Sticky Post
Largemouth Bass Fishing News and Tips
All Bass All The Time
All Bass All The Time
The rest of the story
By James Hall
Editor, Bassmaster Magazine
Manabu Kurita told me the truth today about how, when and where he caught the pending world record bass. Every detail. How do I know it’s the truth? I know because Mr. Kurita doesn’t care if his fish is certified as a world record or not.
Manabu Kurita fishes in the area where he caught the 22-5 largemouth.
Shy and unassuming, the 33-year-old Kasugai native became hooked on bass fishing 18 years ago.
“I saw a photo of a largemouth bass in a magazine and I was very impressed with how it looked. So, I tried fishing for bass and I became passionate about catching them,” Kurita explained.
Kurita’s passion takes him to the lake more than 150 times a year. According to his estimations — and those close to him consider the estimates conservative — Kurita annually catches more than 100 bass greater than 8 pounds.
On July 2, 2009, he landed his biggest fish ever (although not the biggest he has hooked). The 22-pound, 5-ounce behemoth ate a live sunfish he had rigged on a 5/0 Fina Power Finesse bait hook.
“I had noticed this big fish swimming around the bridge piling, and I was pretty sure she would eat a bluegill. So, about 11:30 a.m., I went to the bridge piling and cast the bait to the north side. I twitched it a couple of times and the big bass ate it. It was my first cast,” Kurita explained.
Kurita showed me the exact spot on the bridge, made the exact cast and explained how surprised he was once he landed the fish.
“I knew it was big, but I did not think it was that big,” he admitted.
Using the same techniques as when he caught the potential world record, Kurita landed this 8 1/2-pounder while showing the area to Bassmaster Magazine editor James Hall.
The IGFA has not yet certified Kurita’s catch as a world record because of a rule that states a record fish cannot come from a sanctuary or no-fishing zone. The remaining question has been about whether the three marked bridge pilings where he was rumored to have caught the fish are no-fishing zones, and, if they are, was Kurita actually fishing near these three pilings? (The other bridge pilings are not marked, so fishing, anchoring and tying to them is totally legal.)
When I asked Kurita to take me to the exact spot where he caught the bass. He did not hesitate. We drove directly to one of the three marked pilings, confirming the rumors that he caught the fish in an area that was marked: “Do not stop.” He could just as easily have taken me to another bridge support, one that would have completely negated the naysayers.
His honesty was refreshing. His motives seemed pure.
However, this supported those who questioned the legality of his catch. Does the “Do not stop” sign suggest, and thereby give authorities, the ability to ticket anglers fishing the marked pilings?
This determination is left to the local police and, ultimately, the Japanese Game Fish Association and the International Game Fish Association.
After my meeting with Kurita, I met with Yoichiro Oguri, president and owner of Popeye, a very popular tackle store chain (Japan’s version of Bass Pro Shops). Mr. Oguri is a very well-connected and respected icon in the Japanese fishing industry. During our conversation, I asked if he had a contact within the JGFA, and, if so, could he find out the status of the Kurita world record application.
Mr. Oguri contacted JGFA and found out the delay was because of the fact that they were unsure of the local laws surrounding Biwa’s no-fishing zones. Mr. Oguri then contacted the Shiga-Ken Police Department (enforcers of Lake Biwa laws). He asked them if fishing was allowed near the three marked bridge pilings. The answer was “yes.” It is illegal to anchor or tie to the bridge pilings, but fishing next to or around them is completely legal.
Kurita broke no laws in the catching of the 22-5.
Mr. Oguri then contacted the chairman of the JGFA and informed him of his findings.
Moments later, the JGFA gave Kurita’s catch the thumbs up and sent a letter of support to the IGFA. As of this writing, the IGFA has not yet commented on the status of the record. However, it seems all concerns about the legality of this catch have been answered. It is likely Mr. Kurita’s bass will be recognized as the biggest largemouth ever caught.
And if for some reason the IGFA still does not recognize Kurita’s accomplishment?
“That’s OK,” Kurita replied with a shy grin. “I think I might be able to catch a bigger one next year.”
You can talk with Manabu Kurita LIVE in the forums at Northeast Bass Fishing For Trophy Bass at http://delawaretrophybass.com
By James Hall
Editor, Bassmaster Magazine
Manabu Kurita told me the truth today about how, when and where he caught the pending world record bass. Every detail. How do I know it’s the truth? I know because Mr. Kurita doesn’t care if his fish is certified as a world record or not.
