state records How Can I Claim A Bass I Bought For State Record From Shore?

[ATA]

I want to know is it possible to claim a fish without killing it by bring it to scale? Is that enough to record it and document everything front of camera and release your catch on her marry way?

[TheBaitMonkey]

It would need to be a certified scale but even if everything looked good on camera I don’t think they would accept it, unfortunately. A few bad apples that would game the system would make it too hard to police accurately. 

[Bazoo]

In this state, you have to have it weighed on a certified scale with 2 witnesses, and the fish has to be inspected by a biologist to certify species. Keeping a list of certified scales in your area would be a good idea. Post offices and grocery stores have certified scales, where else?

 

You need to find out where your local biologist is, and get his number and keep it handy. More than one biologist would be a plus in case he's gone.

 

To keep it alive, you would need a holding tank, have all the info you need for all the people you need to contact, and be on point to get it done as quickly as possible.

 

I would like very much to know what tank size would be needed. I'd guess a 300 gallon tank would suffice. Knowing bass normally go no longer than 3 days without eating, I'd say you have 3 days to get it all taken care of and the bass back in its home waters.

 

A very interesting subject, thanks for asking. I look forward to hearing what others more knowledgable will suggest for keeping a record fish alive through the process.

[padlin]

Definitely check your states rules. Here in Ma they have difficulty rules for catch and release vs catch and keep.

For state awards…

C&R goes by length with a ruler of sorts, you take a picture of the 2 and need signed affidavits. For C&K the dead fish must go on a certified scale, they have a link that shows sites. Beside those mentioned above, some tackle shops, boat ramps, and a few Sportsman’s clubs have them.

 

Link for Mass

 

For record fish…

”If you think your trophy fish may have broken a state record, it  needs to be weighed by a MassWildlife Fisheries Biologist. Please email Steven.Mattocks@mass.gov to make an appointment to bring your fish into one of our office locations. The fish must be presented in its entirety (whole). In keeping with MassWildlife regulations prohibiting the transportation of live fish without a permit, any fish submitted for weighing must be dead”

 

 

[TnRiver46]

See I never have this problem……

[A-Jay]

9 hours ago, ATA said:

I want to know is it possible to claim a fish without killing it by bring it to scale? Is that enough to record it and document everything front of camera and release your catch on her marry way?

Nope ~

A-Jay

[Bazoo]

That's sad news that in some places there is no way to catch, record, certify, and release a record fish. Not sure that I'd want to kill it. I'd probably take some video of the measuring and weighing and then release it, and use the video to draw attention to the issue. I'd have the "unofficial" record, and with a decent video perhaps enough attention to be able to get the laws changed to prevent the killing of record fish.

 

I wasn't sure about the legality of transporting live fish in Kentucky, as I'd never thought of that aspect before. I did a search and found this https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/301/001/125/ section 2 gives exceptions, and includes sport fishermen that have caught fish. So I believe Ky anglers would have a chance to keep a trophy fish alive through the process. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Yeah the places that require the fish be killed defeat the whole purpose in my opinion.    I have no desire to hold a record where I had to kill the fish to achieve it.  

 

I'm still sad about the Lake Erie SM record, she was 16 years old IIrc and had to go out like that after surviving powerball odds to reach that size/age.    Shameful if I'm being honest.  Just my opinion.  

[Bazoo]

15 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Yeah the places that require the fish be killed defeat the whole purpose in my opinion.    I have no desire to hold a record where I had to kill the fish to achieve it.  

 

I'm still sad about the Lake Erie SM record, she was 16 years old IIrc and had to go out like that after surviving powerball odds to reach that size/age.    Shameful if I'm being honest.  Just my opinion.  

I don't know the Lake Erie SM record story. Do you hold it? Or, do you just know the story?

[AlabamaSpothunter]

2 minutes ago, Bazoo said:

I don't know the Lake Erie SM record story. Do you hold it? Or, do you just know the story?

