Ha ! I did catch the lake record Smallie !!! 2024

Fish Chris reply :

Okay granted, she had lost .44 lbs since the young man caught her.....

But now check this out; One of my specialties is in being able to compare fish to fish. Bass pattern markings sometimes get darker or lighter, but the shape, size and placement of these markings are like fingerprints. They are totally unique, and they DO NOT CHANGE throughout a fishes life.

This comparison was originally posted on the main thread, by green_monster, but was so striking, I didn't want anyone to miss it

Absolutely, positively, no doubt in my mind, this is the same fish...... and unless your are not comparing every single, individual marking on this fishes body, there shouldn't be any doubt in your minds either !

Now I have got to meet this kid, and thank him profusely for releasing that fish...... and I think I am even going to have to like buy him a sweet new rod and reel or something !

I owe my catch 100% to this well informed young angler ! Hats off to him !

Very cool ! :-)

Fish

PS, Now, tell me again, "Why should release trophy sized fish, that are old, and probably at the end of their life spans anyway" ?!?!

C/R OF TROPHY SIZED FISH WORKS !!!!!!!

5bass reply :

I see what you're talking about Chris....great job!

Smoker reply :

Definitely looks like the same fish to me. Man I would love to just see a Smallie of that size in person. Truly something to be proud of.

Cigarlover 1 reply :

I was ready the thread about the other kid this morning and was thinking the same thing. I agree with you.

roadwarrior reply :

WOW!

This story just keeps getting better.

bpm2000 reply :

wow i thought they looked similiar! yea the markings match! sweet deal man

Siebert Outdoors reply :

Holy %$#$

Thats a monster, awsome FishChris.

justfishin reply :

I think the story on this amazing fish is becoming legendary. Pretty cool stuff, to say the least. You are blessed to have had this happen to you in such a fantastic way. Again, congrats.

Lucky Craft Man reply :

What would make the story even better is if another BassResource member caught the same fish in the next few months (I would love that member to be me, be I am pretty far away and unless I win the lottery, I won't be near there anytime soon). Great story and catch. Congratulations.

T-rig reply :

Yes, definately the same one! This is soooo cool! 8-)

sodaksker reply :

Yes they do look like the same fish, because they both look like they have been "photo-shopped" ;)

Just kidding!! Great fish. I can't wait to get out this year. Just think, in a couple of more weeks the ice will be gone.

Fishin Phil reply :

That is definetly the same fish! Who's gonna catch her next?

Deuceu72 reply :

Quote
That is definetly the same fish! Who's gonna catch her next?

Sure wish I could say I will, however we have a hard time getting largemouth that big here in Colorado! ;D

KU_Bassmaster. reply :

What a sleezy fish. She gets around ;D ;D

Fish Chris reply :

Hey guys, please stay tuned in on this one. I talked briefly (I was at work) with Ryan L. and he is supposed to call me back this evening. There is going to be some cool stuff that happens over "our" double C/R of this fish. Like a front / full page story in one or two Nor Cal fishing newspapers.

And also, I am trying to find a really good {really big} Smallmouth replica..... Then, I'm going to work on a good deal for two of them, so that I can "give" Ryan one of them. I just can't think of a better way to repay this great young angler for releasing that fish ! I owe my catch to this kid 100% !!!

Will keep ya'll updated :-)

Peace,

Fish

KU_Bassmaster. reply :

That's a hell of a gesture Chris.

And I definitely thinks the story needs a write up.

-Drums- reply :

Absolutely incredible. Way inspiring.

And--with no scientific expertise whatsoever to back this up--I'm 100% convinced that fish is a hybrid of some sort. My money is on a largemouth & smallie cross.

bassnleo reply :

Chris, classy move no matter what you give the kid.

Outstanding and keep us updated!

CJ reply :

That is cool...to cool!Fish,I admire you for your greatfulness!

On another note.I have been away for a little while though I did see your threads and pics!SICK....totally sick man!Those are some awesome fish and what a great story!

So I guess the SM WR is in danger from you guys too!

flippin4it. reply :

Chris, thats is an incredible story and is being handled on your end like a true sportsman.

Dan: reply :

wow. That is incredible! You can definitely see that they have the same markings. Did you catch it in the same area? Bait? That's too bad she had less in her belly when you caught her, but sheesh, that's incredible.

justfishin reply :

Thats quite a gesture to have a replica made for the lad. Guys like you give our sport a good name. Keep us posted. This story keeps getting better.

FishTank reply :

Truely one the greatest fish I have ever seen. Great story and it is no doubt the same fish. I checked all the markings ;D.

DeltaD reply :

FishChris, first off congratulations on ANOTHER fine catch to add to your growing list of trophy gamefish. That is one heck of a fish! I've looked at that picture and the other quite a lot, I believe the markings are within the typical pattern (helps to use the kids photo to gain perspective) but I believe they (markings) are distorted, kind of like if you drew a picture onto a deflated balloon and then blew it up, picture is still the same, just distorted from swelling, same for your fish. Coloration as we all know is highly influenced by the subjects environment, so for this particular lake that may be the typical color. I have caught smallies at pardee before, all were more green than brown. I believe it is a genetically pure smallmouth. But I also ain't no biologist.

