Pete-K Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 Local guy caught a 13+ lb Large Mouth on the 3 arm rig, Bad part is hes getting it mounted. But then again not many going to catch a bass that big. He works at one of the plants my wife works at one day per week. She told me this am about it, I will try to get a picture of it also. I fear were going to be seeing many big fish falling for these rigs. But also its going to take someone that knows the lake to start with along with where to fish it. Talked with a guy yesterday he had 8 fish the best 5 were 28 Lbs plus off the rig and that was by lunch... Sure wish I had not run out of 100XD in the ETec as I was going to a favorite spot yesterday. But did not get out on the main lake when the buzzer went off. Pete Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted February 21, 2012 Super User Posted February 21, 2012 Man, that really sucks. I can hardly believe that anyone would keep a giant fish anymore unless it is the World Record. You know the State Record was caught and released a few weeks ago. I'm sorry the guy caught this fish. 2 Quote
Pete-K Posted February 21, 2012 Author Posted February 21, 2012 Ken I agree, Plus the bad part is. A good mount is not going to hold up as good as a Fiberglass is. If it's a state record or World record I have not made my mind up if Its going back or be certified. But you can bet if it's not plenty of pictures and weight along with measurements is all its getting. In one day around 1987 I had the pleasure of catching a 8 lb 2 oz largemouth and a 7 lb small mouth both were released. No pictures just there weights and memory. Year ago Jan my wife caught a TN River Blue catfish it was around 100 lbs it was released without a weight. But was not going to take a chance of killing it to find new battery's and get a weight. Forgot to say, this guy also fishes Tournaments. Would have thought he would not have killed that fish. Yes I know one of them that was in the boat when that record fish was caught. This is 4 over 10 lbs within the last 3 weeks. Man there on fire Quote
sidsmith03 Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 the amount of big fish that are being caught is absolutely unreal! Im hoping i get my shot at one of those HAWGS before long...ill be back at it again this weekend.. Quote
Super User tomustang Posted February 21, 2012 Super User Posted February 21, 2012 You know the State Record wascaught and released a few weeks ago Unofficial, you know fish tend to shrink and lose some weight when their out of water, so that fish might've not even beat the record. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted February 21, 2012 Super User Posted February 21, 2012 The fish was weighed on a certified scale with the assistance of a Park Manager and Game Warden: http://www.dcnr.state.al.us/fishing/freshwater/where/reservoirs/pickwick/angler/ Quote
bowfish12 Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 Unofficial, you know fish tend to shrink and lose some weight when their out of water, so that fish might've not even beat the record. I believe there was a TWRA officer and a park ranger there to verify the weight. The reason it's unofficial is the biologist wouldn't get off his *** to do his job. In my eyes, that's the new TN state record. Quote
bowfish12 Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 The fish was weighed on a certified scale with the assistance of two Tennessee Wildlife Resource agents. Kent beat me to it. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted February 21, 2012 Super User Posted February 21, 2012 Well, after re-reading the article I see they did not in fact have certified scales. You would think State Wildlife agents would have scales or at least round some up... PRONTO! At any rate, tremendous fish. Quote
Super User tomustang Posted February 21, 2012 Super User Posted February 21, 2012 Well, after re-reading the article I see they did not in fact have certified scales. You would think State Wildlife agents would have scales or at least round some up... PRONTO! At any rate, tremendous fish. Since I've worked in a QC environment before, I know the cost of having scales calibrated, for every state fish agent would be too costly, you have to imagine that every little bump that a scale gets from transport would have to recalibrated to be correct Quote
Super User tomustang Posted February 21, 2012 Super User Posted February 21, 2012 . The reason it's unofficial is the biologist wouldn't get off his *** to do his job. No, the reason it's unofficial is because the guy didn't want to kill the fish. Quote
Pete-K Posted February 21, 2012 Author Posted February 21, 2012 $200 per scale is not that bad to have them certified. My wife has 9 sets that get it each year. They should have one set in each county . But then again it does not matter, as they were going to have to do a DNA test fin cliping and scale. Wonder who did all this on the World Record fish? Thinking about getting mine certified and have them in the boat inside a good water proof case. Just for that new Record I will have within the next year. Quote
Hyrule Bass Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 i have no problem with the guy getting a real skin mount of the fish. as long as it was caught and kept legally, and it sounds like it was, then its his decision what to do with the fish. id rather have a real mount than an imitation model i can buy anywhere. i want to be able to say "i caught that fish" not "thats a fake fish i had painted like a fish i caught and paid a lot of money for though i coulda got a replica much cheaper off the shelf at BPS or Wal-Mart" Quote
bowfish12 Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 No, the reason it's unofficial is because the guy didn't want to kill the fish. My point is the biologist didn't show up. A phone call was made to the guy, who gets paid from the sales of hunting/fishing licenses, and instead of taking a hour out of his day to collect the samples, he told them they needed to bring the fish to him. That's bs. Maybe in PA your wildlife officers/employees work hard. Here in TN you have some that go above and beyond, and others that do just enough to get by. I'm gonna have to side with the latter on this biologists work ethic. Quote
