New State Record Bass 2024
*Hootie reply :
I knew that would get your attention. I want to pose a question for you to think about.
A scenario... you have a small community lake you regularly fish. It hardly receives any
pressure at all. In fact, many days you have the lake entirely to yourself. And the bass
fishing is excellent.
Up to this point this is my exact situation.
Now say, one day you are fishing, and you catch a bass which are certain, without a
doubt is a new state record. Do you pursue it, and report it, knowing that if you do, your
lake is going to be the new local hotspot for who knows how long, to the point that you may not even
be able to find a place to park your vehicle, let alone fish.
Or do you just keep it to yourself, content with the knowledge that, you know you have surpassed
the state record. Would you be happy with that, or would you have to have the fame, notoriety,
the praise, addoration, and *** that would come with such an accomplishment. And possibly
a few free spools of line, some free lures, and what not. You know it has no potential monetary value
like possibly catching a world record.
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
BrianinMD reply :
i would keep it to myself, announcing it gets nothing for you except some public attention which is worthless and could lead to the destruction of the fishing in that body of water.
Bluebasser86 reply :
I already have public fishing areas that few know about that I keep to myself. I'll show pictures of the fish from them but no way I'll share the location except for select friends I know can keep a secret. It's just my name on a piece of paper that nobody will know about.
A world record would be a different story though.
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
LOL, keep that stuff to yourself. They'll come out of the woodwork.
Getfit74 reply :
Why keep it to yourself, who says anyone has to know where ya caught it, lol. Shoot I catch a state record all my buddies would know. So man where did ya catch it, you know down the way around the bend:)
flyfisher reply :
I know here in VA there are plenty of records and citations that are labeled as private ponds. If i catch a state record i am going to try and get that sucker certified. Yeah knowing you caught the record is cool and all but i would want it to be official.
craww reply :
Is it a community lake as in you must live in the neighborhood to fish it? Ive seen lots of records listed under "private lake". That may be a good question for your DGIF.
I'm not much for tooting my own horn, but having an official state record (as long as the fish gets released in good shape) is a huge accomplishment.
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
In PA, you have to declare where it was caught for it to be recognized.
There is already controversy around the current state record and where it was caught (can't be a private pond). If I was going all-out for a record, I wouldn't want there to be any doubt surrounding it. You also more than likely have to kill the fish to have it certified. That's a big obstacle for me.
Again, that being said, I would post the fish along with VALID photos that leave no question as to the weight of the fish. I don't care that the state recognizes it or not. If accepted as valid by my peers while keeping my location protected, that's all I'd really care about.
Montanaro reply :
I'd take the record.
My spot already had 2 state records...just not real pressured.
A-Jay reply :
I'm taking the fish, having the fish certified as the state record, and having the fish mounted - (a replica).
As for any extra pressure this body of water may encounter after words, I'll deal with that as it comes.
During most of the season, I do fish mostly at night so I'd imagine if I were to take that fish it would be at night. NO One, and I mean No One, fishes at night here - so the extra pressure may not even be a factor.
Of course, I'll conveniently omit the night caught fact during the documentation process.
Additionally, I'm getting old and sometimes I may get a little mixed up as to where I may have caught a fish. There are hundreds of lakes all over the place up here, and they all look alike.
A-Jay
slonezp reply :
On 5/13/2014 at 10:26 PM, A-Jay said:I'm taking the fish, having the fish certified as the state record, and having the fish mounted - (a replica).
As for any extra pressure this body of water may encounter after words, I'll deal with that as it comes.
During most of the season, I do fish mostly at night so I'd imagine if I were to take that fish it would be at night. NO One, and I mean No One, fishes at night here - so the extra pressure may not even be a factor.
Of course, I'll conveniently omit the night caught fact during the documentation process.
Additionally, I'm getting old and sometimes I may get a little mixed up as to where I may have caught a fish. There are hundreds of lakes all over the place up here, and they all look alike.
A-Jay
The problem you may have, especially at night, is keeping the fish alive long enough to have it certified. You may just end up with a skin mount.
A-Jay reply :
On 5/13/2014 at 10:34 PM, slonezp said:The problem you may have, especially at night, is keeping the fish alive long enough to have it certified. You may just end up with a skin mount.
I have no intention of keeping the fish alive. She's had her last swim.
I prefer a replica over the skin mount in both appearance and longevity.
