Perry's record is in BIG trouble!!!!!

[Mattlures]

Rumor has it that Jed Dickerson and Mac Weakley are going to submit thier aplications to the IGFA for the world record. Mac has recently had his scale certified and the Igfa wants him to apply . Most of you know the story behind his 25.1 lb bass but its Jeds aplication that has the best chance at being the New world record. In 2003 Jed caught that same bass and weighed her on a certified scale in front of witnesses. They measured her and took pictures. SHE WEIGHED 22lbs 9ounces!!!!!!!!!! While waiting for the fish and game to show up the fish lost eggs and weight. By the time they showed up they reweighed her for the World record bass club and she only weighed 21 lbs 11oz. The second weight was the one used because the World record bass club would have had to pay Jed the 7 million that it gauranteed for a WR bass. The insurance company that backed the WR club cancled their policy becuse Jed had caught that fish.

So now it looks like they both are going to submit, Mac for his 25.1 and Jed for his 22.9 and they are both the same fish.

The Igfa has stated that there is no time limit on aplying for an all tackle record.

I dont know if Mac will get the record but Jed certainly should and has one heck of a chance at getting it. They could possibly accept them both ! wouldnt that be strange.

[Raul]

Interesting Matt, IF and that 's big if, let 's asume that the IGFA accpets and awards the WR to that fish under the circumstances in which it was caught ( foul hooked ), because if memory doesn 't fail me, isn 't it ILLEGAL in California to posses a fish ( holding the fish for pics, measurements and weighting implies possesion ) not caught by the mouth and that should be released immediately ? ( Weakley 's fish ).

It would be like saying on behalf of the IGFA: SCREW THE LAWS.

The IGFA is not above the laws.

Jed 's fish, oh well, if he hooked the fish fair and square I see no reason why he shouldn 't apply.

[cart7t]

Yep, it was foul hooked and according to CA law, never should've been strung on a stringer and then drug around the lake while these guys phoned their lawyers.

If anything, the warden who stood their and observed their lawlessness in taking the fish and stood by while they drug that fish around should be reprimanded.  

Weakly didn't catch that fish, he snagged it.  

Big difference.

As for the other fish.  ????? I've never heard that story before.  It's as good as any I suppose.  

[Mattlures]

Raul I dont know what the IGFA will do. I know that they did release the fish pretty quick after they caught it and the DFG did not have any problems with the taking the pictures before the release. The IGFA makes thier own rules they are a private organization. I honestly have no idea what or how they will rule on this.  However... Jeds fish is a whole other story and was caght in the mouth on a swimbait. Nothing fishy or no contriversy on how the fish was caught . He had wittnesses including the ranger who weighed the fish on the lakes certifeied scale. Jed was pressured to take the later(less) weight because the World record bass club was going to deny him the 7million dollar claim. Instead Jed was awarded $25000 for the largest bass caught that year. Well now he feels ripped off and rightly so. That fish was 22lbs 9oz when first weighed and everthing else was certifed. It doesnt look good for the current record!

I believe the IGFA will deny Mac but give the World record to Jed. Either way these are 2 verrrry legitimate threats to claim the WR

[Guest the_muddy_man]

I HOPE THAT THE NEXT WR BASS IS CAUGHT BY SOME 10 YEAR OLD USING A CANE POLE AND NIGHTCRAWLERS THAT WOULD SHUT THIS WHOLE MADNESS DOWN  

[Mattlures]

Cart7 the IGFA disagrees with you and just because you havent heard of Jeds fish doesnt mean the IGFA hasn't

Turns out they not only let go of the fish, but also may have let the record slip because the IGFA may have certified the catch. Jason Schratwieser, the IGFA's conservation director, said this week that nothing the anglers did disqualified it as a record catch. The IGFA wanted to see the application and talk to the fishermen and three witnesses, brothers Steven and Dan Barnett and dock attendant Chris Bozir.

They felt the weak link was the fact the fish was foul-hooked, however, our rules state that only a fish that is foul-hooked intentionally is disqualified as a record, Schratwieser said. They were honest about it right away. They said they didn't foul-hook it intentionally.

Schratwieser said the fact they didn't measure the bass also was not a deal breaker.

here read the entire article

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/outdoors/20070305-9999-lz1s5foulfair.html

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I HOPE THAT THE NEXT WR BASS IS CAUGHT BY SOME 10 YEAR OLD USING A CANE POLE AND NIGHTCRAWLERS THAT WOULD SHUT THIS WHOLE MADNESS DOWN  

Some 75 yr old guy crappie fishing under a bridge in a 4 acre pond somewhere in Nebraska. ;D

[Guest Texas_Bass_Pro]

Some 75 yr old guy crappie fishing under a bridge in a 4 acre pond somewhere in Nebraska. ;D

Its funny that you mention this because that is how the Texas record bass was caught,  while crappie fishing.  But I don't think that the man was 75 years old.

