I just read the article on bassmaster.com
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/fishing/news/story?page=f_fea_bass_world-record_Weakley_25.1

To quote: "Weakley now plans to submit his catch for verification by the IGFA, along with photos, video and the scale."

All I can say is guys... Please don't do it. Please I'm begging you, don't do it. We've suffered through the Paul Duclos thing, the Leah Trew thing, and a dozen more crazy and idiotic stories. We don't need this, please.

No one is going to doubt the fish was record size. It looks absolutely 25 pounds to me. That's not the problem. The problem is it was snagged, and it was a bed fish. This wasn't a crankbait fish that got fouled, or a topwater fish that caught the hook in the nose, this was a bed fish. If this was a tournament, you'd have to throw it back. And DFG law makes it pretty darn clear that catching fish outside the mouth is not legal, so please don't do it. Spare us the pain.

If it was accidental, OK no problem - it was an accident. You guys took some pics and weighed the fish, OK - no problem, anyone would do that if they boated a fish like that. But please don't submit the fish for thet world record. It makes California bed fishermen look bad, it makes trophy fishermen look bad, it makes bass fishermen look bad, and it makes fishermen in general look bad. Like a bunch of guys who don't care if they accidentally snag a big fish, like that's no big deal. Please ask yourselves if that's the message you want to send to the world.

You guys worked as hard as anyone fishing for that one fish, but c'mon don't let it end like this. It's just not right. The bass fishing community doesn't deserve to go through another circus.

-Rob