Northwest Fishing Reports

ah ha -- knew that title would get the bass anglers on this site excited. Sorry guys, No new record as far as I know. However, I would like to pose the question -- What would you do if you were lucky (or skillfully) enough to actually catch a state record bass? I know several of you would not want to kill it -- And, maybe a few trout anglers would just take it home and filet it. ( Just kidding trout anglers -- I know most of you are true sportsmen.) Anyway, the power of the bass clubs have created a large slot limit to protect America's favorite game fish but as far as I know it is still illegal to transport a live fish to a scale for an official weight. I personally think that as a group we probably could change that by writing the WDFW and suggesting a change in the rules that would allow you to transport one live bass over 20 inches. Many anglers have live wells or large coolers where they could probably transport the fish without much harm. Personally, I really don't know what I would do -- Figured I'd cross that bridge when I came to it. Probably a state record fish would be close to the end of it's life span. Anyway, I'm interested in your thoughts on this subject.

Okay it's like this , i Dream every night about catching a state record bass thats my motivation to wake up @ 4am and start heading out to a lake and pursue him ... If I had would i thought was a record and i was able to keep this fish alive @ the lake .. Step 1 : call a friend that lives the closest to the lake im fishing and tell him "GET DOWN HEAR NOW" ..Step 2 : leave my friend and the fish @ the lake while drive to the first Tackel shop that i come across ..Step 3 : allow that bait shop to make the calls and do all the leg work as far as contacting wildlife guys or whoever ..They will be willing to do this because if the fish is a new record they would want it to be known that the angler came too there shop to report it $$$...Step 3: Go down in history as being the baddest basser in the state , I would get the measurements of the fish and pics anf take that info to a Taxidormy and have him make my fish ...and after its all said in done i would do some soul searching too find motivation to continue fishing for bass and dealing with dinks all over again (GOTTA LOVE IT )...What more can a angler do ? ...BBD

hopefully put it in the live well then call the game department.

That is the crux of the problem for me, trying to keep the bass alive and not harm it any more than necessary. Given that there is no way of knowing how fast WDFW can get there with the certifed scale, if I know I cannot with a good conscience keep the bass safe and alive, I'll take the photos with a tape measure for reference and let it go. Tell you what... WDFW had better get their fannies to said lake stat!

I would have to second what BBD suggests but ultimately I what do WHATEVER IT TOOK to get that RECORD!
ARRRRGH WEIGH ME BASS BOYS AND MOUNT THAT SCALYWAG!!
LOL All joking aside I would try my hardest to C&R but a record is a record!
Tight lines and may my next bass be the state record!
:king:KEEPING IT REEL! JERZ JAY aka EdmondsBassman:king:

I wonder if after they verify it's a state record if they'd let me eat it? ;) hehe (I know that'll ruffle a few feathers but hey I couldn't resist.)

Hey Proverb,
I got a great recipe! LOL

I heard that the only thing tastier than a state record bass is a bass between 12" and 17"
:rambo:

What about transporting it alive anyway? That way you could get the record and the bass could live! How much could the fine be? Is the fine worth the c&r?

Damviking wrote: What about transporting it alive anyway? That way you could get the record and the bass could live! How much could the fine be? Is the fine worth the c&r?

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Viking is right. Years ago I belonged to a bass club and we transported bass numerous times to a certified scale and returned them to the lake. No one ever got busted for it. Dez's intentions are noble but probably Fishnislife is more realistic. Old fish are not as tough as the younger ones. I once had an 8 pound, 4 ounce fish die from the stress of being caught. I didn't kill her -- she just died. I weighed that one on an official certified scale and sent a scale sample to the area fish biologist, John Weinheimer. He said, "The female bass you caught was 14+ years old at the time of her capture. It is my understanding that the Maximum life span of a bass is about 15 years. Another biologist, Theodore Muller said the fish may have been barren when caught. So keeping a state record probably wouldn't harm the gene pool much -- if any.

I definitely would not eat it. A fish that old would taste horrible and you can't make jerky or sausage out of it like you would a trophy deer or elk.
In reality, If the fish topped 10 pounds, I would get it weighed ASAP and drive like gangbusters to the taxidermist. By the way, I would shoot a BUNCH of pictures.
I believe in Catch-and-Release and practice it like a religion, but its just one little sin.

what is the right phone number to contact wdfw regarding a new state record bass if caught?

i'd definitely add it up on my phone address book if given.

I'd let it go and keep my big mouth shut.

Weigh it, measure it, snaps a billion pictures, let her free. Get a repro. Post about it on the web and sit back and watch the flurry of "B*llsh*t!" msgs pour in and laugh to myself.

yea. thats what i'd do ;)

Take some pictures and set it free.

A state record and five bucks will get you a pretty good cup of coffee, and thats about it.

Damviking wrote: What about transporting it alive anyway? That way you could get the record and the bass could live! How much could the fine be? Is the fine worth the c&r?

I agree with the Viking: I might try to get it to a certified scale(grocery store)but it'd be in my livewell with all the pumps running on full but it would get released after the official weigh-in. Take plenty of pics and measurements. I don't think you'd get fined for taking it back to the same lake and releasing it and even if you did, it' be worth the fine. Might have to take that one to court. I think a judge might get a laugh out of that one, huh.

I'd go to Disneyland!!!!