last may i caught and lost the biggest bass i have ever seen,  i am not saying it was a record by any means, but in may, you cannot keep the fish because of spawning [i always c/r]. the state record is 10.8,  but what if you break the record what do you do. :-/

you have to get it certified and weighed on a certified scale...pictures taken, measurements taken, and fish and wildlife should be there to review the fish. make sure it was not false hooked, or that their was no tampering with the fish.  

dont just weight it take a picture and throw it back...keep it in the livewell...take lots of pics, measuerments, and make sure it is on a certified scale, then call for the park ranger or fish and wildlife.

last may i caught and lost the biggest bass i have ever seen, i am not saying it was a record by any means, but in may, you cannot keep the fish because of spawning [i always c/r]. the state record is 10.8, but what if you break the record what do you do. :-/

Are you saying you have to return it to the water immediately after you catch it ? I suggest you get in touch with your fish & wild game office and find out how you could legally register a state record catch.

yeah and pretty much if you're fishing from shore and dont have a bucket or cooler, you're screwed. Although you could always stick it down your pants and drive it to a certified scale but then you could get in trouble for transporting live gamefish (law against that here in MA)... so pretty much it's a huge pain in the butt.

yeah and pretty much if you're fishing from shore and dont have a bucket or cooler, you're screwed. Although you could always stick it down your pants and drive it to a certified scale but then you could get in trouble for transporting live gamefish (law against that here in MA)... so pretty much it's a huge pain in the butt.

i am fortunate enuff to have a boat with a livewell but the wardens there 95% of the time checking livewells, which is good i guess, i lived in mass, lynn/saugus  line when i was young, there was a beautiful pond there that was completely fished out in 2 years, you couldnt even buy a bluegill there and they had quality and quantity 3-4lb bass

This topic has come up here in PA to.

Our state record is 11lbs 3 oz. I Point blank asked a PA Fish and Boat Commission Officer what one could do if he or she caught a bass they thought tied or exceeded the state record while the bass season is closed.

His answer, you are not permitted to possess a bass whatsoever in the closed season. You may fish for them but it is catch and immediate release. It would be ok to snap a pic or two, maybe even weigh it on a certified scale if you have one in your boat. By no means can an angler rope the fish or put it in a livewell and transport it for any reason.

Since I never fish with access to a live well I guess I have to hope I never catch a record in NH. Even during season I don't know if I'd have the heart to let a fish like that die in the bottom of my kayak so I could get it certified.

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/Fishing_PDFs/trophy_and_record_fish_app.pdf