Kinda looks to me like Japan is going to be the new record holder. Who thought this could happen?
More Pics at Rich's Bassin Blog...
Links to stories at LunkerHunt...
Update: Apparently a website named Delaware Bass Fishing for Trophy Bass has been in the lead on the story.
10 comments:
It doesn't seem to strange that it could happen in Japan. They love bass fishing over there, and they're on the same latitude as most of our southern states.
We'll just have to get serious about it now to bring the record back.
I have some new updates and all the latest pictures and videos at Delawaretrophybass.com
Seeing that post from delawarebass indicates to me it is spam. I got the same unpersonalized link on my post but from a different account.
He's about to find his Lunkerhunt comment moderated.
The website looks legit to me.
Sorry Cliff, its not spam. I actually catch bass and have some contacts beleive it or not. There are people who live in Delaware and Maryland that actually know about bass fishing. lol Steve Delaware Trophy Bass.com
There have been several updates since this happened 2 weeks ago. Japanese media has locked in the story so that is the reason why there is no new news after this shock. Deps and Lure magazine in Japan have locked this down in hopes of selling the DVD’s in Japanese only, limiting this anglers ability to really cash in on this. A shame! I have all the current stories and updates as well as a new video with a bass guide from Lake Biwa in japan talking about this at my site. Take a look if you want. Tight lines, steve Delaware Trophy Bass http://delawaretrophybass.com
Sorry Cliff, It ISNT SPAM!
I wrote to the Japanese agency responsible for certifying the catch and here is their response.
"The angler submitted a world record application to Japan Game Fish
Association. We are in the process of checking it; as soon as it is
confirmed of its validity, the application will be forwarded to the IGFA for a
world record. Because it was a very important catch, we need to take
enough time to make sure everything is correct and IGFA-legal."
Best regards,
Tsutomu Wakabayashi
Secretary-General, Japan Game Fish Association (JGFA)
Asahi Bldg. 2F, 1-11-2 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
150-0013 JAPAN
Phone:81-3-5423-6022
IGFA receives documentation, photos on pending world record largemouth bass caught in Japan
Weight matches current IGFA record held for 77 years by Georgia's George Perry
World Record Largemouth Bass. DANIA BEACH, Fla. USA, (September 15, 2009) --- Documentation for a much talked about 22 lb 4 oz largemouth bass, caught from Japan's largest lake in July, has arrived into the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) headquarters for world record recognition.
Late Monday, the IGFA, the 70-year old non-profit fisheries conservation, education and record-keeping body, received the application for the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), caught July 2, by Manabu Kurita, 32, of Aichi, Japan. IGFA rules for fish caught outside the U.S. allows anglers 90 days to submit their applications from the date of their catch.
IGFA conservation director Jason Schratwieser said the World All-Tackle application is currently under review after it was received through the Japan Game Fish Association (JGFA).
Schratwieser said the application stated the bass weighed 10.12 kg (22 lbs 4 ozs) and was pulled from Lake Biwa an ancient reservoir northeast of Kyoto. Photos and video were also submitted with the written documentation.
Kurita's fish would tie the current record held for over 77 years by George Perry caught on Georgia's Montgomery Lake, June 2, 1932, near Jacksonville, Georgia.
In North America the largemouth bass, and especially the All-Tackle record, is considered by millions of anglers as the "holy grail" of freshwater fish because of its popularity and the longevity of Perry's record.
Largemouth bass have also been introduced in many countries and in Japan fisheries officials consider it an invasive species. In addition, because bass are not native and are stocked in Japan, many speculated that the big bass was a sterile triploid. However when biologists in Japan examined the ova of the big female they concluded that the fish was not triploid.
IGFA World Records Coordinator Becky Wright reported Kurita's fish measured 27.20 inches in length and an almost equal girth of 26.77 inches. She said Kurita was using a blue gill as live bait trolling through a canal.
A decision by the IGFA of whether Kurita's fish will tie Perry's record may take up to a month.
