cart7t

Really! These guys knew that fish was there. At the very least I would've had a large cooler with portable aeration system setup ready to go. A friggin stringer ? Geez, Big bass hunters NOT! ;D

It matters not to me one way or the other if it's a WR or not. I have no doubt, even if that scale was off by 10% that that fish is a new WR. The problem is there are rules involved in the certification of a new WR and that fish doesn't qualify unfortunately. The last thing we need is the next WR to be as clouded in mystery as the current one. And I don't advocate changing the rules just so that fish can cut the mustard. As for the lure being a jig I find that interesting, I'd like to see that jig. I've been bass fishing for 30+ years of my life and I can count the number of fish I've foul hooked on single hook lures, especially a jig, on a couple fingers. Treble hook lures yes, but a jig?

Well, since you don't know exactly what's wrong that's hard to tell. If the caulk is there sealing a crack at the transom/hull bottom edge and it's not too bad, it can be reglassed for not too terribly much money. If there appears to be no cracks on the bottom side of the hull in that region I'd say at best you're lucky. I'd wait till you hear from the previous owner though.

No, talk about the fish all you want. I believe Ablefisher, much like me and others, is just flat worn out by all the (trash) talk about the guy and the lack of talk about the fish. As a matter of fact, this is the place that invites all newbies to come and learn more. So whether it's john boats and fishing lines or lure and techniques, we should be trying to help out where we can. Although it seems you have forgotten, most people had a learning curve. I disagree. I for one would not have joined, if this Jr. High type of gossip and crap was the norm here. THIS forum was pretty healthy last week, last month and last year. Membership has been growing rapidly over the past year or more, without this kind of "juicy meat." It's kinda hard to talk about the fish when so little data has been released about it. It was weighed on and uncertified scale (we still have no idea what type, it might be a Zebco fish deliar), there was no length or girth measurements taken. The fish was apparently on a bed and could be seen from the bank or a boat and was snagged. There has been little released about the actual lure that was used. At first they said a white jig, then a white swimbait type jig with a treble hook in it. The guy holding the fish isn't even the guy who caught it. If that isn't enough to make this worthy of discussion than I don't know what is. As for your comments about posts by newbies, this is a forum encouraging posters of all skill levels (supposedly), while I have no problem trying to steer new anglers in the right direction (you'll see from my posts I do just that), eventually more experienced anglers need to discuss fishing issues rather than just giving out advice. This is exactly the kind of topic both new and old anglers need to discuss. This is about a new world record bass breaking a 70+ year old record. As for your final comment, if you're that sensitive to real discussion about a topic as controversial as this fish, maybe you shouldn't tune into the thread. The name calling and aspersions cast upon these anglers have been brought about largely by their own actions and words. These 3 guys had seen this possible WR bass the day before, made sure they were first to have a crack at it with the camping pass and then, after hooking the fish, seemed completely incapable of making any decision correctly. They knew this fish would bring them under scrutiny, realizing the circumstances of how it was caught, they should've handled this better. Their actions and words have created the controversy, again, ignore the threads about it if it bothers you that bad.

Yep, make sure it isn't a FICHT. Otherwise, they made pretty good motors.

I would strip away all that caulk on the trailing edge of the pad (that's what that is BTW) and see exactly why he caulked it. If it's cracked there it's quite possible the boat suffered an impact there, possibly sliding off the trailer onto a ramp (this is just a possibility). The fact he's caulked it there indicates to me you've got an issue at that point of some kind and if it turns out you've got hull damage you'll need to repair that ASAP to avoid further water from getting into the hull and creating further problems.

