Mark, I saw that today on TFF.
Here's a quote taken from the folks at La Perla Ranch, who donated this LMB, about all this. FYI, these folks were getting hammered, which is sadly the norm on TFF.
"Not if you believe in this program like I do. You may call me a moron. Maybe you are right. Probably not. This fish would have sent over 200,000 fry to public waters in Texas, then the same back to me, along with the fish as well had we handled her correctly.
The next one we catch will be headed to them as well, as soon as we are so fortunate. Morons sometimes do that kind of thing. The difference is, we will do a better job of handling the fish. I never heard of a broken fish jaw before, and neither had my son, who feels terrible about it. Everyone is in morning, and feel sick in the stomach, but nobody took it as hard as the good folks at the Athens Hatchery, and as it turns out, it was not even their fault.
We thought we had one from our first paid guests on Saturday but she had already spawned and only weighed 11 despite having the length.
ALL FISHERMEN READING THIS......LEARN FROM THE DEATH OF THIS GORGEOUS ANIMAL, THAT HER DEATH NOT BE IN VAIN....do not hold the big ones vertically or otherwise by the lip without another wet hand supporting the weight from below her belly."