"We have a formal relationship with our sister organization, the Japan Game Fish Association where they first collect and review record applications for fish caught in Japan," said Schratwieser. "It works out well because they not only translate applications but can also contact the angler if more documentation is needed.
"We still have a number of questions to ask them and Kurita regarding local laws and the area he caught it in while he was trolling through a canal on the lake," said Schratwieser.
"We hope to make an announcement in three to four weeks."
Annually the IGFA publishes a comprehensive list of current records on nearly 1100 species of fresh and saltwater fish across the globe in its highly acclaimed World Record Game Fishes (WRGF) book which is divided into all-tackle, line classes, fly, and junior record categories.
The IGFA has been recognized as the official keeper of world saltwater fishing records since its founding in 1939. In 1978 it added the field of freshwater record-keeping when Field & Stream magazine transferred its 68 years of records to the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum, the association's world headquarters in Dania Beach, Fla.
The IGFA is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping. IGFA members are located in over 125 countries and territories. The IGFA welcomes visitors to its interactive Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum in Dania Beach, Florida.
Northeast Bass Fishing For Trophy Bass http://delawaretrophybass.com
There still has not been any ruling on the pending record bass caught by Mr. Kurita at Lake Biwa.
It has been half a year; usually records are either approved or disapproved within a couple of months at best.
A new Japanese Yellowtail record (over 100 pounds!) was caught on Oct. 24, 2009, and it has already been approved...
But yellowtail record submissions do not have all the politics that largemouth black bass record submissions do here in Japan.
One of my sources in the know tells me that there is no way the JGFA will allow the grand fish to become a new Japan record--
Caught up in politics...-dsc04276.jpg
especially since it comes from "catch and kill" (catch and release of bass is illegal) Biwa Lake.
Interestingly enough, the IGFA is an autonomous body, and is supposed to make decisions regardless of what other (ie. JGFA) organizations allow/disallow.
Yet the IGFA has not rendered a final decision on this fish.
Steve Mras, multiple IGFA WR holder, emailed me the following:
No decision yet on possible record bass caught in Japan
The IGFA is still waiting additional information before making a decision for world record recognition on a 22 lb 4 oz largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), caught by Manabu Kurita, 32, of Aichi, Japan, from that country’s largest lake July 2. IGFA conservation director Jason Schratwieser said the World All-Tackle application is still under review after it was received in mid-September through the Japan Game Fish Association (JGFA). “We’ve been corresponding with the angler via our sister organization, the JGFA,” said Schratwieser. Besides being a non-profit fisheries, education and conservation organization, the 70- year old IGFA has long been the world’s recognized record-keeping body for over 1100 salt and fresh water recreational fish species. Schratwieser said the bass weighing 10.12 kg (22 lb 4 oz) was pulled from Lake Biwa an ancient reservoir northeast of Kyoto. Photos and video were also submitted with Kurita’s written documentation. If approved Kurita’s fish would tie the current record held for over 77 years by George Perry caught on Georgia’s Montgomery Lake, June 2, 1932, near Jacksonville, Georgia. In North America the largemouth bass, and especially the All-Tackle record, is considered by millions of anglers as the “holy grail” of freshwater fish because of its popularity and the longevity of Perry’s record.
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Mr. Kurita has made a complete submission, with more info provided than many submissions that became records with no problem.
It makes one wonder what "additional information" the IGFA could be possibly be waiting for?
I have met Mr. Kurita several times in my tackle store in Aichi, Japan. He is an avid bass angler, with a passion for hunting big fish; it seems very unfortunate that such a fine catch that should bring so much controversy.
Nobody I talked to here can remember a JGFA record submission that has taken this long. I am not going to hold my breath on a ruling anytime soon.
http://delawaretrophybass.com
IGFA Announces Status of New World Record Live On Friday Whole story
http://www.delawaretrophybass.com/apps/forums/topics/show/1876906-breaking-news-kurita-bass-igfa-announcement-1-6-10
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