What To Do If I Catch A Record Breaking Bass?

[BigAngus752]

12 hours ago, schplurg said:

But I'm curious about what it takes to register your catch if you break, or think you may have broke, a lake record.

 

As far as lake records go, around here the only "official" lake records that exist are from tournaments.  If you aren't fishing in a tournament and weighing the fish in then no one is going to consider your fish a "lake record".  That's reasonable when you think about it.  It would be difficult to have someone with a proven scale available at all times to verify a catch for every single lake. 

 

But if you catch a monster word will get around.  You have no idea how closely other fisherman are watching you when you fish.  I've fished had a total stranger approach me on a Friday at the ramp and ask me questions about how I did so well on that lake 6 days ago when I was alone in my boat and thought I had most of the lake to myself.  So they must have also seen me nearly fall in the water while retrieving my lure, blow my rod sleeve out of my boat while up on plane, relieve myself 19 times...

[Jaderose]

1 hour ago, NYWayfarer said:

Same here. 
 

It might sound crazy to some but as long as I know I caught it and had some pictures and video to prove it I don’t need my name in a record book. It would be nice but not at the cost of a magnificent animal. If I could get that and keep the fish alive I would think about it.

 

I used to carry a disposal camera in my tackle box before cellphones for taking pictures of fish catches. I can’t imagine life without my smartphone now.

Yep....I don't even take my phone in the boat with me.  I know it sounds nuts but I have never taken a picture of a fish I have caught.

[NoShoes]

3 hours ago, slonezp said:

 

The replica bass is the picture in his avatar

 

and you get 1 guess as to what @WRB screen name means

That bass is giant. A picture doesn’t do that bass any justice. Most people have never seen a bass or replica of a bass that size. 
 

The bass pro near me has a replica of the Perry record bass up front, that thing could eat a baby. 

[WRB]

There is a photo on the site somewhere, will look.

PM your email and will send it.

Tom

[Whatever]

Years ago, I served as a DFG "judge" for a local fishing tournament, for Lake Trout. It was a catch and kill situation (the fish are not native here), and there were cash awards, but not big money. We had a state certified scale, and another required tool was a metal detector. It was amazing how many trout are swimming around gobbling large lead pellets!

[Catt]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

There is a photo on the site somewhere, will look.

PM your email and will send it.

Tom

 

I have one but not sure if it's the one in question.

 

 

[schplurg]

I have that one too, I think he said it was 18.6. What a pig! That inspires me.

[TnRiver46]

4 hours ago, Catt said:

 

I have one but not sure if it's the one in question.

 

 

^that fish would pull me off the casting deck into the drink 

[WRB]

4 minutes ago, schplurg said:

I have that one too, I think he said it was 18.6. What a pig! That inspires me.

That is correct and will look for other photos.

Tom

[cheezyridr]

back in the 80's i held the state record smallmouth in my hands...for a few seconds.  i was standing on a rock, shaking in disbelief. rod in one hand, fish in the other.  i turned to hop from one rock to another so i could head back to my car and get the fish to a scale.  instead, i slipped on some moss, and fell backwards into the river.  fish went one way, rod went the other way. lost 'em both.  the place i was fishing is a spot i rarely see other people fish.  but the next day, there were 4 guys fishing that spot.  there was no one to be seen when it happened though.  but they obviously saw me, during that critical moment. 

that fish would have smashed the record by at least a pound, probably more.  i would still hold the record right now, had i not slipped.

[zeth]

For myself I would just freak out, snap a pic and drop it back in the drink. I'm not going to risk stressing it out or killing it just to get some certified record. Now if you are somewhere with a certified scale in boat and can do everything you need to do to get the record then by all means do it but I'd still just drop it back in and move on. 

[TnRiver46]

13 hours ago, zeth said:

For myself I would just freak out, snap a pic and drop it back in the drink. I'm not going to risk stressing it out or killing it just to get some certified record. Now if you are somewhere with a certified scale in boat and can do everything you need to do to get the record then by all means do it but I'd still just drop it back in and move on. 

I don’t think a scale is considered “certified” if it’s in a boat 

[WRB]

Not true. You can have a scale certified by the Weights and Measure Department (DMS) in every state. Next time you are getting gasoline there should have a phone number or address on the certification seal on each pump. It’s true not all scales can be certified because they may not be accurate within 1%. Today with digital scales most are very accurate.

You can also send in your scale to the IGFA with your record application.

The difficulty comes in validating the species, measurement and method catch and 2 witnesses.

Tom

PS, TVA lakes have potential for new WR Smallmouth bass.