A-Jay
bigbill reply :
I figured this out already. I'd have to lie about where I caught it. Otherwise my smaller places would be so crowded they would shut them down. I weigh in all my bigger bass at a local deli. On his state certified scales. There adjusted by the state standards weights and measures. My last bigger bass was 6# 1oz. Exactly. My only problem the other fisherman in the store wanted the info about where and how I caught her. This bass gave me the best fight ever. She gave my topnocker a tour of the open water. She covered every square foot of the place. I didn't think she was going to tire out.
I do not tell anyone where I'm fishing too. They beg me too. I told my so called buddy. He told everyone. I told my son's buddy and he told everyone. Thank God this one place is so hard to catch fish you would swear there are no fish in it. If you bass guys here went there you would catch fish. We really have very few good bass fisherman here.
shanksmare reply :
The Massachusetts state record was reportedly caught in Sampsons Pond in Carver. However, people who knew the record holder say it was caught in a little pond along the Agawam River chain. So do what the MA record holder did, modify the actual location of the catch.
Scott F reply :
It happened in Wisconsin. A gentleman caught a smallmouth that was easily the record. He took it live, to a DNR office to have it weighed with the intention of putting it back to swim away. The DNR verified it, but he would not submit it for the state record because he did not want his name or the location of where he caught it known. Unfortunately, the fish did not survive.
*Hootie reply :
I actually never considered telling a bunch of lies, but then....oh well.
How about you will or you won't. Does that change your decision?
Hootie
*Hootie reply :
On 5/13/2014 at 10:37 PM, A-Jay said:I have not intention of keeping the fish alive. She's had her last swim.
I prefer a replica over the skin mount in both appearance and longevity.
A-Jay
I also prefer the look of a replica rather than a skin mount.
Hootie
mjseverson24 reply :
i would just take a couple pictures one with a good accurate digital scale and let her go... only thing better than catching a trophy is watching it swim away after the catch... if it was in well known public waters i might go and get it certified, but a good livewell with and oxygenator and U2, some ice, and it is pretty easy to transport the fish a long ways, and still release her safely...
Mitch
Alonerankin2 reply :
I couldn't agree more with what A jay says....
I have turned back nearly 100% of Bass in the
Past.... Spent easily over a hundred grand on
Fishing related everything....I am gonna claim the
Record plain and simple! I am also not at all opposed to keeping bass for the kitchen table..
I personally don't.... But anyone who does? Good!
I see no issues ! I prefer gills or crappie... To each
His/ her own.
SirSnookalot reply :
I don't carry a scale nor do I care about a record, so the point is moot. When I do catch a fish that is very significant in size I don't mind telling people where it's been caught, someone may have given me the spot.
Jar11591 reply :
I've always told myself if I catch a state record or possible state record, I would much rather release it unharmed than get the recognition.
Bankbeater reply :
I would keep it to myself. Some of the places I fish are already under too much pressure.
slonezp reply :
On 5/13/2014 at 10:37 PM, A-Jay said:I have no intention of keeping the fish alive. She's had her last swim.
I prefer a replica over the skin mount in both appearance and longevity.
A-Jay
So I guess a fish fry is part of the plan.....
Christian M reply :
I'd keep it to myself, the place would be trashed within a year if not.
everythingthatswims reply :
On 5/13/2014 at 10:09 PM, SPEEDBEAD. said:In PA, you have to declare where it was caught for it to be recognized.
There is already controversy around the current state record and where it was caught (can't be a private pond). If I was going all-out for a record, I wouldn't want there to be any doubt surrounding it. You also more than likely have to kill the fish to have it certified. That's a big obstacle for me.
Again, that being said, I would post the fish along with VALID photos that leave no question as to the weight of the fish. I don't care that the state recognizes it or not. If accepted as valid by my peers while keeping my location protected, that's all I'd really care about.
No way would I kill a bass for a state record, a fish of that size doesn't deserve to be killed
Alonerankin2 reply :
Deserved ...got nothing to do with it
Jason Short reply :
I would keep it and get it certified. If it was a public spot I would give them the location, and I wouldn't worry about keeping the fish alive. If a fish is old enough to have grown that big then it would have a very small chance of surviving with all the stress from dragging it to scales and such. It would have spawned plenty of times anyway, so the genetics would still be in the lake.
