So you catch a state or world record fish.............

[RUGER]

Especially with catfish it would be awful hard to keep it alive long enough for weight, certification etc.
No matter the species, if you caught what is a new record, do you take pics, measurements etc. and let it go or do you, more than likely, kill it to get the record?
Came up last weekend and I thought it would be an interesting conversation.

I'm kinda torn on the issue but honestly I would probably get the record.
Oddly enough I would be more likely to turn any species back without it, other than a bluegill.

 

[SES]

I caught a smallmouth 10+ years ago on the Holston River that weighed 9 pounds if it weighed an ounce. She was crammed full of eggs. Me and my brother both left our phones in the truck and couldn't take a picture. Laid her on the paddle we had in the boat and you couldn't see the paddle blade at all. He said I should keep her and have her mounted and I looked at him and said,"I'll catch bigger" and slipped her back in the water. I kick my self daily for not keeping that fish. Caught it on a white 2" Berkeley Power Grub and 6 pound line while trying to catch stripe. I've caught more 5+ pound smallies on the Holston and French Broad than you can shake a stick at. When this one surfaced, it took my breath.

 

[rsimms]

Especially with catfish it would be awful hard to keep it alive long enough for weight, certification etc.
No matter the species, if you caught what is a new record, do you take pics, measurements etc. and let it go or do you, more than likely, kill it to get the record?
Came up last weekend and I thought it would be an interesting conversation.

I'm kinda torn on the issue but honestly I would probably get the record.
Oddly enough I would be more likely to turn any species back without it, other than a bluegill.

If you catch it in East Tennessee, call the Tennessee Aquarium! They're likely to come get it, get you a certified weight, keep it alive and then display for all to see in the Aquarium. When it dies of old age, then you can get it mounted.

 

[RUGER]

If you catch it in East Tennessee, call the Tennessee Aquarium! They're likely to come get it, get you a certified weight, keep it alive and then display for all to see in the Aquarium. When it dies of old age, then you can get it mounted.

I wanna catch one the size of the one you helped the old dude drag in.

 

[TNReb]

If it were a bass, I would make every effort to keep it alive.

It's probably towards the end of its life anyway - so if it doesn't survive, that's ok with me.

I wouldn't really want the attention that would come with a new record, but if you handle things right there could be a lot of money involved - especially if it were a bass. I'm not greedy, but I wouldn't pass up an opportunity that could benefit my family.

I know a guy who caught a 11lb bass. Kept it alive and contacted Bass Pro. They had a replica made for him and they put the live fish in one of their aquariums in a store.

Unfortunately I don't think this is anything I have to worry about.

 

[Pilchard]

I'd make every effort to keep the fish alive but it's not always realistic. I wouldn't be upset if it died though.

That said, I am so unaware of what records are in freshwater that I'd have to wait until the post I made on TnDeer was commented on to even realize what I had caught was special.

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

Go after the record. You will live in infamy.

 

[ImThere]

I wouldn't know it if I caught it. Wouldn't matter it'll end up in the fryer!!

 

[Crow Terminator]

I think most everyone has talked about that scenario. Me personally, I would just take quick pics, measurements, and turn it loose. I'm not big on wanting or craving attention though.

 

[Hduke86]

I've caught a handful just to let them go…. Or at least that's what I tell my wife and boys when I go fishing alone lol

 

[Sako]

I would do what I could to keep it alive while I took detailed measurements and pictures to have a fiberglass replica made.... but then turn it loose and hopefully it would live... if it did not, i would turn it in... but my intention would be to let it live... I do not even keep much fish at all anymore to eat... I do some bream each year but that is about it.

 

[easy45]

I'd probably go for the record, probably the unpopular opinion. I've caught a 100 pound blue cat and my friend wanted to keep and clean it but normally I'm not keeping a cat over 5 pounds. It takes them too long to get big to keep them. Same thing with bad, i don't keep them over 2 pounds, which means there are only a few lakes I ever keep any in.

 

[West_Tn]

If I catch a state record bass I'm doing whatever it takes to get it certified. I don't see me having any problem keeping it alive though. Like someone above said though, if it is state record size it is towards then end of it's life cycle anyway if it were to unfortunately die.

 

[tug]

The problem is you would not know it was, or was not, a record until you made some irreversable decisions. Unless of course your fish was 10 percent or more larger.