Redlinerobert reply :

Icing on the cake. Congratulations and kudos for your good sportsmanship.

Grey Wolf reply :

That is one beautiful smallie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BucketmouthAngler13 reply :

Great job! Simply amazing!

To remove any doubt from anyone's mind, here is a close up i did. It is sertainly the same fish.

Notice the bottom left one. No doubt about it.

Fish Chris reply :

Thank you Bucketmouth. As I have said, one of my specialties is in being able to compare bass (ususally Largemouths) side by side. In some cases it can be much more difficult, with the fish being "washed out" in one photo or the other.... or bad lighting, or simply, a bad photo.

But in any case, on a scale of 1 to 10.... 1 being the easiest to identify as the same fish, and 10 being the toughest, I'd consider this compairison to be about a 1 or a 2.

Apparently some people can see that the blotches are in fact, the same on both fish, but don't have enough experience to know that these markings are unique among every individual fish. This is the only thing that would explain why some people will look at photos like these, and still not be 110% sure.

Peace,

Fish

PS, There are several other ways to confirm a match though, such as pigmentation (birth) marks, old scars or injuries, irregularities in the fins, etc.

Bassassasin12 reply :

That's awesome. Hope you find the perfect replica! Will there be a link for the newspaper article??!!?

john087 reply :

How much did that fish weigh? It's a total football, reminds me of a fall great lakes smallie!

Fish Chris reply :

Hey John, if you haven't already, you can read the full "Whooo Hooo" thread below, with all the details.....

But to answer your question specifically, she weighed 8.50 lbs on a certified digital scale.

Peace,

Fish

FatBoy reply :

Quote
Now I have got to meet this kid, and thank him profusely for releasing that fish...... and I think I am even going to have to like buy him a sweet new rod and reel or something !

A new combo AND your going to have a replica made for him? Wow!

Um, now that I think about it, I caught that very same fish myself. I think I even have a pic. Yeah, here it is.

See, that's definitely the same fish. No doubt about it. Do I get a combo too?

Fish, you are one amazing angler!!!

Fish Chris reply :

Ha ! :-) LOL

That oughta' at least be worth like a Snoopy combo or something, huh ? :-)

Honestly though, I was thinking about getting the guy a nice rod and reel combo "before" I came up with the idea for a replica. Not both. I mean , yea', I'm a nice guy and all, but I'm also a poor guy ;-)

Now the big problem is, we haven't been able to find a replica for a Smallie this size and shape :-( There is such a technology as 3D laser scanning, and CNC milling, or Rapid Prototyping (which would allow us to choose a 6 or 7 lb'er of the right proportions, and scale up by any %)..... But we might be looking at $5000 to $6000 for two replicas !!! Yikes ! I guess for some guys, that might not be a problem...... But for me, 5 to 6K is a LOT of cash !

But anyway, its pretty much like sticking a big bass in the first place..... If their is a will, their is a way ! :-)

Peace,

Fish

SteveFinMD reply :

Wow, Chirs, what a problem! Your fish is so big it broke the mold. Keep searching the net, you may luck out and find on the right size. I totally understand your concern about the cost. I'm afraid I would just have to hand a life size photo on my wall. Wait a minute...my wall might not be big enough for that catch. Good luck.

zara spook reply :

Awesome fish chris, and an even more awesome gesture for the kid. You deserve a hand

woodpro1102 reply :

That is the same fish and is amazing to say the least. Awesome job my friend.

Alex

TheNextMikeIke reply :

Absolutely incredible. Way inspiring.

And--with no scientific expertise whatsoever to back this up--I'm 100% convinced that fish is a hybrid of some sort. My money is on a largemouth & smallie cross.

Drums,

Sorry if the fish is certified Lake record then it is a smallmouth my friend

roadwarrior reply :

Wrong...

It's just a very nice smallmouth. Go back and take a closer look at the Hayes' fish, the World Record. In terms of shape and coloration, they are very much the same. The smallmouth Fish_Chris is a very nice fish, but it is a pure smallmouth...No doubt about it.

Ozarkie reply :

Chris what are the measuremnts of that fish? I do some prelicas and have some molds of big smallies. I also have some friends taxidermist that dont sell their blanks to just any old taxidermist. I may be able to find one from one them.

The problem with what most replicas that the regular taxidermist has access to is that the maker will sell to anyone and you end up with production.

Anywhay whats the measure,ments and I will check for you.

Fish Chris reply :

Hey Ozarkie, it had a 22" length, and a 20" girth.

Thank you for checking,

Peace,

Fish

guest reply :

I'm with drums...that fish looks like a hybrid. Either Largemouth/smallie or spot/smallie. My money's on spot/smallie. Smallmouth are well known to cross-breed with both species. There have been certified state record fish caught before that were later determined to be hybrids, or in some cases, a different species altogether.