Hyrule Bass reply :
i would claim the state record, if the fish died, so be it. there are plenty more bass swimming around. im not worried about added pressure or the likes, and i cant stand that "put it back so someone else can catch it bigger later" crap. you mean put it back so the same fish can become someone elses record later on when it couldve been mine? no thanks. im keeping the fish, having it certified, and if after all that i get to keep the fish i am having a skin mount made, dont like replicas at all...
in fact, i think bass fishermen take catch and release too far at times, i prefer to subscribe to selective harvest myself, that said i dont eat fish but i have no problem keeping and giving my catch to friends or family who may want some fish. a 20,000 acre lake isnt going to miss 5 bass...
sound selfish? probably, but i really dont care. if its a legal catch, then im free to do what i want with it...
Crankinstein reply :
I'd let it go, odds are the record is just going to be broken again in a year or so and your spots going to get hit hard by everyone around. Does anyone really pay that much attention to their state records? I mean can anyone in here really rattle off the current record holder in their own state for every game fish? probably not. Most of us are aware of the what the record weight is but the name is usually forgotten, once again because a new one is there all to often. I was actually in the same situation only for a hybrid bass instead of a largemouth(fish in profile pic) and chose to release the fish. In my situation the record I broke was only 2 weeks old itself and odds are mine wouldn't last long either. I can't tell you the name of the record holder or the name of the guy before him and to that I say fame? what fame. We don't need people to tell us we know how to fish, knowing that your a true outdoorsmen and have the respect to you craft and your environment are far more rewarding than having you name on a piece a paper for a year or two. I'd say you made the right call, congrats! by the way
J Francho reply :
I'll just say, I catch a NY record fish, it's going on ice.
Brian Needham reply :
I am torn between Speedbead and A-jay on this one.
I could 100% agree with both of their wordings....... it is a good problem to have, that we all agree on.
WRB reply :
All trophy bass lakes go through boom & bust cycles and It's naive to assume disclosing the lake a record size bass came out of will severely impact the fishery. Few bass anglers have the skill to catch record bass, the thinking everyone fishing the lake will harm it isn't a fact as long as the local wardens prevent netting, electro shocking or any other illegal activity.
Keeping a record size bass alive and healthy during the certification process takes pre planning. Authenticating a record bass requires examination of the fish to determine the species and there isn't any added weight inside the bass. You need to know phone numbers and locations to arrange examination and certification. If you self certify with a certified scale and photos, most states will not authenticate the catch without examining the bass. Bob Crupi's 22.10 FLMB is a good example, CA state record is Mike Arugio's 21.75 lbs FLMB.
Be prepared to put the old bass on ice and get your catch authenticated, you owe it to yourself and the bass.
Tom
Weld's Largemouth reply :
On 5/14/2014 at 10:11 AM, J Francho said:I'll just say, I catch a NY record fish, it's going on ice.
I'm going to catch that record soon! And I'm letting that beauty swim another day
Jar11591 reply :
On 5/14/2014 at 10:06 AM, Crankinstein said:I'd let it go, odds are the record is just going to be broken again in a year or so and your spots going to get hit hard by everyone around. Does anyone really pay that much attention to their state records? I mean can anyone in here really rattle off the current record holder in their own state for every game fish? probably not. Most of us are aware of the what the record weight is but the name is usually forgotten, once again because a new one is there all to often. I was actually in the same situation only for a hybrid bass instead of a largemouth(fish in profile pic) and chose to release the fish. In my situation the record I broke was only 2 weeks old itself and odds are mine wouldn't last long either. I can't tell you the name of the record holder or the name of the guy before him and to that I say fame? what fame. We don't need people to tell us we know how to fish, knowing that your a true outdoorsmen and have the respect to you craft and your environment are far more rewarding than having you name on a piece a paper for a year or two. I'd say you made the right call, congrats! by the way
Exactly. Recognition as a state record holder would literally mean nothing to me. I would measure it, weight it, take a bunch of pictures and release it. And I would only share my story with a select few.
J Francho reply :
The current NY record bass is not from public water. Why it's in the books is beyond me. I'd like it to see it knocked off by a public water fish.
Jar11591 reply :
On 5/14/2014 at 7:07 PM, J Francho said:The current NY record bass is not from public water. Why it's in the books is beyond me. I'd like it to see it knocked off by a public water fish.
I have a real hard time believing that record will ever be broken. I just don't see it. I've tried like hell to find a spot on that lake...Buckhorn I believe?
J Francho reply :
Good luck if you even find it, it's not too hard to find. You want get access. It doesn't matter though, it's a run off pond in a private community. I think once some of the Westchester county ressies cycle back into prime fisheries, that's where the record could be caught. They're churning out near 8's, even in bad years.