If I caught a 10lb SM, I'd put it in bold type as my signature ?

 

Lake Erie Record Smallmouth Bass Was 16 Years Old | Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ohiodnr.gov)

 

10-Pound Smallmouth Bass Sets Great Lakes Record | Field & Stream (fieldandstream.com)

[Bazoo]

11 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

If I caught a 10lb SM, I'd put it in bold type as my signature ?

 

Lake Erie Record Smallmouth Bass Was 16 Years Old | Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ohiodnr.gov)

 

10-Pound Smallmouth Bass Sets Great Lakes Record | Field & Stream (fieldandstream.com)

Wow, what a horrible shame, she was a beautiful old fish. Thanks for sharing with me, I'd not seen that.

 

Second link; third picture is heart rendering to see her just wanting to go back home. I couldn't have done it. I'd have had to let her go. 

[flyfisher]

I think in theory it is possible but not likely.  The state/ world record blue catfish they attempted to keep alive but it died.  It's a lot of stress for a fish and they usually don't make it.

 

If I caught a state record fish I would have zero issues keeping it and getting it officially weighed and it dying in the process.  That fish has already had its genes all over the body of water it lives and is most likely on it's way out anyways.

[Woody B]

I think the OP is in California.  I'm pretty sure in Cali it's against the law to transport a live game fish.  I think I saw @WRB mention this once.   (Is this correct?)

 

NC (where I live) requires weighing on a certified scale, (with witnesses?) and an examination by a biologist.  (perhaps a biologist from the State)   I do know that's it's possible to keep a potential record alive.  ~10 years ago a NC angler though he had caught a state record Spotted Bass.   An examination by 2 biologist as well as genetic testing of a fin clip determined it was a hybrid between a Largemouth and Spotted bass.  NC's only record for hybrids is for Striped/White bass hybrids.

 

I was told my multiple sources that the bass lived out the rest of it's life in the aquarium at Bass Pro Shops in Concord NC.   

[Drawdown]

7 minutes ago, Woody B said:the bass lived out the rest of it's life in the aquarium at Bass Pro Shops in Concord NC.   

See, just like TNRiver46, I too don’t have this problem, but that’s exactly what I’d do. Take it to Bass Pro in Chattanooga to have a shot at living in the big tank.

[WRB]

22 hours ago, ATA said:

I want to know is it possible to claim a fish without killing it by bring it to scale? Is that enough to record it and document everything front of camera and release your catch on her marry way?

No, it’s a requirement that the fish be examined by a fishery biologist, length, girth, weight and validate the species before releasing the fish.

This can be difficult in California to locate a CDFW biologist and getting this validation while trying to keep the bass alive.

Both Castaic and Casitas have a CDFW biologist available at Fillmore fish hatchery within 1 hour drive. The problem with budgets is contacting the biologist the time and day you need them.  

A few years ago a potential Spotted record bass caught at Bullard Bar couldn’t be validated because the biologist couldn’t get to the lake before it closed for the day. Fish was video’s and weighed, measured etc, etc, but released without being validated.

Almost have to put the bass on ice to get a validation.

Tom 

 

[gim]

Minnesota has adopted a new category of state record in addition to their standard traditional certified weight/witness version that has been around for many years. This new version is a C&R version that is done by length instead of weight and is available in four large species of fish here right now: pure strain muskie, northern pike, flathead catfish, and lake sturgeon. You still need at least one witness and a detailed photo of the fish’s length in order to be certified.

 

Right now these are the only species available for this C&R state record certification, but I think eventually every species will be included.

 

We’re not allowed to transport fish alive here so at this point you’d have to kill a state record bass. I really have no interest in doing that so I’d take a photo, release it, and get a replica made. Fish keep growing their whole life, unlike us. It’s called indeterminate growth. As long as it’s alive, it keeps getting bigger. How do you think Jaws got so big?
 

[BASS302]

@ATA,

For California,

https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Records