Manabu Kurita fishes in the area where he caught the 22-5 largemouth.
Shy and unassuming, the 33-year-old Kasugai native became hooked on bass fishing 18 years ago.
“I saw a photo of a largemouth bass in a magazine and I was very impressed with how it looked. So, I tried fishing for bass and I became passionate about catching them,” Kurita explained.
Kurita’s passion takes him to the lake more than 150 times a year. According to his estimations — and those close to him consider the estimates conservative — Kurita annually catches more than 100 bass greater than 8 pounds.
On July 2, 2009, he landed his biggest fish ever (although not the biggest he has hooked). The 22-pound, 5-ounce behemoth ate a live sunfish he had rigged on a 5/0 Fina Power Finesse bait hook.
“I had noticed this big fish swimming around the bridge piling, and I was pretty sure she would eat a bluegill. So, about 11:30 a.m., I went to the bridge piling and cast the bait to the north side. I twitched it a couple of times and the big bass ate it. It was my first cast,” Kurita explained.
Kurita showed me the exact spot on the bridge, made the exact cast and explained how surprised he was once he landed the fish.
“I knew it was big, but I did not think it was that big,” he admitted.
Using the same techniques as when he caught the potential world record, Kurita landed this 8 1/2-pounder while showing the area to Bassmaster Magazine editor James Hall.
The IGFA has not yet certified Kurita’s catch as a world record because of a rule that states a record fish cannot come from a sanctuary or no-fishing zone. The remaining question has been about whether the three marked bridge pilings where he was rumored to have caught the fish are no-fishing zones, and, if they are, was Kurita actually fishing near these three pilings? (The other bridge pilings are not marked, so fishing, anchoring and tying to them is totally legal.)
When I asked Kurita to take me to the exact spot where he caught the bass. He did not hesitate. We drove directly to one of the three marked pilings, confirming the rumors that he caught the fish in an area that was marked: “Do not stop.” He could just as easily have taken me to another bridge support, one that would have completely negated the naysayers.
His honesty was refreshing. His motives seemed pure.
However, this supported those who questioned the legality of his catch. Does the “Do not stop” sign suggest, and thereby give authorities, the ability to ticket anglers fishing the marked pilings?
This determination is left to the local police and, ultimately, the Japanese Game Fish Association and the International Game Fish Association.
After my meeting with Kurita, I met with Yoichiro Oguri, president and owner of Popeye, a very popular tackle store chain (Japan’s version of Bass Pro Shops). Mr. Oguri is a very well-connected and respected icon in the Japanese fishing industry. During our conversation, I asked if he had a contact within the JGFA, and, if so, could he find out the status of the Kurita world record application.
Mr. Oguri contacted JGFA and found out the delay was because of the fact that they were unsure of the local laws surrounding Biwa’s no-fishing zones. Mr. Oguri then contacted the Shiga-Ken Police Department (enforcers of Lake Biwa laws). He asked them if fishing was allowed near the three marked bridge pilings. The answer was “yes.” It is illegal to anchor or tie to the bridge pilings, but fishing next to or around them is completely legal.
Kurita broke no laws in the catching of the 22-5.
Mr. Oguri then contacted the chairman of the JGFA and informed him of his findings.
Moments later, the JGFA gave Kurita’s catch the thumbs up and sent a letter of support to the IGFA. As of this writing, the IGFA has not yet commented on the status of the record. However, it seems all concerns about the legality of this catch have been answered. It is likely Mr. Kurita’s bass will be recognized as the biggest largemouth ever caught.
And if for some reason the IGFA still does not recognize Kurita’s accomplishment?
“That’s OK,” Kurita replied with a shy grin. “I think I might be able to catch a bigger one next year.”
You can talk with Manabu Kurita LIVE in the forums at Northeast Bass Fishing For Trophy Bass at http://delawaretrophybass.com
The bass fishing world has been waiting on the edge of its collective seat for the past two weeks, waiting for the International Game Fish Association to announce whether or not Japan’s Manabu Kurita will be certified as holder of the new world record largemouth bass.
As of this writing, IGFA is waiting for a response from the Japanese Game Fish Association concerning the rumor that Kurita was fishing in a restricted area when he boated the giant bass. Perhaps the following information will clear up any questions about the catch.
Kurita caught the bass beneath the Biwako Oohashi bridge, which connects the west bank (Katata) of the giant lake to the eastern shore (Moriyama).The pilings of this bridge are numbered, giving anglers and boat captains a reference when navigating beneath the structure. It is illegal for anyone to stop between piling four and piling six, as thisis the tallest portion of the bridge (it rises closer to the west bank to allow for high-mast boats) and all boat traffic is directed through this area.
