New State Record Bass!

[Ole the Guide]

I caught a 3 lber. the other day and it had about a 1/4 lb. sunnie half swallowed. Just the tail sticking out. Match the hatch? Worked for me!

Ole

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Quote:

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And, yes. Lake Auburn is going to be hammered. An 8-15 makes you take notice of the lake, but the guy mentioned they caught some 6 to 7 pound fish the day before. Some as in several, huh? I guess they asked for it.

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Maybe he didnt really catch it at Auburn. Could be just using it as a cover up. If you got a honey hole putting out 6-7 lb fish, let alone a state record, I dont know if I would want to advertise it.

Does anyone know if the fish is still alive? Is it going into the cabelas tank. I would love to see that fish.

[Muddog]

What I understand is, it is illegal to transport live fish from a lake. Unless you are 16 year old or younger or have a sales slip.

Mums the word.

[Mark Christianson]

I have posted on a few of the other topics around this fish.

He got permission from the DNR to transport the fish alive.

Its all legal.

[jerkin'm]

I think it went to Linders tank in Brainerd, supposedly Cabela's didn't want it....

[Captain B.R.K]

Thanks for the update BB, I knew it was illegal but sounds like the DNR allowed this one.....glad he looked into before hand!

[LEECH21]

Crazy if Cabela's didn't want it. Think of how much bussiness that could have brought in just from people coming in to see the pig! I think it would be worth it because I would've gone.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I heard their was an article in the Pioneer Press the other day about the fish. From the sounds of it the DNR wont let him sell/loan the fish to Cabelas, thats why Cabelas wont get it.

I guess he has also considered releasing it, but the DNR may not allow that either.

[H.Hughes]

What say does the DNR have in that? Let me guess they arent getting a cut of what Cabelas offered, so they said no?

I agree, I would have went just to see it in the tank.

And if you've NEVER had a live fish in your livewell on the way home, I have a 15" fill in the blank...

[fisherman]

The record largemouth bass caught last week and kept alive in a tank for possible public display has died.

But the controversy over what angler Mark Raveling of Spring Park did after catching the 8-pound, 15-ounce whopper -- a Minnesota record -- remains alive.

Raveling, 54, a tournament bass angler for 20 years, could have been cited for illegally transporting the fish alive. State regulations prohibit the transportation of live fish, except minnows, from lakes.

However, Mike Hamm, DNR enforcement chief, said the regulations conflict with a state statute, which appears to allow the transportation of "wild animals." He said DNR officials intend to reexamine the statutes and regulations.

There are no plans at this time to cite Raveling, Hamm said.

Mark RavelingBruce BispingStar Tribune"It seems like we should be celebrating the fish and not trying to find a way to issue a citation," said Mark LaBarbera, DNR communications director.

Said Raveling: "Whatever happens, happens." He said the experience of catching the record bass Oct. 3 has been "unbelievable."

The fish died Sunday of unknown causes in a private tank in Brainerd.

"I felt sick about it," said Raveling. "I wanted the fish to survive." He now plans to have it mounted.

But the story isn't over.

At the heart of the issue are DNR fishing regulations that say: "All fish must be killed before transportation." The regulation is intended to prevent anglers from moving fish from one lake to another, potentially harming the natural fishery of a lake by introducing diseased fish or other species, including invasive species.

In fact, Auburn Lake near Victoria, where Raveling caught his record bass, is infested with Eurasian water milfoil, an exotic plant accidentally introduced into the state 20 years ago. The invasive species, which forms mats of vegetation that crowd out native plants, has spread to about 170 lakes and streams. The DNR and lake associations are trying desperately to prevent its spread.

"We're not trying to be punitive to anglers; we're trying to protect our resources," said Ron Payer, DNR fisheries chief.

When Raveling told DNR officials that he wanted to register his record fish alive, he opened a Pandora's box. DNR officials believe that has never been attempted before. He was first told he must kill the fish. Even after he kept it alive in a tank for a week, and it was certified as a state record fish, DNR officials still were puzzled over what to allow Raveling to do with the fish.

It couldn't be sold, because regulations prevent the sale of game fish.