I find it somewhat amusing that these guys are self proclaiming themselves as World Record fisherman. In the less than a week since this has happened these guys have basically come off as 3 noobs who accidently (maybe, maybe not) snagged a bass of world record proportions and seemingly didn't seem to understand the rules or significance of the catch. And as for what great sportsman they are for releasing the fish... : A real sportsman would've realized the minute that bass came up boatside, foul hooked, that it was a non-catch per the rules of the state of California. Removed the fish from the water, taken some measurements, pictures and then released it back into the water, NOT drug it back to the dock, string it, go out in a boat and hold a secret meeting on what to do next, then come back, weigh and take pictures and THEN release the fish. All you've done is stress that very old bass out. Not only are the odds of that fish spawning successfully diminished due to the undue stress but that bass maybe dead at the bottom of the lake right now. I have a feeling had there not been witnesses to verify the fish had been foul hooked, we'd have 3 guys trying to pawn off that bass as the next world record with a lot of questions and controversy as to how that big gash got into the top of the fish by the dorsal fin. JMO of course.

So we should stop talking about a bass that was caught that blew the previous 70+ year old record away by 3lbs? The previous record has been brought into the limelight recently by Bassmaster Magazine as to it's validity and now this fish is completely surrounded by controversy and we're not to talk about it? What should we resume talking about? Helping people Price 10ft long john boats with no motors or what pound test line to put on someones first ever baitcasting reel? This story is worthy of discussion because the more facts that come out about it the more controversial it becomes.

Fisher marine has been around at least 30 years. They were one of the first at building Aluminum bassboats. They were sold to Bass Pro Shops about 10 years ago and are now part of the Tracker Marine division.

No, it shouldn't. Amoungst all the requirements of the IGFA for certification of a world record is the one that states the fish must be caught within the bounds of local game and fish laws. Clearly that was not followed here. According to CA law, a fish hooked outside the mouth is a non-catch. It must be released immediately. No weighing, no pictures, no length or girth measurements and certainly no sticking the thing on a stringer while you decide what to do with it. While the IGFA will consider a foul hooked fish, they won't consider a fish taken outside of local game law whether they had all the other requirements or not. And that's how it should be.

According to the IGFA, the fish must be caught within accordance of the rules of whatever state the fish was caught in. California considers a foul hooked fish a "non" catch and thus must be released immediately. No dragging to official scales, no measuring, nothing. This fish isn't eligible per the IGFA's own rules.

Internet forum opinion swayed them? BS, lets face it, these guys caught a fish that never would've cut the IFGA mustard because it broke so many of the rules of the organization. 1. Illegally caught fish per the laws of CA. 2. No measurements, no weight in accordance of the rules. 3. No CA game and fish warden present to witness the fish or it's measurements. Pretty cut and dried. As for their sportsmanship because they released the fish? They had to per CA game & fishing law. Hopefully if this monster is caught again it will be legitimately and with little question or doubt as to it's validity.

That 700 and the 640 series Nitro's were built on a much narrower hull than the NX882.

If you're set on a new boat, with all the warranties, you're going to have trouble touching $19k in a fiberglass boat. Most entry level 18 footers from people like Nitro, Pro-Craft or Stratos with a base 150hp will run you $20-21k easy and that engine won't be a 4 stroker or even a fuel injected model either. If you'll be fishing big water most of the time then I'd definitely recommend a glass boat. If you're fishing smaller, skinnier water then I'd go with aluminum.

All very legitimate questions.

Another little rule not adhered to was the witnessing of the weight (on certified scale) by a IFGA approved person, IE: biologist, Fish & Game Warden. At least the Perry bass had that on his side and the scales used (IIRC) was a postal scale or something of better accuracy than some Walmart Chinese made digital fish scale. I'm all for a new record but this one has too many caveats involved. I only wish these guys had legitimately caught the thing.

I would have kept it, traded it to BPS for a free replica mount and $$. It sounds like he released it after realizing his foul hooking of the bass, intentional or not, was witnessed.

You're right, they don't actively stock bass but those Florida strain bass didn't walk there.

