23.5 Inch Bass...

[ironman]

Congrats on a awesome fish!! I agree that the state should adopt or create some kind of catch and release records or allow C&R to be eligible for records. However they would still have to adhere to seasons, because somebody would intentionally fish during the spring closed season just to catch a record fish. With bass, walleyes and other gamefish commonly being caught on crappie tackle how would you police such activity? It does seem the current system of having to kill a potential record fish seems to fly in the face of other sound resource management. Again, tip o the hat to the lucky lady!!

[Captain B.R.K]

Nice catch! I'm sitting here wavering back in forth on what I would do. In front of the computer typing, I'm saying I would have released it. If I'm the one in the boat help catching and landing that trophy, why then I'm all for taking a picture. Like Hanson said, you don't catch many once in a life time fish. If a cititation would have come at the expense of that nice fish, I'd have one heck of fish story to tell ......wouldn't I?!?

[hanson]

How many walleyes on Upper Red Lake have been photographed over the last several winters that were supposed to be returned to the water ASAP according to the regulations? Not only were they photographed but posted all over the internet as well.

[BigTen]

First, congrats on the fish.

Second, not to be a jerk, but if it actually "grates" on you to take a spawning fish off her bed, why were you out there? You know the chances of taking fish off their bed is very, very good.......Just curious...

[lars0926]

Swimmer,

I too caught what would be a state record bass this past weekend. I did photograph it, I weighed it, I measured it on the board, and immediately released it. Due to it being an out of season catch, I'm happy with the witness and a photo. The beauty of catching a fish like that was that it was totally unplanned. Got her on 1/32 oz. jig and paddletail, 4 lb. test line, and a 7.5' Thorne Bros. rod. Like the guy in the boat with me said, "Who would want to register the fish anyway and give away this gem of a lake." CPR is where it's at!

[Ralph Wiggum]

Lars, aren't you going to share the weight and measurements???

[TurnUpTheFishing]

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Oh yea, my thought about waiting till Fall to catch her again, is that it is great to let her get her genetics on this Spring at least for one more season

. There is something about taking a spawning fish off her bed that grates on me. By fishing for her in the Fall, she would be fattening up for the Winter and also putting on eggs. Then she would be a legit State record and I wouldn't have taken her off her bed. It is unfortunate that the State doesn't support a catch and release record system. Then a guy (person) could hold her in the live-well and have a DNR guy weigh her on a certified scale and presto, she lives to fight again. We release basically all fish, but a record fish must? be kept.

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I agree with you on fishing bedded fish, I dont like to catch them either. But in this case if it meant getting a better picture then I would try to locate her. If you try to locate her in the fall she may be long gone. Also I have heard that a quick catch and release of bedding fish doesnt really affect them.

[ironman]

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Second, not to be a jerk, but if it actually "grates" on you to take a spawning fish off her bed, why were you out there? You know the chances of taking fish off their bed is very, very good.......Just curious...

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Um...I dont think bass are spawing quite yet. Geesh!

[BigTen]

Swimmer said it, not me.

[Swimmer]

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Oh yea, my thought about waiting till Fall to catch her again, is that it is great to let her get her genetics on this Spring at least for one more season

. There is something about taking a spawning fish off her bed that grates on me. By fishing for her in the Fall, she would be fattening up for the Winter and also putting on eggs. Then she would be a legit State record and I wouldn't have taken her off her bed. It is unfortunate that the State doesn't support a catch and release record system. Then a guy (person) could hold her in the live-well and have a DNR guy weigh her on a certified scale and presto, she lives to fight again. We release basically all fish, but a record fish must? be kept.

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I agree with you on fishing bedded fish, I dont like to catch them either. But in this case if it meant getting a better picture then I would try to locate her. If you try to locate her in the fall she may be long gone. Also I have heard that a quick catch and release of bedding fish doesnt really affect them.

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First, a clearification...the fish was kept IN the water while the camera was readied.

Ya, I understand the logic of locating her on her bed...but...she may be spawned out too...and thus less than the magic record weight. I like the idea of the quest of finding her in the Fall in this small lake...it's the journey right? Maybe by then the DNR will develop a C&R record system.

[MossBoss95]

I dont understand how people can say if you took a picture of a fish that it was the wrong thing to do and that it should have been released within 1 mili second of catching it. Do you not have to bring the fish in to unhook it? I dont think there is anyone out there that if they caught a monster fish that they wouldnt think of snaping a picture if they had a cammera. Now if you put it in a livewell and went to get the cammera that might be construded as wrong but in the middle of the lake and with a cammera onboard, no-problem in my mind.

I say congrats on a nice fish and post the picture so we all can share in a little excitement.