Larry C. reply :
I'd take the record. That way I could cash in on bass record groupies chicks.
Brian Needham reply :
On 5/14/2014 at 6:11 PM, Jar11591 said:Exactly. Recognition as a state record holder would literally mean nothing to me. I would measure it, weight it, take a bunch of pictures and release it. And I would only share my story with a select few.
select few meaning us on the boards right???
*Hootie reply :
On 5/14/2014 at 7:22 PM, Larry C. said:I'd take the record. That way I could cash in on bass record groupies chicks.
Man, how sleazy....lol.
Just kidding
By the way, are there record groupies chicks for real?
Hootie
Larry C. reply :
I'll let you know as soon as I break a record. Don't hold your breath my man.On 5/14/2014 at 7:38 PM, *Hootie said:Man, how sleazy....lol.
Just kidding
By the way, are there record groupies chicks for real?
Hootie
Jar11591 reply :
On 5/14/2014 at 7:38 PM, Brian Needham said:select few meaning us on the boards right???
Of course! BR would be the first (and probably only) to know!
Violinguy reply :
Back in the late 80s-early 90s, my college roomates and I would fish a small lake in a park in suburban Hartford, CT where we would catch a handful of 1-2 pounders each trip. Always from shore. As we got to know the lake better, we found a great place to wade so we could get to a dropoff where we saw some big fish hitting the surface from time to time. All three of us caught at least one 6+ pound bass on plastics at this spot (the biggest was around 8), but we all knew there were bigger fish out there. Knowing the state record in CT, I would think that this tiny lake, that doesn't even have a name, can produce a bass near or larger than the record fish (12-ish pounds). However, I definitely don't want the entire world descending on this place.
If that happened today, with cell phone cameras and digital scales, I don't believe I would do anything other than take some photos and weigh it and throw it back. Then I would tell anyone who would listen that I caught a big fish and leave it at that.
roadwarrior reply :
I guess I really don't care that much about a Tennessee State Record green fish, it would not compare
to the true giants in California. However, brown fish are an entirely different story. A new Tennessee
State Record would also be The World Record. That fish is a keeper!
WRB reply :
14 lbs 8 oz LMB back in '54, start trolling those A-rigs and set both!On 5/14/2014 at 11:35 PM, roadwarrior said:I guess I really don't care that much about a Tennessee State Record green fish, it would not compare
to the true giants in California. However, brown fish are an entirely different story. A new Tennessee
State Record would also be The World Record. That fish is a keeper!
Tom
Chris9999 reply :
I would keep it to myself and my main fishing friend. If the pond/lake was private I would go public but if it was my local and favorite public place there is no way that I would let word of that get out. I value my quiet fishing time way to much for some publicity
Todd2 reply :
On 5/14/2014 at 11:35 PM, roadwarrior said:A new Tennessee State Record would also be The World Record. That fish is a keeper!
We all know that fish was caught across the state line in KY waters. 
roadwarrior reply :
On 5/15/2014 at 5:26 AM, Todd2 said:We all know that fish was caught across the state line in KY waters.
Yep, that might be the case. Just makes it more interesting for both stated to claim the World Record.
Touche!
Todd2 reply :
On 5/15/2014 at 5:47 PM, roadwarrior said:Yep, that might be the case. Just makes it more interesting for both stated to claim the World Record.
Lol...I hear ya. I think Tennessee did recognize it first if I remember right.
*Hootie reply :
On 5/15/2014 at 6:44 PM, Todd2 said:Lol...I hear ya. I think Tennessee did recognize it first if I remember right.
Wasn't that fish disqualified for a period of time? Later on acknowledged and reinstated.
Hootie
roadwarrior reply :
Yep, this is the story: http://www.bassmaster.com/news/david-hayes-and-world-record-smallmouth-bass#
Montanaro reply :
This exact scenario played out in Wisconsin recently. 9 pounder released...story on ***
LMB KING reply :
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.
Ratherbfishing reply :
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.
Master Bait'r reply :
On 5/13/2014 at 7:02 PM, *Hootie said:
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.
Master Bait'r reply :
On 5/23/2014 at 3:16 AM, LMB ANGLERR said: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
BassFit reply :
I'm happy with a good scale and some pictures.
DarthHippie reply :
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.
IronBass reply :
Pictures and a good scale.
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