It is important to note that the law states you cannot stop in this area. It is not illegal to troll this area or otherwise fish while moving. This is a moot point, however, because Kurita was fishing the eastern side of the bridge, well away from this restricted area.
Further supporting Kurita’s innocence, July is a very popular month for tourists on Lake Biwa, and the boating traffic from sightseeing tours, commercial fishing boats and jet boats would have made the area virtually unfishable and extremely dangerous.
The rumor of his fishing in a restricted zone may well have come from local anglers, according to Takuji Naruo, a local fisherman and representative for Jackall Bros. Lures, whose office is located on the banks of the lake.
“Many bass anglers agreed to not fish any of the bridge pilings because it could be dangerous with big wakes from the sightseeing boats. And we also do not want to interfere with commercial fishing nets, which are often in the area. However, it is not at all illegal to fish there.
The only government law concerning the bridge has to do with the area between pilings four and six. If you stop there, you may get a ticket,” Naruo explains.
So, Kurita might have broken a gentleman’s agreement between bass anglers on the lake, but he did not break the law. Once the JGFA explains this to the IGFA, barring any unexpected hiccups, Mr. Kurita’s bass is likely to be granted world record status.
Map Resources (both lake and topographical)
Fishing Map Products
http://www.navionics.com/ (NOW has a CD available with thousands of lakes on it)
http://www.gregbohn.com/modules/cart/pr
Paper lake maps for 5 large Minnesota lakes...1 ft contour intervals...
http://sonarmap.com/webstore/home.php?c
http://www.fishinghotspots.com Fishing Hot Spots
http://www.fishsniffer.com/maps/ (Western US only)
http://www.lakemap.com/ Lakemaster Lakemaps and other map products
http://www.sportsmansconnection.com/
http://www.comm.media.state.mn.us/books
http://www.clarksonmap.com/store/cart.p
http://www.uslakeviews.com/ Unique depth maps integrated with satellite maps
http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/cats/fis
Trails.com and Terraserver both have USGS map features….but if you zoom in on various lakes around the country…it MAY show you depth contours…
http://www.trails.com/ (FORMERLY Topozone)
http://www.terraserver.com/ Terraserver
You can download free maps from the USGS. If you click this link...and follow directions...and download the GeoPDFToolbar, you will be able to save and print them. Here's the area near Cass Lake in north-central Minnesota.
http://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/usgs/map
Bass Pro Shops has Fishing Hot Spots maps and marked spots that you can access....you just can't print the actual maps...
(Click here)>>>> Bass Pro Shops Lake Maps
Electronic NOAA map – online viewer for nautical charts all around the coastal US…including the Great Lakes.
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/m
This is their main webpage…
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/
Army Corps of Engineers navigational maps, for which the river maps show wing dams
http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/navigatio
ACOE Maps Home Page
http://www.usace.army.mil/Library/M
ACOE Home page
http://www.usace.army.mil/Pages/default
Army Corps of Engineers "Corps Lakes Gateway"
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visito
ACOE Recreation Page
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visito
Saltwater Fishing Maps
http://www.waterproofcharts.com/ Courtesy of Phantoms
http://www.fishnmap.com/ Courtesy of Socalfisherman
http://saltwaterdirections.com/index.cf
Topo Maps
http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod/maps.h
http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/ngmdb/ngm_ca
http://www.mapquest.com/ Mapquest
http://www.randmcnally.com/ Rand McNally map products
http://www.delorme.com/atlasgaz/ Delorme atlases and gazettes
http://www.mapsbyyou.com/
http://www.siue.edu/OSME/river/RiverLin
http://www.cdmapit.com/
Basic county maps of every state
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/
State by State Map Info
Alabama Rivers and Lakes
http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/f
Alaska Lake Maps
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewid
Arizona Game and Fish Webpage
http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/fishing.shtml
Arkansas Fishing Info
http://www.agfc.com/fishing/default.asp
http://www.agfc.com/fishing/fishing-loc
California Fishing Info
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fishing/index.htm
Colorado Interactive Maps
http://ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/map
Connecticut Fishing Info
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=26
Delaware Fishing Information
http://www.fw.delaware.gov/Pages/G
Florida Interactive Fishing Maps
http://myfwc.com/fishing
http://lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu/MapList.h
Georgia Public Fishing Areas
http://www.georgiawildlife.org/document
Idaho Fishing Info
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/apps/ada/f
Illinois
http://www.lake-online.com/chainol
