If You Caught The Smallmouth Of A Lifetime.........

[Feathers and Fins]

Multiple Pictures from tip of nose to tip of tail both sides, record length and girth at eyes, before dorsal with dorsal raised behind dorsal at base of tail and tip to tip of tail then call King Sailfish Mounts and get a replica and let her swim away... Though if it was a World Record Potential I would think about possibly donating it to an aquarium facility but NEVER one of the box stores.

[WHARFRAT]

Nice fish! That was bigger than 20" wasn't it?

[Phil Lilley]

I'm way past the point of mounting anything anymore. Use to. I have a 8.5 lb largemouth caught on Bull Shoals back in the 80's. Mounted several browns but none of them lasted 10 years- fell apart. Even pictures now seem pointless... except to show the beauty of some of the trout caught here on Taney.

I think it comes with old age- and accomplishing so much more than I ever dreamed I could. If I don't ever catch another fish, I'd be grateful. But unless the Lord takes me in my sleep tonight or in the pew tomorrow at church, I'll catch another trout tomorrow afternoon off our dock while working!

[LittleRedFisherman]

I"d take pictures and let her back in the water. I to have never intentionally killed one.

[Blazerman]

Nice fish! That was bigger than 20" wasn't it?

Her smallmouth was a little over 21 and was really fat. i was guessing it was over 5 but we didn't weight it.

[bfishn]

...I think it comes with old age- and accomplishing so much more than I ever dreamed I could. If I don't ever catch another fish, I'd be grateful. ...

Yep. Once you've reached some of your goals, you no longer have the need for wallhangers to prove it. And unless it's a world record, you never know if it's THE foal or not anyway. I had a 12lb walleye mounted, then subsequently caught a 13 and a 15. Their pictures reside by the mount.

Added

As for smallies, my big ones have all been bycatch anyway, so a quick "wow, that's a nice fish" was all they got before swimming away. Smallies are often beautiful fish, but for me that's where the novelty ends.

[mjk86]

Just imagine of some poor sap said....".if it was legal id eat it."......dont throw rocks I wouldnt... If I caught a trophy class fish of any specie id get proper measurements and pics and release it.

[bfishn]

I'll leave the fishery management to the fishery managers. If they say it's OK to keep X fish, I could care less if anyone keeps it. I'm not going to go all frothy-mouthed jihadi trying to make everyone else follow my example. Too much of that as it is.

[Mitch f]

I'll leave the fishery management to the fishery managers.

I hear ya, I'm hoping they're smart and are factoring in illegal activities as part of the equation.

[bfishn]

Electrofishing and net surveys reflect what's there (or not there), taking all activities into account, legal or not. Comparison of that data to creel surveys refines the information as to how fish are being taken. The method may let a stray poacher or two fall thru the cracks, but it serves the big picture very well.

If you're losing sleep over poachers, gather some evidence and turn them in to enforcement. It's not liike you were sleeping well anyway... :-)