[zebco4040]

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I dont understand how people can say if you took a picture of a fish that it was the wrong thing to do and that it should have been released within 1 mili second of catching it. Do you not have to bring the fish in to unhook it? I dont think there is anyone out there that if they caught a monster fish that they wouldnt think of snaping a picture if they had a cammera. Now if you put it in a livewell and went to get the cammera that might be construded as wrong but in the middle of the lake and with a cammera onboard, no-problem in my mind.

I say congrats on a nice fish and post the picture so we all can share in a little excitement.

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My thoughts exactly

[Swimmer]

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I am suprised that MN does not have a Master Angler Catch and Release program - it is a great asset. I believe many a fish has been let go here in NE since you can turn your catch in with the length of the fish as long as you have a witness or a pic with measurements and you go on the books/

HSOforum

and get a certificate of your catch. Nice thing is their is no limit on C&R master angler fish but there is for kept fish. Might be something that MN DNR takes a look at - could promote a better fishery in the future - who knows! I just caught a MA Crappie over the weekend that went 15.25" and got a pic and a witness and now she swims free to spawn and be caught another day. Will get my certificate in a couple of weeks. Dont feel bad, from what you have said you handled that fish better than a lot of other fish that have been weighed, measured, numerous pics taken then finally released being out of the water for a couple of minutes IN SEASON. Don't feel bad and good luck with the replica.

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Ya, that is a good program. I lived in Omaha for 5 yrs and have certificates for a 16.5" Crappie and a 40" Channel cat...both out of Merritt Resevoir (Valentine, NE) while fishing for Musky! BUT, the Master Angler Certificates are cool...but not the same thing as a State Record.

[Doonbuggy]

Congratulations on a monster fish. I too would have taken a picture and released it. A graphite replica is the way to go in my opinion.

My solution: get a double made of your picture and on the extra have the face of the person holding the fish "blurred" out. We see the fish, you remain anonymous.

DB

[Swimmer]

Check out the photo sharing section. Again, sorry about the quality.

[SomethingFishy*]

Nice Fish.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Very nice, but that picture doesnt give that fish enough justice. I would be bummed out bigtime.

[HawgTide]

There's going to be people on both sides of the fence, but my feeling is there should be no replica/no photos. A fish caught out of season is not a trophy. If you hit a big buck with your car, would you have it mounted? I know it's not the same thing, but a trophy regardless of specie should be caught/killed during it's own open season and by the means that the sport was intended.

Just my opinion, I'm not knocking anyone. And that's a great fish regardless.

[Bobb-o]

If i hit a big enough buck i would get it mounted. just think of the funny story, "where did you shoot that one?" "Got him in the middle of 35E"

[TurnUpTheFishing]

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There's going to be people on both sides of the fence, but my feeling is there should be no replica/no photos. A fish caught out of season is not a trophy. If you hit a big buck with your car, would you have it mounted? I know it's not the same thing, but a trophy regardless of specie should be caught/killed during it's own open season and by the means that the sport was intended.

Just my opinion, I'm not knocking anyone. And that's a great fish regardless.

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Not trying to start an argument, but what your saying is if you were fishing crappies and you got a 15lb. walleye this weekend, you wouldnt even take a picture?

[WigglinMyWorm]

Instead of Hawgtide your name should be Hawgwash....As long as he was not specifically trying to catch bass and still caught one.... in my book it still a trophy.....trophy has a lot a different meanings to different people......as long as it wasn't the target of the catch...that 23.5 inch bass is a trophy to me.

[HawgTide]

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Not trying to start an argument, but what your saying is if you were fishing crappies and you got a 15lb. walleye this weekend, you wouldnt even take a picture?

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Well, the regs say immediate release, so no I wouldn't take a picture. Unhook and release is how I interpret "immediate". It doesn't say you have 1 minute to release the fish. I try to play by the rules. Like I said, I'm not knocking anyone. Besides, is 15lbs a big Walleye? I've never fished for them.

[cjac]

I'm fine with the picture being taken, but the whole "lip gripper" thing used in the picture doesn't seem to me to be the most kind to the fish, especially one that weight.

That's a lot of strian on her being hung from one little "pinch point". Got to treat those fish right every time..........

[HawgTide]

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Instead of Hawgtide your name should be Hawgwash....As long as he was not specifically trying to catch bass and still caught one.... in my book it still a trophy.....trophy has a lot a different meanings to different people......as long as it wasn't the target of the catch...that 23.5 inch bass is a trophy to me.

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Oh, I see how it is...On a discussion board, someone asks for an opinion, you give it, then you call them names when you don't agree???

I clearly stated that that was my opinion and I was not knocking on what they did.

[cjac]

I hear ya Hawg, you have every right to express an opinion, just as we all did the prior 5 pages worth of posts.

I have to say, your comment on the 15 lb walleye made me laugh out loud at my desk! Thanks for the chuckle!