http://www.fpdcc.com/tier3.php?content_
Indiana State Parks & Lakes
http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/
http://www.indianainfo.net/
http://indianainfo.net/index.php?o
Kansas Fishing Info
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/fishin
http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Hydro/lake_maps.h
Kentucky Lake & River Maps
http://fw.ky.gov/navigation.asp?ci
Louisiana Lake & River Maps
http://www.enlou.com/places/water.h
Maine Lake Maps
http://www.state.me.us/ifw/fishing/lake
http://www.pearl.maine.edu/windows/comm
Maryland Fishing Hotspots
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/re
Massachusetts Ponds
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw
Michigan Lakes
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-15
http://www.fishweb.com/recreation/fishi
Minnesota
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/co
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/ind
Mississippi Lake maps
http://home.mdwfp.com/pdfgallery.aspx?A
Missouri Fishing Info
http://www.mdc.mo.gov/fish/
Montana Fishing Info
http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/default.html
Nebraska Lake Maps
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/fishing/pro
http://mapserver.ngpc.state.ne.us/websi
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/fishing/gui
Nevada Fishable Waters by Species
http://ndow.org/fish/where/by_wate
New Hampshire Fishing Info
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fi
New Jersey Fishing Info
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/fis
New Mexico Wildlife Areas & Maps
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/recreat
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/recreat
New York Lake Contour Maps
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/9920.h
North Carolina Fishing Info
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Fishing/Fish_
North Dakota Lake Contour Maps
http://gf.nd.gov/fishing/lakedata.html
Ohio Lakes Free Fishing Lake Map
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/Fishing
http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/
Oklahoma
http://www.owrb.state.ok.us/news/public
Recreation Areas at http://www.recreation.gov/
http://www.recreation.gov/browseMapsRec
http://www.okiefish.com/lake%20map
Oregon Recreation Report
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/RR/
Pennsylvania Maps
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/map98.h
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/fishin
http://www.peckspond.com/maps.htm
Rhode Island - Interactive Map
http://204.139.0.188/website/fw/vi
South Carolina - Recreation Areas at http://www.recreation.gov/
http://www.recreation.gov/advancedsearc
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/fish/index.h
South Dakota Lake Maps & Fish Surveys
http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/fis
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers now has a toll-free number 1-866-285-3219 to access the Missouri River Information Center from which ALL Missouri River maps can be attained.
The corps also has a website at https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/bnrmap/b
Lastly, contact or write the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for available Missouri River mappings and costs.
Lewis and Clark Lake -- Gavins Point Project, PO Box 710, Yankton, SD 57078 (402) 667-7873
Lake Francis Case -- Fort Randall Project, PO Box 199, Pickstown, SD 57357 (605) 487-7845
Lake Sharpe -- Big Bend Project, HC 69, Box 74, Chamberlain, SD 57325 (605) 245-2331
Lake Oahe -- Oahe Project, 28563 Powerhouse Rd. Rm 120, Pierre, SD 57501 (605) 224-5862
Tennessee Fishing Info
http://www.state.tn.us/twra/fish/fishma
http://www.state.tn.us/twra/fish/Reserv
Texas Where to Fish
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fi
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fi
Utah Fishing Reports
http://wildlife.utah.gov/fishing/report
Vermont Lake & Stream Maps
http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/wma_ma
http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/wmu_ma
Virginia Fishing Info
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fish
http://www.dgif.state.va.us/fishing/wat
Washington Lake Maps
http://www.washingtonlakes.com/To
http://wdfw.wa.gov/outreach/fishing/war
West Virginia Favorite Fishing Waters
http://www.wvdnr.gov/Fishing/FavFishWat
Wisconsin Maps
Trout Streams http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/fish/s
Lakes http://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/maps/DNR/
Wyoming Public Access Lakes and Rivers
http://gf.state.wy.us/fish/fishing/inde
Camping etc...
http://www.recreation.gov/
http://recreation.usgs.gov/state_
http://activities.wildernet.com/index.c
http://www.nps.gov/index.htm National Park Service
Info on the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage in Wisconsin
http://www.turtleflambeauflowage.com/ab
http://www.wnrmag.com/stories/1997/jun9
http://www.turtleflambeauflowagewiscons
Boundary Waters Canoe Area information sites
I think possibly the simplest way to check conditions at a specific site in the BWCA is to contact them directly....here's a link to their website...