[Raul]

Yes Matt, I agree, ok, you foul hook the fish, ok you need to grab it to unhook it, ok no problem, but the moment you say: I 'll hold it for a few more seconds TO TAKE A PICTURE .... in that precise moment you are breaking the law. Holding the fish to take the pic implies possesion.

Being honest, honorable and law abiding is doing the right thing even when nobody is watching.

Defendant .- Your honor, I killed a man ...... but I suffer from dual personality disorder

Judge.- both, you and your other personality are going to rot in jail, one of you could have called the police telling there was an attempt of murder.

The IGFA may be a private organization, but still the law is above it.

[radiob]

I THOUGHT WEAKLEY DIDN'T APPLY DUE TO THE FOUL HOOK OF THE CATCH. I AM CURIOUS TO SEE IF THE IGFA ALLOWS THE W.R. I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BUT WHO AM I! I WILL SAY THOUGH. THAT WAS ONE HELL OF A FISH THE WEAKLEY CAUGHT.

[Mattlures]

Raul I am not disagreeing with you. However I dont believe any man alive could release that fish the instant they landed it. The Law is the DFG and they did not ticket Weakley.  The IGFA is seperate, all they do is record records. It will be up to them

It apears that you guys are focussing to much on Weakley's fish , I believe Jed's fish is the real threat and If he submits it will ultimatly be accepted as the world record.

[radiob]

ON ANOTHER NOTE..... IF I CATCH A BLACK BASS OF ANY KIND ON THE MISSOURI OZARKS RIVER AND STREAMS RIGHT NOW, I HAVE TO RELEASE THEM IMMEDIATLEY. IF WEAKLEY DOES RECEIVE THE WORLD RECORD, THIS COULD HAVE MAJOR REPROCUSIONS ON THE SPORTSMANSHIP OF PEOPLE. IT WILL NOT EFFECT ME, I FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT OR WHATEVER IT IS CALLE DIN YOUR STATE. BUT THIS COULD BE LOOKED AT LIKE AN OPEN DOOR. I AM VER AGAINST THE WORLD RECORD GOING TO A FOULED HOOKED FISH. IT REALLY ISN'T RIGHT

[jayhawkfishin]

Raul,

What would you have done.  You have fished for a long time and to catch a fish that is bigger than any bass ever caught.  

If you were to let it go without a picture that would be about the stupidest thing i have ever heard.  

[radiob]

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE THAT DICKERSONS FISH, OR CATCH, SHOULD BE SUBMITTED. IT WAS A LEGAL CATCH. HOW DOES THAT WORK THOUGH. HE WEIGHED IT AT WHAT.. 22.9 TRHEN IT WAS WEIGHED AGIAN AND IT WAS 21.7, WHATEVER THE NUMBERS WERE, WHICH ONE WOULD THE IGFA USE?

[Fish Chris]

Why don't one of those guys go back this year, and stick her again, all fair and square ! Heck, I don't care if she is on the old age decline.... or if she dumps some eggs.... or if she pukes up a couple of hatchery trout bars.... She should still oughta' go 22-6 !

Personally speaking, if I were in those guys shoes, and "even if" the IGFA would now certify either of those catches, I sure as heck wouldn't want to hear all of the fallout from that whole deal !

It's just too darn possible to go stick her again. I'm sure there are guys who will read this and not understand "how possible" it would be to catch her again.... But I certainly know, and Mac and Jed surely know this too.

Hmmmm,

I don't get it,

Fish

[Mattlures]

Radiob, when Jed first caught the fish it weighed 22 lbs 9oz. He called the world record club and they said it had to be weighed by the fish and game so he called them. It took them a couple hours to get to the lake to do the "official" weighing on the same scale. The fish had spilled eggs and had lost weight . The world record club obviously used the the secong lighter weight. The IGFA could use the first and heavier wieght which would be 22lbs 9oz and the new world record.

FishChris yes they have a chance at getting her one more time but they did it right once and were cheated out of it. I dont blame Jed for submitting it, after all he caught the world record fair and square.

[Troutfisher]

Don't you guys know who got the real record?

Seriously though, I would like to see Mac's bass certified.