Bassmaster magazine did a nice piece on the big bass coming from the CA lakes some 15 or so years ago. Of course, it was Castaic at the time and not Dixon. Anyone that's followed these big fish coming out of CA will notice that the big fish tend to come from a specific lake for awhile and then it stops only for another lake to pick up the pace. If it's not these guys fishing for the fish it was guys like Crupi or Arruyo way back then. It's all genetics. This particular class of fish that's coming in now if probably part of a specific stocking by the CA Fish and Game people way back when. There is a timeline to catch them as these bass, like all bass, don't live that long. The genetic reason for putting the fish back doesn't actually ring true. This bass was as large as it was because it was part of a genetically unmixed original stocking. All the fish after this have crossbred with non-genetically superior fish. Just like Castaic's big bass boom came and went, so will Dixons.

What's ridiculous about it? they did keep it alive to have it weighed, and viedeo'd, and had 6 witnesses. They didn't take the extra time to look for a certified scale, because they were under the impression that it probably wouldn't qualify. They wanted to get the fish back into the water quickly, so that hopefully they or someone else may legally catch it in the future. I think they did OK. Now, fault them for not knowing the rules to a T, but not for doing the right thing. As for your release statement, I agree totally. Bass in this country are as thick as fleas. Taking some out of the food chain does NOTHING to the species. If they start becomming overfished and the numbers decline, then by all means, pople can advocate catch and release. I don't see too many Whitetail deer being caught and released, but there numbers still go up and up every year and are at near record numbers..... Maybe you should read the latest reports from the other thread. Yep, they released it AFTER witnesses on a nearby dock saw the fish was caught foul hooked. After the trio left the dock, went back out in their boat to confer, they came back, photographed the fish and then released it. No wonder, they don't sound completely on the up and up on this deal. BTW, we don't know if this fish had finished spawning or not. The act of Spawning stresses fish out, it especially stresses old bass. The act of the spawn, being caught and handled may have been enough to do this old fish in. Too bad.

This is starting to sound pretty fishy. ;D No Carcass, no record. Nice try fella's. After being confronted by witnesses who saw the fish caught foul hooked, leaving the dock, going out into the lake to confer and then returning only to release the fish. hmmm.......

I call B. S. on this kind of blanket statement. First of all, that is the same argument people have been making for fish in the 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and up lb. range for a long time. So if it's true, how long does it take for a 12 or 13 to grow to 25lbs? I say YEARS... several years. That means X number of spawns and more fish with great genetics and the fact that the original fish is still swimming around... how can you not like that? What happened to all the catch and release people... seems they all disappeared yesterday. This is the very essence of catch and release. Lets assume that the quote is true, if the fish is near death, why go through the time & trouble to get it tank ready if it's about to die? The difference between right and wrong is NOT measured in dollars and cents. This SHOULD have been the coolest thread ever but after reading all the posts again this morning, I feel like I got sucker punched at a family gathering. I'm actually shocked at the response to this catch. You're getting yourself worked up over nothing. 1. I'm not going to even get into the legitimacy of this catch, the fact that these guys did hook, even fowl hook a bass of this size and not keep it alive for verification and possible public display is ridiculous. I'm as much a C & R person as anyone but geebus, you guys are acting like the removal of this one fish is akin to sacraledge. 2. The fact they released it gives me more reason to doubt the weight. I have no doubt the next world record resides in one of the San Diego/Southern CA type reservoirs, heck they've already pulled floaters out of some of those lakes larger than the WR. These guys weren't some noobs out fishing minnow for crappie, they specifically target giant, possible world record bass. To think they'd release a bass of this size, 3lbs over the current WR according to them is ridiculous. 3. Considering the current WR is being called into doubt due to the lack of some evidence, why these guys didn't keep the fish is beyond me. Even if the managed to fowl hook the thing unintentionally the fish is still worthy of public display it's last few years. You guys squalling about the non-release mentality need to lighten up. It's actually OK to remove bass, even big bass from a Lake.

Remember, check out the crossmembers on that trailer closely. Tracker built tubular steel trailers. The crossmembers had weep holes for water drainage but the insides never dried out. I've heard many, many cases of guys with 2 or 3 year old trailers under their Nitro's that are rusting out. I believe they've now gone to a channel frame trailer.

That's around 700-800 less than a comparable Bass Tracker equally equipped. I'd say it's a pretty good deal.

Cover associated with bottom structure. Hang-on.