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/superio
This is e-mail addy for Superior National Forest, which oversees the BWCA r9_superior_NF@fs.fed.us
Reservations can be made at
http://www.recreation.gov/permits/map_o
Other cool sites
http://www.bwca.cc/
http://www.canoecountry.com/
http://boundarywaterscanoearea.co
http://www.bwca.com/
http://away.com/gorp/publishers/wildern
http://www.bwcamaps.com/ (McKenzie Maps - Boundary Waters Canoe Area)
http://www.fishermaps.com/ (Boundary Waters Canoe Area specialists)
Fishing Map Products
http://www.navionics.com/ (NOW has a CD available with thousands of lakes on it)
http://www.gregbohn.com/modules/cart/pr
Paper lake maps for 5 large Minnesota lakes...1 ft contour intervals...
http://sonarmap.com/webstore/home.php?c
http://www.fishinghotspots.com Fishing Hot Spots
http://www.fishsniffer.com/maps/ (Western US only)
http://www.lakemap.com/ Lakemaster Lakemaps and other map products
http://www.sportsmansconnection.com/
http://www.comm.media.state.mn.us/books
http://www.clarksonmap.com/store/cart.p
http://www.uslakeviews.com/ Unique depth maps integrated with satellite maps
http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/cats/fis
Trails.com and Terraserver both have USGS map features….but if you zoom in on various lakes around the country…it MAY show you depth contours…
http://www.trails.com/ (FORMERLY Topozone)
http://www.terraserver.com/ Terraserver
You can download free maps from the USGS. If you click this link...and follow directions...and download the GeoPDFToolbar, you will be able to save and print them. Here's the area near Cass Lake in north-central Minnesota.
http://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/usgs/map
Bass Pro Shops has Fishing Hot Spots maps and marked spots that you can access....you just can't print the actual maps...
(Click here)>>>> Bass Pro Shops Lake Maps
Electronic NOAA map – online viewer for nautical charts all around the coastal US…including the Great Lakes.
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/m
This is their main webpage…
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/
Army Corps of Engineers navigational maps, for which the river maps show wing dams
http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/navigatio
ACOE Maps Home Page
http://www.usace.army.mil/Library/M
ACOE Home page
http://www.usace.army.mil/Pages/default
Army Corps of Engineers "Corps Lakes Gateway"
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visito
ACOE Recreation Page
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visito
Saltwater Fishing Maps
http://www.waterproofcharts.com/ Courtesy of Phantoms
http://www.fishnmap.com/ Courtesy of Socalfisherman
http://saltwaterdirections.com/index.cf
Topo Maps
http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod/maps.h
http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/ngmdb/ngm_ca
http://www.mapquest.com/ Mapquest
http://www.randmcnally.com/ Rand McNally map products
http://www.delorme.com/atlasgaz/ Delorme atlases and gazettes
http://www.mapsbyyou.com/
http://www.siue.edu/OSME/river/RiverLin
http://www.cdmapit.com/
Basic county maps of every state
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/
State by State Map Info
Alabama Rivers and Lakes
http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/f
Alaska Lake Maps
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewid
Arizona Game and Fish Webpage
http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/fishing.shtml
Arkansas Fishing Info
http://www.agfc.com/fishing/default.asp
http://www.agfc.com/fishing/fishing-loc
California Fishing Info
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/fishing/index.htm
Colorado Interactive Maps
http://ndis.nrel.colostate.edu/map
Connecticut Fishing Info
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=26
Delaware Fishing Information
http://www.fw.delaware.gov/Pages/G
Florida Interactive Fishing Maps
http://myfwc.com/fishing
http://lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu/MapList.h
Georgia Public Fishing Areas
http://www.georgiawildlife.org/document
Idaho Fishing Info
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/apps/ada/f
Illinois
http://www.lake-online.com/chainol
http://www.fpdcc.com/tier3.php?content_
Indiana State Parks & Lakes
http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/
http://www.indianainfo.net/
http://indianainfo.net/index.php?o
Kansas Fishing Info
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/fishin
http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Hydro/lake_maps.h
Kentucky Lake & River Maps
http://fw.ky.gov/navigation.asp?ci
Louisiana Lake & River Maps
http://www.enlou.com/places/water.h
Maine Lake Maps
http://www.state.me.us/ifw/fishing/lake
http://www.pearl.maine.edu/windows/comm
Maryland Fishing Hotspots
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/re
Massachusetts Ponds
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw
Michigan Lakes
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-15
http://www.fishweb.com/recreation/fishi
Minnesota
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/co
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/ind
Mississippi Lake maps
http://home.mdwfp.com/pdfgallery.aspx?A
