but that's about it.  

 

 

If you just want to start a "catch big huge fish all day" club that's awesome in my book..  If you want to buy your way into the record books that sucks and isn't fair and should be *'d.  

[MO_LMB]

  It's about nature imo, and this guy simply does not get it.

 

Ah yes... because bass fisheries in California and Japan are so "natural". Make that any bass fishery west of the Mississippi. If "nature" had its way, half of the US wouldn't even be bass fishing right now. The existing world record fish, or ones close to their size aren't in a "Natural" habitat by any means. Throw in trout stockings and is there really much difference?

 

He is breaking no rules as they are defined by the IGFA.

 

 If it were so easy for someone to raise world record sized largemout bass in an aquarium or private pond then show me these world record fish. The fact of the matter is that even with perfect conditions it is still hard to make a world record. Yes you can go to a "bass resort" and catch 10 lbers all day. Please show me a resort where people are catching 20lbs on a regular basis.

 

Even IF he can grow a fish to be of world record size, someone still has to catch it according to the regulations of the IGFA, A bass is a bass is a bass.

 

Would it be the same accomplishment as catching a world record in the "wild"? No, but is still an accomplishment. There is not just money involved. There is a lot of time, research, and labor put into this endeavor - one that not many other people are attempting.

 

I think the results of this private operation can only benefit the rest of the fishing world. If his work succeeds, DNRs all over the US will have new strategies to improve bass fisheries for everyone.

[tatertester]

It doesn't bother me one bit that this fellow has spent literally millions to achieve his goal of the world record bass , something most couldn't do even if they wanted, but , is it legitimate for a world record?......Not really!