Another Japanese 20+

[WRB]

Just read the added to posts to this thread, interesting.

The reason I stated the 30 lb Cuban bass is a myth was based on my conversations with Monte Burke*, who traveled to Cuba to authenticate any giant bass catches and was unable to do so. This doesn't mean that 17 lb to 18 lb bass have been caught in Cuba, over 20 lbs that another issue.

Mexico has a much different problem growing giants; poaching and gill nets. Everything else is in place in several Mexican lakes to grow 20+ bass....if they can live long enough time to attain maximum weights.

Two 20+lb bass have been caught in CA and authenticated that came from lakes without any trout population; Lake Hodges and Moreno. The Sacramento delta area could produce a 20+ lb bass without a trout population, although the delta does have a salmon migration. Long growing season combined with genetic growth potential of FLMB, the location could be anywhere that has those conditions...as Japan proved. South Africa has produced 18+lb LMB.

Record bass lists are only as accurate as the people who make up the list. I have caught 2 bass that should be on the top 25 lists, if I had taken the time to authenticate my catches. I have tried to rectify that by sending in my proof, photos, witnesses, newspaper clipping etc. How many other giant bass have been caught and not recorded properly...hundreds.

FLMB were transplanted to CA for improved average bass size; 2 lbs to 3 lbs was the goal. Nobody expected FLMB to grow to become giants, until they did. Japan is still the odds on favorite to produce the next 20+lb bass.

WRB

*Sowbelly author.

[CAdeltaLipRipper]

Kind of makes it not the world record then....

its not a "certified" world record. It still shows you how big bass can get and its bigger than any other one caught. Just because it didnt meet the standards to be the official record (just cause it was fowl hooked) does not take 5 pounds off of the fish. Its still 25 pounds. oh and by the way when i said the 22 of 25 biggest have come from california i wasnt trying to brag for california i was just saying 24 of the 25 biggest bass have come from the US while japan is the only other country on there that has a fish in the top.

[CAdeltaLipRipper]

How is feeding baitfish to Japanese bass any different than feeding trout smolts to California bass?

Not what i was saying. I was saying he was training the fish to come to him for yum yums,not because of what he was feeding them

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Kind of makes it not the world record then....

its not a "certified" world record. It still shows you how big bass can get and its bigger than any other one caught. Just because it didnt meet the standards to be the official record (just cause it was fowl hooked) does not take 5 pounds off of the fish. Its still 25 pounds. oh and by the way when i said the 22 of 25 biggest have come from california i wasnt trying to brag for california i was just saying 24 of the 25 biggest bass have come from the US while japan is the only other country on there that has a fish in the top.

Correction, they have THE fish ON TOP.

No other fish matter at this point, IMO, only the next fish that is bigger.

Dottie was a great looking fish, but it's still not the record. Argue until you are blue in the face, doesn't matter to me.

There is a reason Mike Long, Mattlures, WRB and other Cali bass guys don't "officially" report their big catches:

1. They don't want people knowing where the fish are being caught.

2. If it's not "The One" then who really cares if it's certified or not?

[J Francho]

How is feeding baitfish to Japanese bass any different than feeding trout smolts to California bass?

Not what i was saying. I was saying he was training the fish to come to him for yum yums,not because of what he was feeding them

And you don't think the bass know where the trout wagon is dropping them off at?  Between this point, and some others, you are in over your head.  Probably better to listen.  Someone much smarter than most of us might comment.

[Mattlures]

There is definatley a lot of misinformation out there about trout stocking in Cali. I will try and clear some of it up.

Trout are usualy only stocked about 4 months out of the year.

Trout are stocked for fisherman to catch, not to feed the bass.

Trout fishing makes more money for the lakes then bass fishing durring those colder months.

Most lakes do not stock on specific dates and times that are known to the fisherman.

Many times the lakes are stocked on a day the lake is closed.

Most of the time the trout are stocked in areas that are restrickted to fishing, like launch ramps or dams.

A lot of stocked trout are too big for the bass to eat.

Yes the bass do recognize the sound of the trout truck but in most cases the fisherman do not have the ability to fish for those bass at that time.

In regaurds to Manabu training the big bass by feeding them. That was the world record Not this other 20lb fish.

Why discredit him for doing that? If anything give him props. He played by the rules and figured out a way to out smart the WR bass. Plus he out smarted all the other fisherman who were also trying to catch the fish. He broke no rules or laws. I think his catch was ingenious.

About not reporting our big bass. We have all made the mistake of reporting a big fish before. Very little good comes of it but alot of bad things can happen.

Your once good bite is now shut down because there are boats every 30 yards from each other. Guys dont forget either so they will keep coming back and if they recognize you on a spot they will watch you and even GPS your spot when you leave. Guys who catch big bass always have haters. Some guys who cant catch big bass think that you must be cheating because its impossible to be that much better then they are.

In general  reporting big bass bring a bunch of unwanted atention. For me its a little different. When I catch big bass on my baits it helps sales so I do report some fish but I try to do it without ruining my bite and without making everybody mad at me. Its a tight rope act. I still havent decided what I will do if I catch a lake record. I have gotten close before but I havent broke one yet. It will not be an easy decision.

[WRB]

Just an added note to rainbow trout stocking; lakes must have cool enough water, ideally 60 degrees and no warmer than 70 degrees to stock. This is one reason for planting lakes with bass during the winter months.

The Quagga mussel issue coupled with native trout specie issues has stopped trout plants in several giant bass lakes in California. Introduction of striped bass in a few giant bass lakes has a major impact on the pelagic bait fish population; LMB can't compete with the bigger and faster stripers for the planted trout.

