State Record Hunt

[BDawg23]

My buddy and I will be heading up to the Cass County area for what we are calling the "state record hunt." Haha. I have a small lake up there that has forest service access only that the DNR surveyed some monster largemouth in. We will be carrying in a boat and a small trolling motor to try it out.

We will also be fishing a couple lakes that hold some big smallies. One of them came 4 ounces off the state record back in 2004 with a 7 lbs 12 ouncer. I know the season is closed but hypothetically what if we caught a state record smallie? If we have a certified scale and have a witness would that count? Or because the season is technically closed would it automatically not qualify? I wouldn't be surprised if this topic has been brought up in the past but am curious to gain thought.

I will look forwrard to posting results after the trip.

[smalliehunter]

Smallmouths are catch and release right now and I believe they have to weight the fish dead for it to be certified.. Also your pm box is full..

[Cecil]

It would not qualify as it has to be certified annd you wouldnt be able to do that on the lake. I would cry if I caught one and couldnt count it...

[blakjack23]

Well 'dead' is the rule. But Mr. Raveling weighed his largie alive. So apparently the rules can be broken if you catch a record.

But of course you'd be breaking at least 3 rules if you brought a live smallie in for a weigh.

[BDawg23]

I run some tournaments and my scale is certified. To my point if it is witnessed by others on the scale say at the ramp, would that fly? I know it would obviously be breaking the rule of immediate catch & release but the intent would be to obviously release it immediately after that. Where is the rule stated that a record has to be weighed dead? As mentioned, the largie record was released.

[JBMasterAngler]

I believe the DNR has to do tests on the fish as well to determine the species, even if the picture would clearly show that it is a smallmouth. If a DNR rep wasn't there, who's to say a person that caught the record didn't just shove a bunch of lead sinkers down it's throat to add some more weight to the fish?

[JBMasterAngler]

Yep, just checked the regs. After weighed and witnessed, the fish must be taken to a DNR fisheries office for positive ID, and for angler to fill out a record fish application.

[BDawg23]

You obviously can't transport fish with lake water in the livewell so unless jugs of drinking water are available the chance to release a fish is pretty slim by the looks of it. Well, so it catching a state record in that case!

I will have 2 days of fishing during the week when a fisheries office would be open so I am keeping my fingers crossed I catch the state R on one of those days

SmallieHunter,

My PM box is empty now.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I run some tournaments and my scale is certified. To my point if it is witnessed by others on the scale say at the ramp, would that fly? I know it would obviously be breaking the rule of immediate catch & release but the intent would be to obviously release it immediately after that. Where is the rule stated that a record has to be weighed dead? As mentioned, the largie record was released.

The current largemouth record wasnt released. Mark tried to keep it alive, get it certified and then release it but the DNR wouldnt allow it. The Lindners took it for their aquarium and it died there not long after. Mark also got several fines for transporting the water and fish.

[hockeybc69]

Quote:

Mark also got several fines for transporting the water and fish.

Where did you hear that Raveling was fined turnup??

Thats completely untrue. A friend of mine in the DNR Fisheries was involved in the whole thing. Not going to get into specifics, but I can assure you there were no fines involved. Raveling did a lot of work before he ever left that lake with the fish in the livewell.

I see how rumors are started on the internet. LOLLL..

[KrappieKilla]

If you take me with I'll show you what to do

What could happen if you let it die, took it in, took the slap on the wrist or fine or whatever and tried to make it go official?

Then again I'm a crappie killa what do I know.

Would hate to catch a state record and not get credit!

[TruthWalleyes]

Catch it and release it.

I've often wondered what i'd do with a record flathead, channel, sturgeon, walleye, northern, crappie, etc.... I'd take a few photo's, some measurements, and release it.

In, or Out of season...But that's just me.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Where did you hear that Raveling was fined turnup??

Thats completely untrue. A friend of mine in the DNR Fisheries was involved in the whole thing. Not going to get into specifics, but I can assure you there were no fines involved. Raveling did a lot of work before he ever left that lake with the fish in the livewell.

I see how rumors are started on the internet. LOLLL..

Didnt/doesnt seem outlandish of a story. I figured it was a $100 ticket or something not some huge fine.

I believe it was in an article about the record catch back when it happened. Memory is fuzzy but I remember reading (maybe hearing) that Mark got a fine for transporting it and the Lindner's said they'd cover the tab.

[blakjack23]

The articles I had read specifically stated he did NOT get any fines.

[Cabela10]

I believe the record would not stand if you caught the fish out of season. I would guess that the record has to be during the open season for that particular species.