Missouri Fishing Info
http://www.mdc.mo.gov/fish/
Montana Fishing Info
http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/default.html
Nebraska Lake Maps
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/fishing/pro
http://mapserver.ngpc.state.ne.us/websi
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/fishing/gui
Nevada Fishable Waters by Species
http://ndow.org/fish/where/by_wate
New Hampshire Fishing Info
http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Fi
New Jersey Fishing Info
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/fis
New Mexico Wildlife Areas & Maps
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/recreat
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/recreat
New York Lake Contour Maps
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/9920.h
North Carolina Fishing Info
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Fishing/Fish_
North Dakota Lake Contour Maps
http://gf.nd.gov/fishing/lakedata.html
Ohio Lakes Free Fishing Lake Map
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/Fishing
http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/
Oklahoma
http://www.owrb.state.ok.us/news/public
Recreation Areas at http://www.recreation.gov/
http://www.recreation.gov/browseMapsRec
http://www.okiefish.com/lake%20map
Oregon Recreation Report
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/RR/
Pennsylvania Maps
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/map98.h
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/fishin
http://www.peckspond.com/maps.htm
Rhode Island - Interactive Map
http://204.139.0.188/website/fw/vi
South Carolina - Recreation Areas at http://www.recreation.gov/
http://www.recreation.gov/advancedsearc
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/fish/index.h
South Dakota Lake Maps & Fish Surveys
http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/fis
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers now has a toll-free number 1-866-285-3219 to access the Missouri River Information Center from which ALL Missouri River maps can be attained.
The corps also has a website at https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/bnrmap/b
Lastly, contact or write the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for available Missouri River mappings and costs.
Lewis and Clark Lake -- Gavins Point Project, PO Box 710, Yankton, SD 57078 (402) 667-7873
Lake Francis Case -- Fort Randall Project, PO Box 199, Pickstown, SD 57357 (605) 487-7845
Lake Sharpe -- Big Bend Project, HC 69, Box 74, Chamberlain, SD 57325 (605) 245-2331
Lake Oahe -- Oahe Project, 28563 Powerhouse Rd. Rm 120, Pierre, SD 57501 (605) 224-5862
Tennessee Fishing Info
http://www.state.tn.us/twra/fish/fishma
http://www.state.tn.us/twra/fish/Reserv
Texas Where to Fish
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fi
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fi
Utah Fishing Reports
http://wildlife.utah.gov/fishing/report
Vermont Lake & Stream Maps
http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/wma_ma
http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/wmu_ma
Virginia Fishing Info
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fish
http://www.dgif.state.va.us/fishing/wat
Washington Lake Maps
http://www.washingtonlakes.com/To
http://wdfw.wa.gov/outreach/fishing/war
West Virginia Favorite Fishing Waters
http://www.wvdnr.gov/Fishing/FavFishWat
Wisconsin Maps
Trout Streams http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/fish/s
Lakes http://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/maps/DNR/
Wyoming Public Access Lakes and Rivers
http://gf.state.wy.us/fish/fishing/inde
Camping etc...
http://www.recreation.gov/
http://recreation.usgs.gov/state_
http://activities.wildernet.com/index.c
http://www.nps.gov/index.htm National Park Service
Info on the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage in Wisconsin
http://www.turtleflambeauflowage.com/ab
http://www.wnrmag.com/stories/1997/jun9
http://www.turtleflambeauflowagewiscons
Boundary Waters Canoe Area information sites
I think possibly the simplest way to check conditions at a specific site in the BWCA is to contact them directly....here's a link to their website...
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/superio
This is e-mail addy for Superior National Forest, which oversees the BWCA r9_superior_NF@fs.fed.us
Reservations can be made at
http://www.recreation.gov/permits/map_o
Other cool sites
http://www.bwca.cc/
http://www.canoecountry.com/
http://boundarywaterscanoearea.co
http://www.bwca.com/
http://away.com/gorp/publishers/wildern
http://www.bwcamaps.com/ (McKenzie Maps - Boundary Waters Canoe Area)
http://www.fishermaps.com/ (Boundary Waters Canoe Area specialists)
BREAKING NEWS SEPTEMBER 15th, 2009
IGFA receives documentation, photos on pending world record largemouth bass caught in JapanWeight matches current IGFA record held for 77 years by Georgia's George Perry
Manabu Kurita hold his (pending) World Record Largemouth Bass.DANIA BEACH, Fla. USA, (September 15, 2009) --- Documentation for amuch talked about 22 lb 4 oz largemouth bass, caught from Japan'slargest lake in July, has arrived into the International Game FishAssociation (IGFA) headquarters for world record recognition.
