Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations New World Record Largemouth?

Report of 22-pound bass caught at Clear Lake

By Terry Knight -- Record-Bee outdoors writer

LAKE COUNTY -- The Record-Bee received an unconfirmed report late Tuesday afternoon that a 22-pound, 7-ounce largemouth bass was caught on Clear Lake by an angler prefishing for the FLW EverStart tournament that is scheduled to start today.

If the report turns out to be true, the fish will set a new world record and shatter the existing Clear Lake record of 17.52 pounds.

The current world record for largemouth bass is 22 pounds, 4 ounces. That fish was caught by George W. Perry back in 1932 at Montgomery Lake in Georgia. To be certified as a world record and meet the International Game Fish Association standards, the fish allegedly caught on Clear Lake must be weighed on a certified scale, the big fish must be witnessed by at least two other people, and the fish must be certified as the correct species (largemouth bass) by a representative of the Department of Fish and Game.

A check with DFG game warden Lynette Reynolds on Tuesday evening revealed that she had not been contacted by anyone to certify the bass. Attempts by the Record-Bee to obtain the angler's name also were unsuccessful.

If a fisherman were to catch a world record largemouth bass, either on Clear Lake or anywhere else, the fish could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in endorsement money alone from the likes of tackle manufacturers.

In fact, one tackle manufacturer has offered $1 million to the fisherman who catches a world record if the fish was caught on a fishing rod made by that manufacturer.

Lake County would also receive a tremendous amount of publicity if a world record fish was caught at Clear Lake.

There have been false reports in the past, however. Within the past two years there were two occasions when fishermen claimed they had caught a world record bass out of Spring Lake in Santa Rosa. Both fish were disqualified because the proper procedures weren't followed to certify the fish.

The Clear Lake record of 17.52 pounds was established in 1990 by Jerry Basgal of Clearlake Oaks. Two years later commercial fishermen operating at the lake reported catching and releasing a 25-pound bass.

_________________

Great story!

You would think the next record would come from a lake stocked with trout and moderate air and water temperatures year round. All of that protein in one big bite. Yum!

IMHO the present world record largemouth caught back in 1932 should be thrown out anyway. Did you know there is no photo of that fish whatsoever? The fish was taken home and eaten. And considering how unreliable spring scales are I wouldn't trust that weight as far as I could throw a house.

We will keep our Georgia record thank you.

Darn it, Cecil! You really had me excited. I really had been expecting to see a new record LMB from California. However, it looks like this was not the one. Just found the following story online:

So much for that world record at Clear Lake

By Terry Knight -- Record-Bee outdoors writer

LAKEPORT -- It turned out to be just another tall fishing tale.

Reports received by the Record-Bee on Tuesday that a fisherman prefishing for the FLW-EverStart Pro-Am Bass Tournament on Clear Lake, which got under way Wednesday, had reeled in a 22-pound, 7-ounce bass were not correct.

In fact, the reports weren't even close -- by more than 8 pounds.

If the story had been true, that fish would have established a new world record, beating out the 22-pound, 4-ounce fish caught in 1932 in Georgia.

Interviewed on Wednes-day, several fishermen who witnessed what was believed to be a new world-record catch said the bass in question weighed closer to 14 pounds, not 22. The fisherman who caught the 14-pounder said he never claimed it was a world record and doesn't know how the story got started. Never-theless, erroneous reports that a 22-pound-plus bass had been caught spread like wildfire, not only in Lake County but throughout the United States via Internet reports.

The Record-Bee and Lake County tackle shops received several telephone calls from as far away as Florida as both newspapers and fishing and hunting magazines inquired about the "new world record."

Dave-
Thanks for the follow-up. Eventually the record will be broken. This is one way to win the lottery. Imagine what you could do with the endorsement money if you’re the lucky bass slayer?

Cecil-

Good point on the verification of the current record.

I loved the 22 plus pound bass out of Miramar Lake in San Diego years ago. Turned out it was netted dead on the surface and had a belly full of lead! I could see a record coming out of Miramar or San Vicente though. Having caught bass up to 14 pounds out of these lakes along with some beautiful trout in the winter including a 7 pound 13 ounce rainbow from San Vicente the stocking programs in winter allow for some good food.

Bob

Isn't it hillarious a 14 pound bass is a disappointment!

Oh well it sounded good anyway!

If I can get my bass to live about 10 years maybe I'll have state record for Indiana! I got one a few weeks ago that was only 18 inches but weighed 4 lbs. 14.25 oz. Seems to me a 20 incher would weight 6 lbs!.

Excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me!
:p

Thought you missed that Cecil

Thats right!! We will keep OUR world record!! Boy it is just like us take a big trophy like that.....and just plain eat it Boy Oh boy. I bet it tasted terrible