cart7t

Where is Marion County lake at in Georgia? That lake seems to be coughing up quite a few big fish to the same guy.

Mom used to go after us with those wooden yardsticks they gave away at the hardware stores. They hurt when we were little, as we grew older they just broke across our butts and we did all we could to keep from laughing, then, one day, she went to the closet to grab a yardstick and she was all out. She grabbed the next closest thing, one of those metal handled flyswatters!! Geebus we ran from that thing, which only made it worse when she caught us. ;D

Very, very carefully check the transom on that boat. It's probably rotten. As is the floor and stringer system.

The first few classics saw the competitors getting on a plane and flying to mystery lake. It was divulged on the plane where they were going. With the classic turning into the media event that it is, it would be impossible to do that now.

Since George Perry's fish was acknowledged as the record and the story of the catch was acceptable to the IGFA folks back in 1932, then you must accept it for what it is unless you have proof that the facts aren't what they are. 74 years ago is a long time ago, most of the particulars are now dead. Rather than complain on a fishing board, why not get like minded anglers together and petition the IGFA to review the catch again (if they haven't already). I can understand the skepticism by some on the fish. I read the account in the Bassmaster article a few years ago. The missing picture of GP with the fish that was sent to the tackle manufacturer was certainly strange but there was the account of GP with a friend and a law enforcement officer taking the freshly caught fish to either a store or post office to have it weighed on what were then, certified scales. Had this happened these days I'd be extremely skeptical. The obvious monetary gains of catching a fish of that magnitude have a way of causing people to do devious things they wouldn't ordinarily do but back then, it just wasn't the case. All Mr. Perry could get out of it was a rod and reel. hardly worth risking ones reputation on.

I don't care about the electronics but I remember the days when the BassMasters Classic was fished on a mystery lake and the entrants had no idea what lake they were fishing and could only take 10lbs of tackle with them.

IF, it actually works. I would have the most problem with the fish calling device. Obviously, BASS doesn't.

Adjustable for sure.

Crankbaits Plastic worms Jerkbaits

A topwater. Specifically a Rebel prop bait I got in a bargain bin for 99 cents.

So if I buy a $2000 color LCD graph, oxygen meter, underwater TV camera, KVD signature series fish calling electronic device, throw a couple temp gauges on the dash and maybe a color C lector thrown in for good measure I can merely launch my boat, turn all that crap on and start casting right off the end of the boat ramp and start hauling in tournament winning stringers? That sounds too easy.

The problem is your line of thinking. You're thinking in the context of what that fish would mean today, not in what it meant back then. If the situation around that fish occured today it would'nt hold water but the fact that it happened the way it did back then isn't surprising. Answer me this. Where are the fish from Florida's waters over 16lbs on that list or any other caught during the 20's, 30's and 40's, or even as late as the 50's? There's little to any documentation of any of them even though I'm sure plenty were caught. It just didn't matter back then. There was no large scale bass fishing industry or audience that cared. If there was, better documentation and evidence would've been gathered to substantiate any catches of those fish. Photo evidence lacks because of the lack of cameras during the day. Had there been some sort of monetary gain or even public acknoledgement of such large catches I bet you'd have seen much better record keeping and attempts make to document. Since no one is able to disprove the fish, I don't see much reason to keep doubting it.

Now you're starting to sound like an envious, bank beating, no fish catching noob that wants to diminish the capabilities of those far better than you to make you feel better about your own inabilities to catch bass. ;D

: Good grief Kevin Van Dam and the others have been catching LOT's of fish long before they had electronic gizmo's that emit baitfish sounds.

Boat - 18 1/2 foot Champion, 150 hp Yamaha OB Truck - 1999 Ford F-150 supercab with a V6 and auto w/overdrive.

My past 4 towing trucks I've owned since 1984 all had OD transmissions. 3 were auto's and one was a stick. I tow in OD all the time and I've never had a transmission problem ever. On light grades I can usually leave it in OD without a problem. Steeper grades I drop down to L2. As for gas mileage? I probably gain a mile or two a gallon in OD vs running all the time in L2 but certainly not the big difference in MPG if I was running the truck empty.