[cart7t]

Cart7 the IGFA disagrees with you and just because you havent heard of Jeds fish doesnt mean the IGFA hasn't

Turns out they not only let go of the fish, but also may have let the record slip because the IGFA may have certified the catch. Jason Schratwieser, the IGFA's conservation director, said this week that nothing the anglers did disqualified it as a record catch. The IGFA wanted to see the application and talk to the fishermen and three witnesses, brothers Steven and Dan Barnett and dock attendant Chris Bozir.

They felt the weak link was the fact the fish was foul-hooked, however, our rules state that only a fish that is foul-hooked intentionally is disqualified as a record, Schratwieser said. They were honest about it right away. They said they didn't foul-hook it intentionally.

Schratwieser said the fact they didn't measure the bass also was not a deal breaker.

here read the entire article

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/outdoors/20070305-9999-lz1s5foulfair.html

The problem with the Weakley catch is that he broke the law by not releasing it immediately since it was foul hooked.  As I understand it, the CA law considers a foul hooked fish a non-catch and thus, must be released immediately.  The weight cannot stand as a world record since he illegally weighed the fish.

As for the other fish?  Dunno, if I was going to claim the world record I want a clean record.  A 4 year old fish story about a fish losing a pound between the time of one weighing to another sounds, well, fishy.

I don't care one way or the other, I've got no dog in this hunt.  I sure find it interesting at how badly you CA guys are handling this big fish deal though.  Considering the possibility of landing a fish like this every time you go out,  no one out there seems very prepared.

[Gatorbassman]

Matt, I hope he gets it. Like I have said before. It's time for a new record to be awarded to someone with enough brain to dot his i's and cross his t's and jump through all the right hoops that the IGFA has created. Go get em CA big bass hunters. I'm pulling for ya.

[boondocks]

When that fish was caught a second time I wonder how far away it was from the first time it was caught?

And another thing, $7,000,000??? How can the World Record Bass club afford to pay that out? These guys made it sound like there wasn't anyone lining up to fork over money.

I am suprised they would go into the local news paper and tell everyone the lure used and what lake it was caught in. Especailly if there is a chance at 7mil. They pretty much just ruined their chances at catching that fish again. Imagine the people that will be fishing that lake. Every time they head out onto the water there will be about 20 boats following them would be my guess.

[Mattlures]

Cart we could argue about it forever but if the DFG (Department of Fish and Game) did not cite him then. They obviously felt he comited no crime by weighing the fish. The purpose of the law is to keep people from keeping a snagged fish. They only kept it a short while and if the LAW (DFG) doesnt have a problem with it than neither would the IGFA I dont think your opinion of this illegal weighing is worth anything. Before you get your feelings hurt my opinion is worth just as much as yours. The DFG says his actions were ok so End of story. Geese you guys are realy grasping saying its ilegal because he didnt release it imediatly. How many of you have driven 57mph when the speed limit was 55? I believe most of the southern boys will oppose these aplications and most of the wetcoasters will be routing for them. I honestly dont know how I feel about Mac foul hooking that fish. I am kinda on the fence. I do defend him when people wrongly accuse him of things though. As for Jeds fish if he decides to submit and has the wittnesses needed for the first weighing than I am all for him getting the record. Just because its 4 years old doesnt mean he shouldnt get the record. Every thing about that fish was done properly. Measurements, wittnesses, pictures, Certified scale, I think this one will go.

[Redlinerobert]

I'm with Muddy on this one.  I hope a guy with a cane pole catches an even bigger fish soon after.  

[roadwarrior]

Mattlures,

I don't know these guys, they are not friends of mine and I don't really care if they catch the World Record or not, but if I did (know them), they were (friends of mine) or I did (care) this is what I would do:

1. You or your company could buy each of these guys a certifiable scale, have it certified and give each of them one. Print out the IGFA certification papers right off the website and secure them in a waterproof package along with a camera that they are capable of using. We're not talking about $1000, total for all three men.

2. If you are not willing to spend the money, call a few of your contacts in the industry and see if you can't get them sponsors or pool some resources to buy the gear for them.

I am not trying to disparage these guys whether they are your friends or not, but they come across as the Three Stooges. $7 million left on the table and four years latter they have decided to pursue the World Record, now?

I don't get it.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I'm with Muddy on this one. I hope a guy with a cane pole catches an even bigger fish soon after.

I have a cane pole.  Redline, do you know where this place is? ;D

[Triton21]

I am closer to 76yrs than you are Russ.  Does that mean I quaify to be the angler for this fish?  

Kelley