Late Monday, the IGFA, the 70-year old non-profit fisheriesconservation, education and record-keeping body, received theapplication for the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), caughtJuly 2, by Manabu Kurita, 32, of Aichi, Japan. IGFA rules for fishcaught outside the U.S. allows anglers 90 days to submit theirapplications from the date of their catch.
IGFA conservation director Jason Schratwieser said the World All-Tackleapplication is currently under review after it was received through theJapan Game Fish Association (JGFA).
Schratwieser said the application stated the bass weighed 10.12 kg (22lbs 4 ozs) and was pulled from Lake Biwa an ancient reservoir northeastof Kyoto. Photos and video were also submitted with the written documentation.
Kurita's fish would tie the current record held for over 77 years byGeorge Perry caught on Georgia's Montgomery Lake, June 2, 1932, nearJacksonville, Georgia.
In North America the largemouth bass, and especially the All-Tackle record, is considered by millions of anglers as the "holy grail" offreshwater fish because of its popularity and the longevity of Perry'srecord.
Largemouth bass have also been introduced in many countries and inJapan fisheries officials consider it an invasive species. In addition,because bass are not native and are stocked in Japan, many speculatedthat the big bass was a sterile triploid. However when biologists inJapan examined the ova of the big female they concluded that the fish was not triploid.
IGFA World Records Coordinator Becky Wright reported Kurita's fishmeasured 27.20 inches in length and an almost equal girth of 26.77inches. 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 JapanGame Fish Association where they first collect and review recordapplications for fish caught in Japan," said Schratwieser. "It worksout well because they not only translate applications but can alsocontact the angler if more documentation is needed.
"We still have a number of questions to ask them and Kurita regardinglocal laws and the area he caught it in while he was trolling through acanal 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 onnearly 1100 species of fresh and saltwater fish across the globe in itshighly 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 fieldof freshwater record-keeping when Field & Stream magazinetransferred 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 conservationof game fish and promotion of responsible, ethical angling practicesthrough 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 & Museumin Dania Beach, Florida.
Photos in the gallery and full article in the world record bass section at http://delawaretrophybass.com
--
IGFA receives documentation, photos on pending world record largemouth bass caught in JapanWeight matches current IGFA record held for 77 years by Georgia's George Perry
Manabu Kurita hold his (pending) World Record Largemouth Bass.DANIA BEACH, Fla. USA, (September 15, 2009) --- Documentation for amuch talked about 22 lb 4 oz largemouth bass, caught from Japan'slargest lake in July, has arrived into the International Game FishAssociation (IGFA) headquarters for world record recognition.
Late Monday, the IGFA, the 70-year old non-profit fisheriesconservation, education and record-keeping body, received theapplication for the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), caughtJuly 2, by Manabu Kurita, 32, of Aichi, Japan. IGFA rules for fishcaught outside the U.S. allows anglers 90 days to submit theirapplications from the date of their catch.
IGFA conservation director Jason Schratwieser said the World All-Tackleapplication is currently under review after it was received through theJapan Game Fish Association (JGFA).
Schratwieser said the application stated the bass weighed 10.12 kg (22lbs 4 ozs) and was pulled from Lake Biwa an ancient reservoir northeastof Kyoto. Photos and video were also submitted with the written documentation.
Kurita's fish would tie the current record held for over 77 years byGeorge Perry caught on Georgia's Montgomery Lake, June 2, 1932, nearJacksonville, Georgia.
In North America the largemouth bass, and especially the All-Tackle record, is considered by millions of anglers as the "holy grail" offreshwater fish because of its popularity and the longevity of Perry'srecord.
Largemouth bass have also been introduced in many countries and inJapan fisheries officials consider it an invasive species. In addition,because bass are not native and are stocked in Japan, many speculatedthat the big bass was a sterile triploid. However when biologists inJapan examined the ova of the big female they concluded that the fish was not triploid.
IGFA World Records Coordinator Becky Wright reported Kurita's fishmeasured 27.20 inches in length and an almost equal girth of 26.77inches. 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 JapanGame Fish Association where they first collect and review recordapplications for fish caught in Japan," said Schratwieser. "It worksout well because they not only translate applications but can alsocontact the angler if more documentation is needed.