Super User tomustang Posted February 21, 2012 Super User Posted February 21, 2012 There is more than having a scale certified, you need calibrations, annual certified inspections, daily inspections, and random inspections because of movement in this case since you are transporting the scale. Any bump will throw precision equipment out of whack. I use to check hundreds of precision tools monthly too make sure they were in speck because it's the requirement. Driving around streets is not a safe way to keep a scale accurate. Maybe in PA your wildlife officers/employees work hard. They are, considering we're the most understaffed state. under our circumstances to check a record takes hours if not a few days and is encouraged to keep the fish in ice cold water until an officer is able to come verify, after this the catch needs to be brought to a certified weight station like a grocery store or registered bait shop But really though, do you think biologists need to be on-call every minute to validate record fish? It does seem overboard. Quote
lmoore Posted February 22, 2012 Posted February 22, 2012 I respect the guys ability to keep the fish he catches, but with as good as they can make permamounts, I don't ever see the reason to keep a true trophy like that. Very few (like less than 1%) of all LM ever get that big, and it's a shame to remove them, IMO. Still, a great catch for that guy and probably a once in a lifetime experience. Quote
Shane Procell Posted February 22, 2012 Posted February 22, 2012 Whats fishing and deer hunting have in common? Every one wants a trophy. I have yet to hear a hunter saying he let a B&C walk. Personally....It is possible that I too would have taken a bass that size to the taxidermy. Just being honest. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted February 22, 2012 Super User Posted February 22, 2012 This is MY river...I expect everyone to release smallmouth and all big bass unless it is a State Record or World Record. What this guy did is exceptional. For future reference, leave the fish in the livewell and trailer to the post office or a local grocery store. And Captain Shane, I suspect the only reason Florida can't produce a 20 lb bass is because you guys let your clients keep "trophy bass", 3 Quote
Super User slonezp Posted February 22, 2012 Super User Posted February 22, 2012 Could be worse. Could be dinner. Quote
bowfish12 Posted February 22, 2012 Posted February 22, 2012 But really though, do you think biologists need to be on-call every minute to validate record fish? It does seem overboard. Isn't that the nature of the job? A game warden isn't out looking for someone poaching deer at 11 AM. A biologist isn't going to do electroshocking when most fish are deep. Whether it's an officer or a biologists they aren't working a normal 9-5 job. The problem wasn't getting scales, it wasn't getting a wildlife officer there, it wasn't keeping the fish alive. The problem was getting the biologist there to get a sample of the fish. Why? Did they sample the current state record caught in 1954? Doubt it. Like you said earlier, fish tend to shrink out of water and under stress. I would imagine the scales they did have on hand were pretty reliable and it beat the state record by an oz. In TN, you only have to beat the fish by an oz. so it would have been imperative for that bio to get off his butt and get down there. For a state record bass, no I don't think it's overboard when you actually talk to the guy on the phone. I know if I was that guy I'd drop everything I was doing to get down there if the guy didn't want to kill the fish. Apparently it's part of the job description. What happens if that's a smallmouth on Pickwick or Dale Hollow? I'm pretty sure you'd have several bio's there within the hour. Quote
Hyrule Bass Posted February 22, 2012 Posted February 22, 2012 This is MY river...I expect everyone to release smallmouth and all big bass unless it is a State Record or World Record. What this guy did is exceptional. For future reference, leave the fish in the livewell and trailer to the post office or a local grocery store. And Captain Shane, I suspect the only reason Florida can't produce a 20 lb bass is because you guys let your clients keep "trophy bass", you can expect something all you want on the waters you fish, but it doesnt mean people have to live by your expectations either. you dont make the laws of whats a legal and illegal fish to keep. Also, just because someone doesnt feel the same way you do, does not mean it is wrong for them to keep a trophy bass. Like i've always said, if its caught and kept legally, then that person shouldnt be persecuted by someone else for ANY reason. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted February 22, 2012 Super User Posted February 22, 2012 Of course, you are right. If fish are taken legally, fisherman have the"right" to keep them. I simply encourage people that want to keep fish to consider the resource. Small and medium size bass are abundant, crappie, white bass, bream, striper, sauger and catfish are all catchable. I want to encourage sportsmen to release big bass and all the smallmouth they catch. When I wrote "MY RIVER", that is simply the way I treat it, as if it were really mine. I feel the same way towards our fish. Quote
Hyrule Bass Posted February 22, 2012 Posted February 22, 2012 Of course, you are right. If fish are taken legally, fisherman have the"right" to keep them. I simply encourage people that want to keep fish to consider the resource. Small and medium size bass are abundant, crappie, white bass, bream, striper, sauger and catfish are all catchable. I want to encourage sportsmen to release big bass and all the smallmouth they catch. When I wrote "MY RIVER", that is simply the way I treat it, as if it were really mine. I feel the same way towards our fish. its one thing to encourage catch and release, but quite another to frown upon someone if they dont release a trophy fish or any legal fish for that matter. personally, i dont want a fake replica of a bass, i can buy that anywhere. if im getting a mount, i want the real fish. also, i dont even eat fish, but i will defend the right for anyone to keep legally obtained fish. i throw everything back of all species unless family or a friend wants it, but i just dont like when people get offended by or look down on someone else for keeping fish. I dont think someone keeping one large fish is going to destroy or negatively affect your fishery in a huge way that you wont be able to enjoy it. i look at it like, who am i to try and discourage someone from eating a smallmouth if thats their favorite fish to eat, i wouldnt want to be denied my favorite food... Quote
bowfish12 Posted February 22, 2012 Posted February 22, 2012 What I've seen today on two different sites is that a 16+ was caught out of Chickamauga in the last day or so. Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted February 22, 2012 Super User Posted February 22, 2012 "its one thing to encourage catch and release, but quite another to frown upon someone if they dont release a trophy fish or any legal fish for that matter"" That's not a frown, it's a scowl. I don't like anyone keeping big bass. Quote
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