Hope this is the right place (forum).

For everyone that's a staunch catch n release kind of person; if you caught the world record LMB would you:

A. Keep it and mount it (not a replica); you'll get 15 mins of fame and probably meet the Prez.

B. Go for some $$ from Manufacturer's stuff you were using when you caught it. Maybe contact BassPro Shops to see if they want it for their tank.

C. Mount a replica and donate the actual fish to DNR of your state if they want it.

D. Document as best you can and release her.

Myself, honestly would go with A and half of B. I doubt I would try to put that beauty back in the lake only to have someone catch her after her next shad buffet and beat me out by 1/4 pound. Would definitely make a call or two about stuff I was using when I caught her.

P.S. come up with your own answers if you want. Those were just what I came up with for now.

i would definatley not throw it back. I agree with not wanting to lose the record just a year later. I would be so ticked!!! LOL but I would most definatley try to get some $ from the manufacturer of the bait I was using. Then from the rod and reel company. Hell the more money the better!!! LOL But I would have to think about giving it to BPS instead of mounting it. I'm not sure on that one. I know replica are very expensive!

JMPO I hope I don't offend anyone.

Since I fish for fun and not glamor, I would take a photo, take measurements, and release her.

I would not tell anyone where I caught her, other than for the date, time, method, bait and body of water.

I throw everything back.

And this confuses my wife. She always wonders why I spend hundreds of dollards on tackle and bait and have a bass boat filled with mid-range gasolline and always throw the fish back.

Go figure.  

And this confuses my wife. She always wonders why I spend hundreds of dollards on tackle and bait and have a bass boat filled with mid-range gasolline and always throw the fish back.

Yeeep.

"Many men go fishing their entire lives without knowing it is not fish they are after."

Thoreau, Henry David

I'm totally catch and release. I'd get the meaurements and pictures to make a replica, but she'd go back in.

If you think about it, you probably have a better chance than anyone for catching her again since you know how she was caught. Sometimes just finding fish is the hardest part.

Just my $.02

Catch, photo release in the hopes that possibly one day my daughter may catch the same thing. If I wanted to hang something on the wall I would probably get a replica made. I am not really interested  in the 15 minutes of fame or $ from manufacturer I would be happy with having the opportunity to catch a nice big fat hawg and seeing it swim off.  

Catch and release...If somebody beats me again one week later by 1/4 pound so be it.

Knowing and remembering my catch is just fine with me.Money and fame means nothing to me.

Harvest/document/submit to IGFA/cash in if possible/donate carcass to an organization like the Sharelunker Program in Texas for research/Fiberglass replica

That fish is old, who knows how much longer she'll live.  I don't think I would feel too guilty about this one, provided as much good came from it as possible.  If I was able to cash in on it, a "pay it forward" of sorts would certainly be due.  Perhaps a donation to, or seed money for, a youth fishing program in the state of the catch, something like that.

I agree with LBH 100%

i thought I was going to be the only one to keep her! HA

CP&R

Post it here and sit back and listen to you tell me what a dumb a** I am.

I will have to side with Ray Scott on this one.

IT WILL BE A DEAD DUCK.

The world record is worth a lot of money so i'd be keeping it for sure.  I would donate it to the Sharelunker program though if it was in season and have it released into the aquarium at Cabela's.  I would probably make the 30 minute trip to look at her a lot.

A world record?  No doubt about it, I'd keep her and have her stuffed.  I'd also gladly except some money.  

Never thought of the BPS tank.  I'd probably have to think about that.

Don't own a boat, thus no livewell.  I'd take as many pictures as I possibly could with my camera phone including whatever tapemeasure measurements I could get and curse that all I bought was a cheap Wal-Mart scale that doesn't work.  Probably would end up calling home to ask my wife to bring down a large bucket so I could take it to somewhere to get it weighed, then her telling me to go to hell.

I'm glad you asked, I'm going to have to come up with a plan just in case.

Some really good answers so far. Guess it's not 100% what most people would do unless they ACTUALLY are faced with it. I suspect when faced with the possibilities of alot of money, free tackle, boats, etc some people might change their minds.

I agree with LBH whoheartedly; this hypothetical fish is old and no one should feel guilty about keeping it.

I'm a catch and release kinda guy,but I'll admit if I caught what was surely the next WR I'd have to go with A. and B.

I'm all for catch and release, but in reality, it is one fish, and at that size it has mated many times and spawned plenty of successors. So I would keep it, get the sponsorships, and then rake in the dough... You know that you'd get to go on your choice of fishing shows, meet the big guns, Hank Parker, KVD, Bill Dance, etc, and probably get invited to a bunch of tournaments for free just to draw in the crowds, free boats, equipment, and on and on...

I agree with Eddie Munster and NitroMan, and I justify it for the reasons giver by LBH

Anything short of a world record, it's ALL catch & release and has been for close to 40 years.

Harvest/document/submit to IGFA/cash in if possible/donate carcass to an organization like the Sharelunker Program in Texas for research/Fiberglass replica

That fish is old, who knows how much longer she'll live. I don't think I would feel too guilty about this one, provided as much good came from it as possible. If I was able to cash in on it, a "pay it forward" of sorts would certainly be due. Perhaps a donation to, or seed money for, a youth fishing program in the state of the catch, something like that.

I agree wholeheartedly.  Very interesting question!

Id put it in an aquarium after getting it documented 100% corrcetly. Id hate to loose the record because of something stupid.

No way that fish is going back in the lake... plain and simple for me.

I would keep the fish and work with the best taxidermist in the country. I would like to have replicas that were perfectly weighted and removable to get the full essence of the fish. I would get together with Thomas Kincade to paint the replicas, produce a limited addition of 1000 mounts and sell them for $10,000 each!

I would keep the skin mount and donate it to the Smithsonian Institute in my will.

As long as we're dreaming,  I would rather it be brown, not green!

I think I would catch it, take measurements, take photos and release it.  I have released every one so far so I can catch them again when they are bigger.

lol Road Warrior; as usual you crack me up man.  ;D

Seriously though......for those that say they'd photograph it and release it, you'd be giving up ALOT of security for you and your family. Now I know it's the principle of the issue but for me I'd cash in for the sole reason of providing a little bit better for my family. Just something else to think about.

Mount it and get a picture of her with whatever *** Product I caught her with , then go fishing in Tahiti with Brett ;D