BASS used to be more pro-active from the top and used the federations as their army, so to speak, to get the job done. Since ESPN has taken over, I see much less coming from the top as far as leadership that gets into publications and draws attention to the organization and how it's as concerned about the conservation side of fishing as it is the tournament side. That's where I think ESPN is failing the many founding concepts of BASS.

Just checking a list of state record bass and neither the Alabama 16.8 or the Arkansas at 16.4 are on the list. How many more are missing especially from Texas. As for the Perry bass? : originally posted by earthworm77 He had a witness. It was weighed on a certified scale that was available. There are pictures that clearly indicate it was a giant bass. Let's get real here, back in the 30's, there were few sportsmen fishing for LM bass. Even fewer who probably even knew what the world record was at the time. All Mr. Perry got out of the deal was a rod n reel, he stood to gain so little from the fish that he found the food value of the fish for his family more valuable than any monetary gain (if any) at the time. This was during the depression you know. I thinks it's safe to say that there were possibly bigger fish than Mr. Perry's caught back in the 20's, 30's or 40's in GA, Bama or Florida that were never documented. Possibly even a list as long as that one of big bass over 16lbs that were never mentioned because no one thought about it during the time. It was an entirely different time and place back then. Catching a giant bass meant more food on the table for the family. Taking the time to drag a fish around to document it meant the possible loss of the fish as a meal since there were no livewells, coolers or even bags of ice. Even fewer people could afford a camera back in those days. The doubters really need to get a grip. George Perry was out fishing for a little fun and a meal for his family. He caught a giant bass and decided to enter it in a contest he saw in a magazine. He probably wasn't even aware that the fish he caught was a world record. He took the time to have the fish weighed on a certified scale with a law enforcement officer present. Then took it home to eat. Mr. Weakley OTOH, was specifically targeting a giant bass. He knew the fish was there and yet seem ill prepared when the time was to catch it. Considering the ramifications of the financial windfall a bass that size would bring along with the intense scrutiny that would come along with catching it, I'd say Mr. Perry did more to satisfy his end of the deal than did Mr. Weakley.

I hashed through the numbers and came up with the totals by year. I threw out anything other than CA. List is by year and numbers on the list 1970-72 - 0 1973 - 2 1974-75 - 0 1976 - 1 1977-78 - 0 1979 - 5 1980 - 5 1981 - 4 1982 - 2 1983 - 0 1984 - 2 1985 - 5 1986 - 1 1987 - 1 1988 - 3 1989 - 2 1990 - 3 1991 - 3 1992 - 1 1993-97 - 0 1998 - 3 1999 - 8 2000 - 7 2001 - 10 2002 - 7 2003 - 6 2004 - 2 Interesting that the period of 1993 - 1997 saw no fish over 16 pounds brought in. Any ideas? There also appear to be peaks. 1985, 1988-1992, and finally 1999-2003.

Have a great one!

How many people back then even cared about a world record bass? IIRC, Perry entered the fish in a competition to win a rod n reel. Then he ate the fish. ;D Interesting. Of the 12 fish over 20lbs, only 2 have been caught since 2000 even though many are fishing for them.

Strip everything usable off the existing boat and stick it on ebay with a $1 starting bid. Someone will buy the thing. Go out and find an aluminum bass rig for around $4000. Use your good parts on the new boat. Any left overs that are sellable go on Ebay. Use the extra $1000 for any fixups needed on the new boat.

Aaaaannnnnnndddddd what's that suppose to mean?? : ;D Youtube moments, especially on the ramp. "Small boat drags Honda Accord into Lake" ;D

A standard 18-19ft bassboat will weigh in at around 1200lbs, motor 400-450, gas @ 30 gallons 210lb, batteries 150, trailer - 500-600, misc 200 for a total of 2500 - 2800. If you're truck is powered by a V8 you should have no problem. Remember this though Have you're brakes redone before you start towing. If the truck doesn't have a tranny cooler I'd suggest getting one. I'd also suggest having the auto transmission filter changed and new fluid installed. Increase you're oil change frequency. You might want to change you're u-joints if they've never been replaced. Back flush and refill your coolant. I've pulled boats with trucks with higher miles than your's. American made trucks are pretty resiliant. Just know the maintenance time frames must be adjusted.

Don't forget to bring your camera! We sure wouldn't want to miss any "moments" you might have this spring.