Here is an email I recieved from a very reliable sorce. He lives in Japan and ownws a tackle store there. his name is Greg Vella

I have come to the conclusion that Japan will probably not allow the big bass to become a record (JGFA). There is just too much (political)[ch12288]at stake, with the recent push to make all of Japan "catch and kill" for bass and bluegill. The Japanese government has spent millions of dollars on this program, which includes supplementing the income of the commercial fisherman at Lake Biwa.

> Letting Mr. Kurita's fish become the new Japan record (JGFA) will send the wrong type of message to the taxpayer, and draw unwanted attention to the positive aspects of bass fishing.

>

> Here is where we stand:

>

> I mentioned before a about the distance from the bridge restriction ( the bass was caught near the Biwako Bridge)--It seems that his boat was not within the restricted area, but now they are saying they are going to DQ him because he CAST into the restricted area (which is not legally a "restricted" area anyway). I don't understand? Lake Mission Viejo has a 20 foot from the dock no fishing zone, but that means your boat must not be withing 20 feet when fishing, not your cast. Another example would be the buoy line at Perris, or Casitas. As long as your boat is outside the buoy line, you can cast wherever you want.

> This is weak.

>

> What is weaker is that they are now saying the he "broke the law" to catch the fish due to his bait (a bluegill). Bluegill are not illegal to be used for bait (nobody cares), but they are illegal to release back into the lake alive. The bass "No Release" law includes bluegill and everybody is aware of this due to posted signs all over the lake. But they are now saying that Mr. Kurita "released" a bluegill back into the lake when he pinned it on his hook, and tossed it in front of the giant bass.

>

> This is really pushing it, IMO.

>

> What they don't know, and I just found out today, is that Mr. Kurita is registered, like I am, to be able to release bass and bluegill.

>

> Even so, I sure they will make up something else; they do not want this fish to become a record, because:

> As of two days ago, the paperwork has not even been submitted to the IGFA.

> JGFA is saying that it must pass their scrutiny before he is "allowed" to submit to the IGFA; it should not be this way, as the IGFA is a separate entity.

> It seems it is catch 22 for Mr. Kurita.

>

> There is so much misinformation going around  that it is sad, at best. The same type of people that said the Biwa Lake grow fat on all the salmon (there are none) are giving opinions on stuff they know nothing about.

>

> Hope all is going well for you,

> Capt. G

Nope wrong Muddy. I actualy think he should get the record. I am in no way trying to discredit it.

Your also wrong about the JFGA and the IGFA, In order for the IGFA to accept a record it has to be in accordance with all local regulations.

Basicaly the JFGA has to aprove it before the IGFA will. This is why the IGFA has not even recieved the aplication yet and probably wont.

Japan is also different then the USA. they have a much tighter controll over its people. If the government says NO then its NO.

I dont know why you insist its a CALI thing??????

I am simply giving the latest update that was given directly to me.

My source was also the first to report the catch to the US and he has

benn accurate with all the details. He is not happy with the way it is going either. He want Kurita to get the record.

Sooooo Muddy I do you like you but your wrong calling me on this one. I think Kurita should be awarded the the record as long as he passes a lie detector. However it apeares that he wont get that far.

I think o'l George Perry put a curse on the record before he died.

The IGFA rules are clear on this one. All records must be in accordance to local laws. If the JGFA says the catch was illegal then that will be the end of it. If it was the USA the angler could probaly take it to court and fight it and let the courts decide if he broke any laws or rules, but this is Japan.

Also this did not come from CA it came from Japan. I simple copied and paisted the email.

In all honesty I would like the record to stay in the USA. However I dont think the record should be stollen away from Kurita. I think he caught it fairly and I think he should be rewarded the record. I think he is getting screwed.

The USA (mainly CA) has had a few oportunities to beat the Perry bass and we have blown it every time. It serves us right that another county is now producing giants.

Wow,Interesting Update Mattlures. Thanks for sharing it.

Poached fish rule; can't fish in a closed area. In CA we have a lot of closed areas that are buoyed off and posted no fishing. Some areas are physically posted on the water, they have lake maps with closures illustrated that are handed out when you pay to enter and launch. It's up to the fisherman to know the rules.

I caught my 19.3 casting "over the line" and observers claimed it was caught illegally, one reason I didn't get a "certified" weight because of the BS surrounding the catch up set me at the time. It can be a zoo at times.

Too bad this bass will be disallowed based on mislead observers and a honest fisherman just being truthful about where and how he caught the bass.

WRB

I don't seem to understand this Japanese anti-LM bass thing that's going on over there.  

Can anybody explain that?

There isn't any anti-Japanese or bashing going on here. The IGFA has specific rules and must be followed. If the Japanese rule the bass was caught illegally, the IGFA can not except the application.

WRB

There isn't any anti-Japanese or bashing going on here. The IGFA has specific rules and must be followed. If the Japanese rule the bass was caught illegally, the IGFA can not except the application.

