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swimbait | Mon Mar-20-06 08:15 PM |
Charter member
9890 posts
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#7702, "Mac, Jed, Mike - please guys"
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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
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RE: Mac, Jed, Mike - please guys,
DoubleTrouble,
Mar 20th 2006, #1
RE: Mac, Jed, Mike - please guys,
strbass,
Mar 20th 2006, #3
RE: Mac, Jed, Mike - please guys,
59lbwsb,
Mar 20th 2006, #4
RE: Mac, Jed, Mike - please guys,
swimbait,
Mar 20th 2006, #5
RE: Mac, Jed, Mike - please guys,
Urban,
Mar 20th 2006, #7
RE: Mac, Jed, Mike - please guys,
troutplug,
Mar 20th 2006, #2
RE: Mac, Jed, Mike - please guys,
Slough Crew,
Mar 20th 2006, #6
RE: Mac, Jed, Mike - please guys,
MOBassman,
Mar 21st 2006, #8
Mike Jones Comments (link),
jsmith,
Mar 22nd 2006, #13
RE: Mike Jones Comments (link),
strbass,
Mar 22nd 2006, #14
RE: Mike Jones Comments (link),
Bigbass101,
Mar 23rd 2006, #15
RE: Mike Jones Comments (link),
swimbait,
Mar 23rd 2006, #16
RE: Rob, You and I have not always agreed, but I do now...,
DanO,
Mar 21st 2006, #9
RE: Rob, You and I have not always agreed, but I do now...,
swimbait,
Mar 21st 2006, #10
RE: Rob, You and I have not always agreed, but I do now...,
fishnfool,
Mar 21st 2006, #11
RE: Rob, You and I have not always agreed, but I do now...,
DanO,
Mar 21st 2006, #12
RE: Mac, Jed, Mike - please guys,
ABandALLstars,
Mar 27th 2006, #17
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strbass | Mon Mar-20-06 08:37 PM |
Member since Nov 25th 2005
72 posts
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#7705, "RE: Mac, Jed, Mike - please guys"
In response to Reply # 1
Mon Mar-20-06 10:33 PM by strbass
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>I hope >someone eventually does catch that fish and I hope it's a >young kid.
If that would be the case, the WR would be as good as dead.
I agree with R.B. on this
It's going to be a huge mess if it's accepted.
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strbass | Wed Mar-22-06 07:37 PM |
Member since Nov 25th 2005
72 posts
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#7730, "RE: Mike Jones Comments (link)"
In response to Reply # 13
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>Yeah, here's a closer link to Mike Jones commenting on the >situation. Pretty valid comments all the way around, I say. > >http://www.bassfan.com/Opinion_article.asp?ID=60 >
Once again Mike hits the nail on the head.
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Bigbass101 | Thu Mar-23-06 11:58 AM |
Member since Apr 30th 2004
9 posts
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#7735, "RE: Mike Jones Comments (link)"
In response to Reply # 14
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Have things changed since yesterday. It is to my understanding that they won't submit it as the new world record.
http://www.bassfan.com/news_article.asp?id=1661
Rick's Ultimate Bass Fishing
http://www.geocities.com/rdvtavssvjnm/BASS/BASSx.html
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DanO | Tue Mar-21-06 12:25 PM |
Member since Jun 01st 2004
23 posts
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#7712, "RE: Rob, You and I have not always agreed, but I do now..."
In response to Reply # 0
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There is enough information coming out now that casts doubt on the method and motivations surrounding this catch, and it does take away from the purity of the pursuit of the world record.
Undoubtedly a fantastic fish, a miracle of genetics, environment and survival, and in my mind definately the biggest bass caught.
However, there are things involved that taint this and give it the feel of Barry Bonds chasing Ruth and Aaron. We will all admit that this fish was landed, but, they already know that there are vital elements of the submission for world record consideration that are missing. No measurements and not on Dixon's certified scale, besides the fish would have to be turned over for examination. Never mind the fact that it was foul hooked; the other items will probably not be overlooked.
We have all watched as several people that post here and other sites pursue giant fish for the purity of the pursuit. And while I would not have a problem with the person who caught it benefitting financially from their conquest; these three appear to mainly be in this for the financial reason. After reading Sowbelly, I got that impression, and now that we find out that their attorney was present or consulted, and they tried to pay off the Barnett kid to allow them to approach the fish, it seems more so now. I may be wrong about that, but it certainly feels that way.
Duclos seems to be at his craft for the pure pursuit of giant fish, and Mike Long, while commercially benefitting from his exploits, seems to be truly and passionately inlove with his quarry. I have heard from someone who knows him, that he keeps scale samples and detailed records of every fish over 10 pounds he has caught, for learning purposes. I believe Belloni truly enjoys the pursuit for the passion of it, and many others, he wouldn't have posted what he did above if he didn't care about the purity of this record.
This is an amazing set of occurrences, and while the fish to me is legitimatley the biggest bass ever caught, too much turmoil surrounds it, and a wise man would proceed with caution.
Dan O'Sullivan Dan O'Sullivan
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swimbait | Tue Mar-21-06 01:43 PM |
Charter member
9890 posts
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#7713, "RE: Rob, You and I have not always agreed, but I do now..."
In response to Reply # 9
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Well thanks. You know I always felt like Paul Duclos' fish was just unfortunate because his fish was clearly huge and it just didn't get handled the right way to get the record. The Leah Trew thing was a complete sham IMO, as have been all of the other purported world record claims.
This one is a new twist but every time I think about it, it just seems so wrong. Consider this scenario and see if you don't agree:
You're standing on the shore at a lake in CA Fishing for a 2lb male on a bed The game warden walks down and checks your license Everything is great and you're chatting. He says, "look a hawk" and you both look up Suddenly you feel a tug and set the hook When the fish comes in, it has the hook stuck in the back You say, "fantastic, I just got myself some dinner" and you put it on a stringer.
Does the game warden
a) Tell you OK and walk away b) Tell you to release the fish because it was foul hooked accidentally.
The answer is b, every time. I don't think any game warden would disagree and I can't see how this fish will get certified as the WRB, It will just be a publicity storm (look at what ESPN is already doing) that will end with the catch being disqualified.
Mac Weakly has an opportunity to stop the process by not submitting the catch to the IGFA. By doing so I think he would earn a lot of people's respect and he would give back to bass fishing some of the integrity it has lost through all of these botched and bogus claims in the past. If you're out there reading this Mac, I hope that's what you do.
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DanO | Tue Mar-21-06 02:07 PM |
Member since Jun 01st 2004
23 posts
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#7715, "RE: Rob, You and I have not always agreed, but I do now..."
In response to Reply # 10
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Rob,
I just talked to Ed Zieralski, the writer covering the story give me a call later, this evening after 5:00PM
(916) 412-5232 cell
Dan O'Sullivan Dan O'Sullivan
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