Sometimes it's better to stay under the radar. The whale that surfaces get harpooned. Good reasons for keeping a low profile on the water.

20 years ago, before GPS and cell phones in every boat, the WR bass had a $1,000,000 bounty and "anglers" would set up spotting scopes on high ground to watch trophy fisherman all day. If you caught a big bass and someone "witnessed" it, boats would be on you within minutes...can't imagine the circus those days were. Things have changed somewhat; now you are "way pointed" and the spot is shared via cell phones, the fleet shows up the next day or so. Without the big $$, the pressure is far less, but the anglers are better skilled.

Good luck Matt, need to get some of your Jitterfish.

WRB

[Raul]

Besides, you pay for the trout stamp, more income for Cali 's wildlife service '.

[WRB]

Besides, you pay for the trout stamp, more income for Cali 's wildlife service '.

We no longer have a trout stamp, it's now a $4.75 enhancement fee to fish the ocean. CA DFG is funded by the general fund, licenses fees no longer go towards our wild life service. The state is broke, no budget and is being run into the ground by professional politicians. You are safer in CA than Mexico, our thieves  are supported by taxes.

WRB

[Matt Fly]

From the late 70's to 1994, I don't remember a trout stamp at all, it was just pay an extra 5.oo at the lake gait if they were stocked, no matter if ya was fishing for something else.

[Matt Fly]

My first experience with commorants came in Cali.

You guys think the bass line up for the trucks, try 100's of commorants eating dumb trout.

Between the fishermen and commorants, the rainbows don't last long.

Do some research on how much a commorant consumes in a day, multiple that time the number of birds, yes, trout get eat by the bass, they are easy dumb prey, but its not as big an issue as its made out to be.

You could stock trout everyday in Texas and you will not grow those bass. We don't have the growing season that Cali has, pure and simple.

Cali bass can grow 365 days a year, the bass don't have to endure 40 degree water temps for a few months of the year or 90 degree water temps.

The Socal area is blessed with the ideal climate pure and simple. How many 20 lbers have come from northern Cali, were the growing season isn't as nice and trout is plentiful?

Many a San Diego articles was written in the mid 80's about the commorants and how the fishermen was getting left out standing on the bank, the study showed the commorants can wipe a trout load out in hours.

[fourbizz]

Freaking commorants. One of the nastiest animals on the planet. You are right, they can consume a ton of fish. I have seen them so full that they couldnt take off.

[Mattlures]

Yeah I have lived in San Diego all my life and have never heard of a trout stamp so maybe thats a Nor Cal thing? Matt Fly you are correct. Its a combination of things that produces giant bass and there are several So Cal lakes that have the potential. One over looked thing is the deep clear water. If it does get hot they can just move deeper where they are perfectly comfortable and they do just that. Plus clear water gives the fish better vision to see flaws in lures and presentations plus they can see a boat form a long distance away. this makes them harder to catch which in turn makes them live longer. Eating high protein trout definatley helps but its just one factor.

And I think the fish and game should open season on many nuisance animale like comourants, sea guls and especialy sea lions.

[South FLA]

To clear things up I think iGFA should have an "open class" world record and limited class.

Open class would consist of any fish caught outside there native habitat or a fish that was purposely given a genetic or environmental advantage. 

Limited class would consist of fish caught in there natural habitat without any direct or indirect help from human intervention. 

California, Japan, and Texas have a great advantages due to a combination of forage base, water temp, and genetic improvement measures.

Its like using Steroids in the Olympics, yes the runners who used them won the medal or broke the time record, but and this is one big but...............it doesn't count "officially"

Let the Flames begin!!!

[CAdeltaLipRipper]

Kind of makes it not the world record then....

its not a "certified" world record. It still shows you how big bass can get and its bigger than any other one caught. Just because it didnt meet the standards to be the official record (just cause it was fowl hooked) does not take 5 pounds off of the fish. Its still 25 pounds. oh and by the way when i said the 22 of 25 biggest have come from california i wasnt trying to brag for california i was just saying 24 of the 25 biggest bass have come from the US while japan is the only other country on there that has a fish in the top.

Correction, they have THE fish ON TOP.

No other fish matter at this point, IMO, only the next fish that is bigger.

Dottie was a great looking fish, but it's still not the record. Argue until you are blue in the face, doesn't matter to me.

There is a reason Mike Long, Mattlures, WRB and other Cali bass guys don't "officially" report their big catches:

1. They don't want people knowing where the fish are being caught.

2. If it's not "The One" then who really cares if it's certified or not?

25 is still bigger than 22,foul hooked or not.

[CAdeltaLipRipper]

How is feeding baitfish to Japanese bass any different than feeding trout smolts to California bass?

Not what i was saying. I was saying he was training the fish to come to him for yum yums,not because of what he was feeding them

And you don't think the bass know where the trout wagon is dropping them off at? Between this point, and some others, you are in over your head. Probably better to listen. Someone much smarter than most of us might comment.

Cali bass fisherman dont just like look for trout trucks and gun it over there and start catching hogs you know. The size of the lakes around here are pretty gigantic,so i doubt all the big bass are in an area and they all hear the trout truck and rush into the area. i dont think ive ever heard of someone spotting a trout truck and just waiting for it to dump and start fishing big swimbaits and catching the big bass feeding on the trout

[Scorcher214]

So, i say Dottie, is the biggest bass ever caught on record. George Perry and Manabu Kurita hold the title for biggest bass caught by actually outsmarting it.

[CKFishin]

I wanna go fishing with MattLures lol