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Not true. You can have a scale certified by the Weights and Measure Department (DMS) in every state. Next time you are getting gasoline there should have a phone number or address on the certification seal on each pump. It’s true not all scales can be certified because they may not be accurate within 1%. Today with digital scales most are very accurate.

You can also send in your scale to the IGFA with your record application.

The difficulty comes in validating the species, measurement and method catch and 2 witnesses.

Tom

PS, TVA lakes have potential for new WR Smallmouth bass.

I’ll just let Mr Hayes have the smallmouth record, he’s been through enough over it.  He was quoted as saying he wished he never caught the record fish because of all the BS controversy (Also I’ve never caught a 6 much less a 12 hahaha)

[Tennessee Boy]

On 1/2/2021 at 8:00 PM, TnRiver46 said:

We don’t have any lake records in Tennessee. If it’s a state or world record you have to kill it and submit DNA 

The Corps of Engineers does maintain records for some of their lakes.    Some of the records are unclaimed so all it takes is a fish to have a lake record.  I’ve caught several such Old Hickory “lake record” fish but haven’t claimed one yet.  I’d feel kind of stupid asking two witnesses to sign for my 7 oz lake record yellow bass.  ?

[Bird]

On 1/3/2021 at 10:24 AM, Jaderose said:

Yep....I don't even take my phone in the boat with me.  I know it sounds nuts but I have never taken a picture of a fish I have caught.

Prove it ! ?

[Dwight Hottle]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I don’t think a scale is considered “certified” if it’s in a boat 

 

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Not true. You can have a scale certified by the Weights and Measure Department (DMS) in every state. Next time you are getting gasoline there should have a phone number or address on the certification seal on each pump. It’s true not all scales can be certified because they may not be accurate within 1%. Today with digital scales most are very accurate.

You can also send in your scale to the IGFA with your record application.

The difficulty comes in validating the species, measurement and method catch and 2 witnesses.

Tom

PS, TVA lakes have potential for new WR Smallmouth bass.

 

All the certified scales in the world won't help with an IGFA record if you weigh the fish in the boat. IGFA requires that the fish be weighed on land not in the boat. The reasoning behind this is a bouncing boat doesn't give a reliable reading.  

[WRB]

Very difficult to meet all the regulations in a boat! No reason why you can’t keep a certified scale in the boat. Need a biologist or official to examine and identify the fish, etc, etc.

Tom

[roadwarrior]

BogaGrip can be certified

 

https://www.bogagrip.com/certification 

[Darth-Baiter]

I think I will hold the fish up triumphantly, show my friends, weigh it, measure it, and let it go. 
 

I don’t  need my name on the record.  

[slonezp]

5 hours ago, WRB said:

Not true. You can have a scale certified by the Weights and Measure Department (DMS) in every state. Next time you are getting gasoline there should have a phone number or address on the certification seal on each pump. It’s true not all scales can be certified because they may not be accurate within 1%. Today with digital scales most are very accurate.

You can also send in your scale to the IGFA with your record application.

The difficulty comes in validating the species, measurement and method catch and 2 witnesses.

Tom

PS, TVA lakes have potential for new WR Smallmouth bass.

If TVA had the food resources the Great Lakes offer, records could be broken regularly. It takes 20 years or longer to grow a seven pound smallmouth up north. If TVA had an abundance of gobies, smelt, cisco, and aelwife's the potential for a 15lb smallie might be realistic.

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, slonezp said:

If TVA had the food resources the Great Lakes offer, records could be broken regularly. It takes 20 years or longer to grow a seven pound smallmouth up north. If TVA had an abundance of gobies, smelt, cisco, and aelwife's the potential for a 15lb smallie might be realistic.

I don’t know, almost every cove looks like this . There’s more than enough shad, I think it’s something else (unknown ). When you reel in a rattle trap, its fairly common to catch 2-3 shad on a single cast 

 

[slonezp]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I don’t know, almost every cove looks like this . There’s more than enough shad, I think it’s something else (unknown ). When you reel in a rattle trap, its fairly common to catch 2-3 shad on a single cast 

 

The only lakes I have fished managed by the TVA are KY lake and Guntersville. I've caught smallies on KY lake not on G'ville. I don't recall seeing large schools of shad on KY

[Bluebasser86]

I've caught a record breaking fish a couple times, but I always wake up right before I get it weighed ?‍♂️

[jgordon]

On 1/4/2021 at 11:18 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

I've caught a record breaking fish a couple times, but I always wake up right before I get it weighed ?‍♂️

Haha ain't that the truth.  Ugh the thought of a double digit for Kansas boy sigh