Whatever the case, that is one fantastic bass, absolutely beautiful. Congratulations on an awesome catch!

roadwarrior reply :

I don't understand why this keeps coming up. Hybrids are actually VERY rare in nature. I have only caught one and no one else I have ever meet has ever seen a meanmouth, few have even heard of them. This particular SMALLMOUTH shares nearly every observable characteristic with the pictures posted of the CERTIFIED World Record. Do you think the Fish_Chris really looks much different than the picture of the fat fish in my avatar? I don't.

Dan: reply :

Come on, RW, it looks very different from your fish--much stouter and different general color and patterns. This is stupid to argue, there's no way to tell for sure now. Who cares anyway, it's a fantastic fish no matter what.

BTW, Chris, will you be keeping up the smallie fishing now that the weather is getting warmer or are you gonna go for the greenies?

Fish Chris reply :

Hello btlva. I tried finding my long answer, to why I believe the fish is a pure Smallmouth..... but lost that post now.

Anyway, the gist of it is, it is exceedingly uncommon for Smallmouths to "naturally" interbreed with Largemouths..... a little more common with Spotted Bass, but there are no Spots in this lake.

The other thing is, so many people (most) will look straight to the color, as the first indicator, while any trained biologists will barely consider this aspect, noting that colors can vary so much, depending a whole long list of factors.

I remember when I first saw the WR Spotted bass (not the current one... but the one right before that) I got all bent out of shape, and was hollering, "These idiots don't even know the difference between a Spotted bass and a Smallie" !!! ...... So then I got in touch with the Ca DFG Senior biologist at that time, a buddy of mine by the name of Dennis Lee. Dennis explained the whole list of things they used to determine the actual species.... Scale counts, fin rays, teeth patch on tongue, etc..... Then went on to say, "Yes, the color sure looked a lot like a Smallie".... Which just goes to show why color is so "not to be trusted".

......To which I replied, "You da' man..... But I'm learning" :-)

Oh hey, I just found that picture ! Here was the official, certified by trained biologists, World Record "Spotted Bass" of 9 lb 9.6 oz ! Can you see why I thought every one was losing there minds ???

Interesting stuff....

Peace,

Fish

Oh hey Dominion, I'm pretty much chasing the big green ones now :-)

Dan: reply :

Do you like LM more than SM? I think I prefer catching SM but I haven't caught trophy sizes of either fish so I don't know how they would compare at that level.

roadwarrior reply :

Pound for pound, NOTHING to talk about...but smallmouth don't get to be 15+ lbs!

Fish Chris reply :

Hey Dominian, I'm not sure if you were directing that question specifically towards me, but anyway..... I like LM's, SM's, Catfish, Sturgeon, Halibut, Stripers, Bat Rays, Leopard Sharks, Crappie, Carp, Bluegill, etc, etc. Pretty much the determing factor for me is whichever of these species is biting the best at that time.

For a period of about 8 years straight (from 97' to 05') I fished SO hard-core for nothing but trophy LM's. And it was all good. No regrets. But nowadays, I have kind of reverted back to my roots, which is to say, if it will bite my hook, and pull my string, I'm down with it :-) That said, I'm still always shooting for the biggest individual of whatever species I'm targeting at the time.

Peace,

Fish

sal669 reply :

Green-monster: Youngman, I raise my hat to you !!!

Just my opinion, Fish Cris: I think the youngster would get more fun out off a nice combo than a replica that hangs on the wall and colects dust ( he'll never forget that fish anyhow !!!). Or you might teach him how to catch an even bigger LMB. Or both... Nice gesture to give the youth credit !!!

guest reply :

Quote
I like LM's, SM's, Catfish, Sturgeon, Halibut, Stripers, Bat Rays, Leopard Sharks, Crappie, Carp, Bluegill, etc, etc. Pretty much the determing factor for me is whichever of these species is biting the best at that time.

amen

rvrnr64 reply :

That is exactly why I throw 'em back. If I want to eat fish I'll go to a restraunt or the grocery store.

Pike_Master reply :

that is the biggest smallie i have ever seen and id love 2 see that in person! ;D

Jeff H reply :

Geez....what an absolutely beautiful smallie!! Definitely get a replica...or 2

slarose20 reply :

That is so cool. Grats on the catch. It is def. the same fish which is just amazing in it's own sense. I do have to add i think it is a great thing that your going to lengths end to thank this kid. That is what helps promote the sport we all love and helps it grow in the direction we all desire it to grow.

TIGHT LINES ALL

SteveL

P.S. - I know smallies fight a lot harder than large mouths do. How was the fight on this pig? Im betting it was a good one. Heh ... only fight that would of been extremely crazy would be catching that fish on a ultra light rod/reel combo lol can you imagine...

hog heaven reply :

NICE CATCH its great to see such awsome sportsmanship, catch and release practices have really boosted the fisheries in america .

LINES OUT!!!

hollandbass reply :

This is an amazing story and FC is DA MAN! ;D

13331

Ha ! I did catch the lake record Smallie !!! 2024

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