Catching Record Breaking Fish.

[bigbill]

I regret I can only report my fish here when I break the state record for LMB. I can't report it to the state because it will draw unwanted attention to the place I'm fishing at. Even if I lie where I caught it I hate to see a body of water get hammered.

What would you do?

[Smokinal]

You can call it "undisclosed" if you want; at least you can in Maine. That's my plan.

[Catt]

I have two lake records I never reported

Just didn't want the hassle & wasn't really prepared to properly care for em.

Having my name in a book don't impress me!

[MIbassyaker]

I do not expect ever to catch a state record bass. The Michigan record LMB dates to 1934, and was tied in 1959. SMB dates to 1906.

 

I do fish the lake that produced the 1934 record sometimes, although it doesn't have a reputation as a frequent big fish producer now, if it ever did.

 

But supposing i did catch one?

 

Well, I fish alone almost always, with no livewell, or any other way to keep a fish alive long enough to release successfully after getting it witnessed and/or certified. And I won't keep one, even a trophy. So I'd take pictures of the fish and measurements...and beyond that, I guess I'd just have a fish story. 

[Fisher-O-men]

State record in Ca is pretty heady.  I have no plans other than a single-hook stringer on my tube.  A record here will likely be a world record. Oh, it is a good idea to fish with name-brand gear, if you are trophy hunting.

[Starchalopakis]

Like mentioned above, breaking any type of record in CA will be quite the daunting task.  Since my current setup does not have a livewell, pictures and some measurements and maybe a slap on the ass will be all she'll get before shes goes back in the water.

[Catch and Grease]

If I broke the Georiga record it would be the world record... Soooo ya...

[Dwight Hottle]

Always have a plan. Know the rules and regulations for your state. But most importantly you have to catch that one special fish.

[Big C]

If I catch the "World Record".  Everybody is going to know.

[hatrix]

I thought the world record small mouth was caught in Michigan and KVD's brother caught it long after 1906. I might be wrong though about that and maybe it was Ohio instead.

[MIbassyaker]

I thought the world record small mouth was caught in Michigan and KVD's brother caught it long after 1906. I might be wrong though about that and maybe it was Ohio instead.

 

Must have been somewhere else...here's the current list of MI records from the DNR, as of July, 2015:

 

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/state_records_433983_7.pdf

 

Smallmouth record is still the one from 1906.

 

Big Pine Island Lake, the site of the 1934 LMB record for Michigan is 40 min from my house.

[hatrix]

I had to look it up to be sure. It was the state record for Ohio smallmouth. I am sure there is a world record swimming in Erie somewhere if your ultra lucky. But in lakes so insanely massive its way better to be lucky then good.

[roadwarrior]

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/smallmouth_record.html

 

 

 

[WRB]

California is currently producing world record Spotted Bass yearly, 10.95 lb I believe is the current record.

The CA state record Smallmouth is 9. 8 lbs., LMB official record is 21.6 lbs.

Anything is possible, the fish needs to put on ice to be validated and potential state records have been released like Crupi's 22.10 LMB.

Validating a CA record catch wasn't easy in the past, today we carry certified scales, smart phones with good cameras, so it's getting easier to validate, harder to catch!

Tom

[flyfisher]

If i catch a state record i will do what it takes to get it certified and i also don't care if people know where i caught it.  

[bigbill]

But a gazillion people will invade the place were u caught it. I feel bad for the fish.

[WIGuide]

Must have been somewhere else...here's the current list of MI records from the DNR, as of July, 2015:

 

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/state_records_433983_7.pdf

 

Smallmouth record is still the one from 1906.

 

Big Pine Island Lake, the site of the 1934 LMB record for Michigan is 40 min from my house.

The Michigan smallie record may have just been broke in the last few days. It's been all over fb and other fishing sites as well. 

 

If I caught a state record I'd turn it in as long as the fish doesn't have to be killed. I'd also probably either say I caught it out of a different lake, or when I went to release it, it wouldn't be in the same lake that it was haha. 