Payer said Raveling apparently violated DNR regulations when he transported his bass from the lake to the DNR area fishery office in Montrose for positive identification. And it would have been a separate violation to transport water in his livewell from an infested lake.

At Montrose, area fisheries manager Paul Diedrich issued Raveling a permit for him to take the bass to the new Cabela's store in Rogers, where Raveling hoped it could be displayed.

When that didn't work out, Raveling took the fish to Brainerd, apparently in violation of the permit he was issued and state fishing regulations. He put the fish in a large tank owned by Al and Ron Lindner of Lindner Media Productions, who have a permit to keep some native Minnesota fish species on display for photographic purposes.

Raveling's desire to display the fish alive for profit breaks other new ground.

"Do we commercialize our fish, and what do we do with other wildlife?" asked Payer. "It opens up a lot of intriguing questions."

Those questions are unlikely to go away. Many fishing boats have livewells that allow anglers to keep fish alive until they are ready to dispatch them. And the catch-and-release practice has grown, meaning some anglers would prefer to release a big fish -- even a record fish.

Current regulations make it difficult to have a fish officially weighed without killing it.

And, of course, money has become a factor. The fishing industry is big business. Millions of dollars in prizes are awarded at pro fishing tournaments each year. And a record fish could potentially mean big money for the lucky angler in the form of endorsements or advertising.

"Fishing is my living," Raveling said. He gets paid to make appearances and give fishing presentations. Catching a state-record fish won't hurt.

"This is something that doesn't happen very often," he said. "It's been great."

Startibune Article OCT 11, 2005

[cableguy031]

So in order to avoid these complications from state regulations, why bother with announcing a pig. All it's gonna do is stir up a bunch of "political red-tape", all for one state record fish.

Disgusting!!!

[leechlake]

I was reading the Star and Trib article and it reminded me of all the controversy's about mounting a big fish rather than releasing. I've always thought keeping a record fish like that is 100% fine. I also kind of blow off the rule on transporting a live fish, it's a record and I thought he wanted others to enjoy it

Now, the fisherman get's a permit to transport to Rogers but then takes it to Brainerd (beyone scope of permit) and then to paraphrase say's whatever happens happens I'm a pro fisherman and this is how I make my living so I'll roll the dice on breaking the law (I admit that's the context of what he said and it's my opinion what he meant actually he said, "fishing is my living" and "whatever happens happens") so I can make money off of this record fish. I think that's talk and at least on paper comes out as arrogant as all heck. That's like a professional hunting guide shooting a state record buck, not tagging it and then transporting it around the state and out of the zone he shot it in. Is that okay or is it only okay if it's how he makes his living?

I'm not even saying the dnr should cite the guy or take the fish away. What I'm really thinking is he could use a little advise on handling the situation a little better. I can guarantee that with comments like are reported in the trib today people will question all circumstances involved in this fish and it's too bad. Plain and simple, nice fish, good job catching, the end. I'm sure some of you are friends with him and I'm sure he's a great guy I'm not saying he isn't.

[Slyster]

I guess if one catches a state record.. you HAVE to have it weighed at a certified scale.. so there's no choice but to kill it. Kindof sad. How do the pro's weigh their fish in a tournament? They are alive in bags and transported?

[musky hunter]

I applaud Raveling for exposing the unreasonable implications of the state law. If I catch a potential state record and I could have it certified, photographed, and released alive I would. And if someone does catch a record and can profit from the display of the fish, what's wrong with that? The law is intended to prevent the trafficing of fish to restaurants. But the display of a record fish for others to enjoy should be permitted. Hopefully, some improved regulations that make it lawful to transport trophy fish under certain conditions will result.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Actually, I believe that the law is to prevent the spread of exotic species.

[musky hunter]

Clarifacation: the selling of fish without a commercial licence is what I was intending to refer to. That potentially could prevent selling a trophy to an facility like Cabella's for display. I would like to see an exception for transporting of a live fish for weighing and quick return to the water it came from, or for transport to an approved aquarium for display.

[Lunker]

All I can say is congrats. That's a big fish. I have been saying for about 2 years that the record would be broken within three, so this was the last year that I could be right. It's too bad that he admitted to taking it out of such a small lake, I wouldn't go anywhere near that one for a while.