WRB

I think cart is wondering why the Japanese lawmakers would be so against having that bass become the world record. It doesnt make sense to me either. Is a bass a trash fish over there?

I believe the Japanese Government considers Largemouth Bass to be an invasive species that they are trying to control. I don't understand why though, it seems to be a pretty good economic supporter considering the price of most bass fishing products are priced towards wealthier individuals. Seems like a world record bass over there might increase travel also  :-/

I believe the Japanese Government considers Largemouth Bass to be an invasive species that they are trying to control. I don't understand why though, it seems to be a pretty good economic supporter considering the price of most bass fishing products are priced towards wealthier individuals. Seems like a world record bass over there might increase travel also :-/

I suspect we can directly relate this to the snakehead over here.

I remember reading a few articles on the bass in Japan a couple years ago. This is what I remember. There are a lot of comercial fisherman in Japan. A lot of these are poor older people with nets who catch fish for a living. There are many species of fish in their lakes and the comercial fisherman target them even the small ones that the bass feed on. Some time ago the older generation complained about the bass and bluegill destroying ther natural populations of their different species of fish. Even though some have been proven to be on the decline because of the many dams that have changed the river systems. The government agreed with the older generation.

The bass and the bluegill are the scapegoats and they are blammed for dropping population of certain fish. The younger generation want the bass to stay and so do all the bass fishing tackle companies in Japan.

A few years ago they made it illegal to release a bass or bluegill unless you have a special permit.

Aparently Kurita has a permit but if the Japanese government does not want the bass to get any posative press then I dont like his odds.

Certified or not there has been 2 new world records caught which is good enough for me

There isn't any anti-Japanese or bashing going on here. The IGFA has specific rules and must be followed. If the Japanese rule the bass was caught illegally, the IGFA can not except the application.

WRB

I think cart is wondering why the Japanese lawmakers would be so against having that bass become the world record. It doesnt make sense to me either. Is a bass a trash fish over there?

Exactly.  There's a couple Japanese on the BASS tour.  The tackle industry is pretty big there.  Makes no sense.

I wonder just what fish is over there that they're afraid the LM are threatening?  

Part of a worldwide environmental brouhaha to eliminate 'exotic'  or non-native species.

2 things 2 say here.

1st. Im glad I don't live in japan, it sounds like there are to many laws. lol...

2nd. Fishing is like baseball. In baseball the hands are an extension of the bat. We just had a big incident here with the pole and line being an extension of the boat. So if you can't have your boat or fish in a restricted area then you can't cast into the restricted area.

the source is a Long Beach California native who owns a tackle shop in Japan currently, he is not associated with the IFGA in any way, and they have not released any more info, until they do it is all rumor and conjecture. While Japan does not seem eager in helping their bass industry by certifying this catch, California would love the record to show up there, keep them Baits,Guides and Hotels busy.

Mattlures,

Thanks for the update. It just seems like these issues

would be resolved by now. At any rate, I think most

would agree that George Perry's record has been

surpassed a couple of times already, "official" or not.

p.s.

Here in Tennessee we're still working on David Hayes' record!

8-)

Certified or not there has been 2 new world records caught which is good enough for me

x2

Live bait record VS. artificial lures???????

Thanks Matt, for passing this info along.  Something I'd been wondering about, since it seems to have quieted down.

Live bait record VS. artificial lures???????

Nope, that 's not the point, the point is that he caught it with a bluegill, not because it was caught with a bluegill, it 's because in order to catch it with a bluegill you have to hook a live bluegill and that is illegal in Japan.

Not the same case but somehow similar to Weakley 's fish, illegal in Cali to have in possesion a fish not caught in the mouth.

Formalities if you ask me.  The point is that a larger bass has been caught than Perry's in my book.  

the source is a Long Beach California native who owns a tackle shop in Japan currently, he is not associated with the IFGA in any way, and they have not released any more info, until they do it is all rumor and conjecture. While Japan does not seem eager in helping their bass industry by certifying this catch, California would love the record to show up there, keep them Baits,Guides and Hotels busy.

The funny thing is Muddy that I dont think places here rely on the droves of people that supposedly come from out of town to fish for bass.  If that was the case you'd see tons of fishing lodges and what not at particular lakes.  The reality is that that does not exist.  Even on the Delta, close to me, you'd think there'd be bass fishing lodges.  I can't think of a single one.  I think if any state has that it would be Texas.

We all know the certified record is 22pd4oz but you all know who really should have the record, Dottie. Until I see one over 25.1, in my mind that will be the largest large mouth ever recorded.

They probably don't want to let him have the record because they don't want to be disgraced by the fact he used live bait. Real men don't use live bait. ;D Don't get me wrong though, if I catch a 10+ on a minnow, it's going on my wall.

Live bait isn't the issue with the Kurita bass. The problem is where he caught the bass was a restricted or closed area to sport fishing. According to Matt's post, Kurita had a permit to fish with bluegill, or whatever live bait he used to catch the bass.

The Japanese do a lot of net fishing under docks and bridges, those areas are closed to sport fishing so the nets are not damaged.

WRB