[A-Jay]

In the unlikely event that I am so fortunate that I hook, fight &  successfully land such a fish ~

 

She is most definitely going for a ride with me back to the beach and then another one in my truck to the nearest "Certified Scale".

 

I have been practicing C & R for a really long time but this one particular bass will have had it's last swim.

 

And that's just the way it has to be.

 

A-Jay

[Catch and Grease]

Records are meant to be broken... That's one way I always thought about it.

[MIbassyaker]

The Michigan smallie record may have just been broke in the last few days. It's been all over fb and other fishing sites as well. 

 

If I caught a state record I'd turn it in as long as the fish doesn't have to be killed. I'd also probably either say I caught it out of a different lake, or when I went to release it, it wouldn't be in the same lake that it was haha.

 

Holy Smokes! Speak of the devil...and she appears!

 

9.33lb, 24.5"

 

http://www.wxyz.com/news/giant-smallmouth-bass-caught-this-past-weekend-breaks-michigan-record-that-stood-since-1906

 

So there is hope yet -- if there's one, maybe there's another, bigger one lurking!  I just have to catch it before A-Jay does...

[Ratherbfishing]

Like I'll ever have that problem.

[bigbill]

You never know I would of bet my life I'd never catch a PB of 10lbs too. It was never a thought. It was kind of a curse. Then I seen bigger bass and lost a few bigger ones too. If you watch the bass pond guy Lusk talk about the odds of a bass growing that big we have better odds in hitting the lotto. We just never know.

Large mouth bass aren't native to our area. We have idle bass hatcherys just sitting here. Where do you think these millions of bass fry are coming from? Hint it's not the single digit bass making these millions of fry? These big double digit gals are swimming nurseries.

God I love bass fishing.

[So. Cal. Lunker Hunter]

All record fish will need to be weighed on a certified scale

Most likely the fish will die or be so stressed and die a day or so later

Giant bass are very fragile

Iam talking bass above 12 pounds

Above 17 and there even more fragile.

[Crankinstein]

For me to claim a record it would have to be the LMB record and I would have to break it by a substantial amount. If I barely broke it then I would lean heavy on releasing the fish. I actually ended up in that situation when I caught the fish in my profile pic which would have broken the NC hybrid bass record but because it didn't shatter the old record and the fact that the record is broken quite frequently led me to release the fish. I completely understand that guy in MI breaking the 100 year old smallmouth record claiming it as well as the CA spotted bass record where Matt and Tim camped out on their boat in order to claim the record and release the fish. Those are all scenarios where I would claim the record.  

[Mainebass1984]

 If I catch a state record bass I would be 100% honest in all regards concerning the catch.  I do believe that in Maine where I prefer to bass fish I do not need to  name the body of water that it was caught from. Sadly if I did catch a state record fish it would have to be killed legally. Under Maine State law all fish caught must be immediately killed or immediately released. The only way around that particular law would be if it was caught during a bass fishing tournament which requires a special permit to hold fish alive in your live well. It is also illegal to transport live game fish with out a permit. Essentially if I did catch a state record it would have to be killed. I do not like to kill bass. I have not killed a bass in years and years. The only bass I have killed is for skin mounts. I think that I can consistently put myself in position to catch that record bass. There are several waters I fish that have produced 9-10 lb bass with proof. Not stories with no pictures and no scales. Actual proof. The state record here in Maine is 11 lbs 10 oz which is a huge northern strain largemouth. That record has stood for 50 years. The closest I have been to the record is 9 lbs 1 oz. Still a bit off of the record but I have the rest of my life to catch that fish and I will not stop. I have been seriously fishing for trophy bass for 8 years now. In that time I have landed 21 7's, 5 8's and the 1 9 lber. All weighed and measured. Not very close to the state record but I believe state record class fish swim in the waters I like to fish the most. I hope its only a matter of time, effort and perseverance.