World Record Largemouth

[ness]

So that begs the question: Does it matter whether or not the bass was caught with live bait? I would assume most of you all would say yes; I would have to agree.

OzarkFishman

It doesn't matter one leetle bit to me. Records? Tackle? Who cares? It really doesn't even enter my thinking until someone else brings it up.

[Sam]

Does it matter whether or not the bass was caught with live bait?

Boy, that opens up a whole new can of worms (not the best analogy, I guess, worms).

I'd say a record fish ought to be caught using a legal method on hook and line, so that guy in SoCal who accidentally snagged a 25 lb. bass was right in not trying to claim it as a record.

But the law is different in different places. Fishing with live bait (minnows) is legal here in MO, but illegal in some states. So, would a record bass caught on a minnow here be OK while the same size fish caught the same way in CA wouldn't count and it'd get the angler a ticket and a fine?

Even worse, how about if someone in Arkansas SPEARED a record bass? Spearfishing for bass is legal in many AR lakes, but I don't think a bass caught that way should count as a record. If what a fish was caught on determines whether it's eligible, that could get real complicated in some places. On many California lakes it's illegal to fish after dark - so would a record be disqualified for that?

The biggest bass I've ever caught were from hooking baby bullfrogs through the nose and swimming them over lily pads - would those fish be ineligible if one of them was a record?

I'm back to what eric1978 said, "I don't care about the world record at all". I just like to see bass that big and know they exist.

[eric1978]

I agree with many of you. Being native has nothing to do with it. What does matter to me is the fact that George Perry caught his bass on an artificial lure, while the new world-record bass (tie) was caught on a bluegill.

So that begs the question: Does it matter whether or not the bass was caught with live bait? I would assume most of you all would say yes; I would have to agree.

OzarkFishman

It does to me. Some people don't care. The challenge is Man vs. Fish, and while I don't consider using live bait "cheating," I do think it is more rewarding and meaningful to take any fish on artificials. But we've already beat this one to death.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Why shouldn't it count as a world record? Last time I looked I think Japan was part of the world... That's like saying the United States or England should automatically win the gold medal for Baseball or Softball in the Olympics because that's where it technically originated. Or we could have the "Guinness Book of 'Country Specific Originated' Records."

Then if it was raised in a swimming pool where conditions were kept optimum and caught on something it had been fed, it would be a world record. I believe that when they are in an environment that's not native they become a sort of hybrid and should be looked on differently.

[OzarkFishman]

I guess my word choice was wrong. Obviously, the record should count. Like others have said, if it is legal then it is fine.

I was really just trying to start conversation on Perry's catch. If you take the time to go to the website I got the quote from, then you will not only read some cool stuff about the history of the catch and how the catch was documented throughout the years, but you will also get to see a picture of the bass. You find out that Perry isn't even in the picture and that he only went fishing that day because the fields were to wet to work.

On a different note:

I guess if Ness catches a state record trout out of Taney it won't matter one 'leetle' bit, because he will release it without touching it and it will be caught with a fly that was tied just seconds earlier using only his thumbs and toes. I am only kidding, but are you serious that it doesn't cross your mind about live bait vs. artificial? I probably fish live bait more than most (I enjoy spending a few hours catching endless amounts of sunfish wading the finley with worm and bobber), but it still crossed my mind the moment I watched a special on the new world record bass.

[Guest csfishinfool]

If those trout keeping thriving in Bull Shoals we will start seeing some monsters right here.

[ness]

I guess if Ness catches a state record trout out of Taney it won't matter one 'leetle' bit, because he will release it without touching it and it will be caught with a fly that was tied just seconds earlier using only his thumbs and toes. I am only kidding, but are you serious that it doesn't cross your mind about live bait vs. artificial? I probably fish live bait more than most (I enjoy spending a few hours catching endless amounts of sunfish wading the finley with worm and bobber), but it still crossed my mind the moment I watched a special on the new world record bass.

You're sure reading a lot into what I said.

Records don't matter to me, neither does the fact it was caught on live bait. That's not an endorsement of fly fishing or a dig on bait. I just don't give a rip what others are using, and I'm not out looking to catch trophies. Make sense now?

[OzarkFishman]

HAHAHA ... you're the one getting defensive. I was just having fun. Thanks for the laugh. It made sense the whole time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The problem with online conversation is that context/emotion is lost, let's just drop it and get back to talking about the big bass.

Tightlines,

OzarkFishman

PS - I mean no harm, but if you can't have fun then why do anything.

[MstStudent10]

Then if it was raised in a swimming pool where conditions were kept optimum and caught on something it had been fed, it would be a world record. I believe that when they are in an environment that's not native they become a sort of hybrid and should be looked on differently.

Well then are you saying that just about every record fish should be deleted from the books? Take a look at the post by Sam earlier, he made a good point. If you are complaining about fish being caught in non native waters, then technically every fish caught in a reservoir should be scratched out. A reservoir is what? Man made. Man created them, thus altering nature's normal growth patterns for bass. And I am sure if you will look, there are non native shad that now habitat these reservoir's water that the bass now feed on. I guess we altered them again. So from your point of view most every bass that inhabits a reservoir is technically a "hybrid". All these fishing tournaments on Table Rock, Lake of the Ozarks, there are bass being weighed in that I guess "shouldn't count", and all the big tournaments should be on the original rivers of the nation? Sounds kind of silly to me.

[ness]

HAHAHA ... you're the one getting defensive. I was just having fun. Thanks for the laugh. It made sense the whole time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The problem with online conversation is that context/emotion is lost, let's just drop it and get back to talking about the big bass.

Tightlines,

OzarkFishman

PS - I mean no harm, but if you can't have fun then why do anything.

No worries, man. I just didn't want to get another 'trophy' or 'fly/spin/bait' argument going. Seems like we've covered that plenty.