Yep, this is the story:  http://www.bassmaster.com/news/david-hayes-and-world-record-smallmouth-bass#

This exact scenario played out in Wisconsin recently. 9 pounder released...story on ***

I asked this question to the IGFA, and they said that you don't have to give the name and lake or body of water. All they will put is the city, county and state along with your name. The IGFA is extremely close to me and the people over there can help with questions like this.

If it were a state record, I'd keep it quiet.  No sense spoiling  a nice fishing hole.  If it were a world record, on the other hand, I'd want to know what kinds of royalties, endorsement deals, etc. I could get out of it.  I'm far enough from retirement to at least make the idea worthy of consideration.

 

I thought about this for some time before reaching my decision. I would just keep it to myself.

Don't get me wrong, all the hoopla would be nice, but NO, not on my favorite fishing spot. Simply

not worth it.

Anywhere else, I would pursue it in a heartbeat.

 

Hootie

 

 

 

I think the important thing to ask yourself is "If I don't claim this, what is the likelihood that someone else will anyways?"   

 

 

 

If it really is your go-to honey hole and nobody is ever there, don't say a word.  

 

 

The more people fish a place though- and therefore the more likely the fish is to be caught again, the more likely I would be to claim it.  I'm not a hoopla kind of guy though- I prefer not to be noticed most of the time.  I have found that flying below the radar is often a smart way to go.  

I asked this question to the IGFA, and they said that you don't have to give the name and lake or body of water. All they will put is the city, county and state along with your name. The IGFA is extremely close to me and the people over there can help with questions like this.

 

 

Ok, this changes everything!  If I could list something like "In your mom's bathtub" on the form I'd be tickled pink haha

I'm happy with a good scale and some pictures.

I have a decent (and getting better) smallmouth lake that is an hour and a half away.... Fairly long haul, but the only place I can go catch smallies...  I will not tell people about this lake.  It literally has parking for 6 rigs and thats only if the people park in a logical manner.

 

If I were to catch what I thought was a record, I'd take a pic and send it on it's way.  Couldn't care less about getting a record.

 

Also, this literally is happening in my state.  A new state smallmouth record was caught on a lake last year that was relatively unheard of... Sounds like there are about 4 times as many anglers every weekend.

 

Also again, I could never kill a giant bass.  Just couldn't do it.  I've vowed to kill every walleye since most of the anglers I know will keep any bass they catch, but I still let anything over 20" go.

Pictures and a good scale.