Looks like different markings to me. Gorgeous fish.

Thats a Fat smallie wowser, i agree with the c.p.r thing, he could have got the mount just by weight photo measurements, but its his right to keep the fish, however i agree with Matt lures that could have been a world record smallie

What a   I would have to agree it isnt the same fish but if I caught a state record you can bet that I would keep it.

From the looks of the picture, this particular hawg of a smallmouth, would have out lived the guy who caught it by at least 5 years.  So Sad.

The old man who nailed it, gets to enjoy this big ole sow on his mantle for a few months, then he'll get put in a old folks home by Christmas, while his kids sell the d**n record fish at a garage sale.

What a waste of a stunning Smally.

For God's sake Grandpa, throw it back.

Todd

Man, it is THE STATE RECORD! That fish wasn't going to get any bigger and it would NEVER come close to a World Record. This smallmouth is a beauty, no doubt, but it doesn't even weigh 10 lbs. Before a new record is caught in any region of the country, a few really big bass will show up. Until a few 10s are reported in California and the states associated with the Great Lakes, the claim to the World Record will remain at Dale Hollow. The next WR may or may not come from the same lake, but you can bet it will come from the same region.

he could have got the mount just by weight photo measurements

I may be wrong but I am pretty sure that a fish has to be killed and molded to make fiberglass reproductions.  You kill one fish so that hundreds of others will be released.  You can do it with a 9-10lb Larry because there are existing molds, but a Sally of that size may be another matter.  

This is the story from "another site."

The previous state-record smallmouth (9.1 pounds) was caught by Tom Brady at Trinity Lake in 1976. The former Pardee record was an 8.91-pounder caught last March, also off of Leveque Point.

tom brady? isn't he the quarterback for the new england patriots? i heard he lived in california when he was younger

Well a congrats is owed to the man!It's his fish,he may do what he likes though I lean toward C/R.Obviously not the same fish the markings prove it.

I am with RW,I don't think Cali will produce a WR smallie.Not that it's impossible,looks like there's plenty bigguns' over there.But when the right chemistry hits the Tenn or Cumberland chain such as improved vegetation the new WR smallie will grow but will she be caught?