"We still have a number of questions to ask them and Kurita regardinglocal laws and the area he caught it in while he was trolling through acanal 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 onnearly 1100 species of fresh and saltwater fish across the globe in itshighly 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 fieldof freshwater record-keeping when Field & Stream magazinetransferred 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 conservationof game fish and promotion of responsible, ethical angling practicesthrough 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 & Museumin Dania Beach, Florida.
Photos in the gallery and full article in the world record bass section at http://delawaretrophybass.com
--
Some might think it's not fair. Others would complain that it would be easy to cheat a half a world away.
And I'm sure conspiracy theorists on both sides of the fence willcomplain for and against the alleged 22-pound, 4-ounce largemouth basscaught by Manabu Kurita in Japan's Lake Biwa, the country's largest reservoir.
Yes, that is the same weight of the long-standing world record of 22-4 that has belonged to the late George Perry for 77 years.
Let's face it. There will be plenty of people in this country withthe jingoistic attitude that there's no way an Asian with orange hair should share in even a piece of the most-hallowed freshwater fishing record there is.
Here's why it's a good thing.
First of all is the fish. Look at it. It's awesome and no doubt abass. Some speculated it was a triploid or sterile version of the species, but fisheries biologists in Japan confirmed the fish's eggs were indeed fertile. Now look at the water behind it. It looks bassy, just like lakes I've fished in Florida and seen in videos in Mexico,Cuba and Central America.
It certainly looks more like what Georgia's Montgomery Lake must have looked like on June 2, 1932, when Perry caught his fish, than any off those sterile looking mountain reservoirs in Southern California that have been spitting out 20-pound bass for years.
We've all read about how potential world records were pursued on those California lakes. The thought of one of those guys setting this record seemed obscene.
They would locate a huge female fish on a spawning bed and then usea group of guys to sit on it 24/7 trying to induce a strike, which they did several times when it was under record weight.
Then when one bass finally got big enough, all they were able to do was snag it. Kurita caught this fish fair chase while trolling a bluegill. That sounds a whole lot better to me.
I've got more of a problem with the publicist from the InternationalGame Fish Association (IGFA), that will eventually certify or deny therecord, that used seperate words to say "blue gill." Are you kidding me? Has this person even looked at their own record book?
The last thing I'll have you examine is Kurita's smile. It doesn'tmatter to me that he's not some Bubba with patches all over his shirt or that his grin is under orange hair because it's genuine. My gut reaction looking at the picture is he caught the fish, fair and square.
Another thing I find of interest regarding this fish is the attitude toward it in official circles in Japan. There the largemouth bass is considered an invasive species. They have no reason to feather their own nest in this regard.
The last idea I'll present is the term of world record itself. I long ago tired of hearing about world champions that didn't compete against an entire world. Now, it seems, the largemouth bass world-record chase has actually taken on a world-wide scope.
All that does is further validate Perry's long-standing claim. It's not diluted by Kurita's fish, but enhanced.
Kurita's fish still has to pass at several weeks of scrutiny by theIGFA before it is declared a world record. His documentation has arrived in Dania Beach, Fla., home of the IGFA.
"We still have a number of questions to ask the Japan Game and FishAssociation and Kurita regarding local laws and the area he caught it in while trolling through a canal on the lake," said IGFA conservation director Jason Schratweiser. "We hope to make an announcement in threeor four weeks."
Here's hoping Kurita and his fish pass muster. I think it would be good for the sport.
Steve Ford
--
And I'm sure conspiracy theorists on both sides of the fence willcomplain for and against the alleged 22-pound, 4-ounce largemouth basscaught by Manabu Kurita in Japan's Lake Biwa, the country's largest reservoir.
Yes, that is the same weight of the long-standing world record of 22-4 that has belonged to the late George Perry for 77 years.
Let's face it. There will be plenty of people in this country withthe jingoistic attitude that there's no way an Asian with orange hair should share in even a piece of the most-hallowed freshwater fishing record there is.
Here's why it's a good thing.
First of all is the fish. Look at it. It's awesome and no doubt abass. Some speculated it was a triploid or sterile version of the species, but fisheries biologists in Japan confirmed the fish's eggs were indeed fertile. Now look at the water behind it. It looks bassy, just like lakes I've fished in Florida and seen in videos in Mexico,Cuba and Central America.
It certainly looks more like what Georgia's Montgomery Lake must have looked like on June 2, 1932, when Perry caught his fish, than any off those sterile looking mountain reservoirs in Southern California that have been spitting out 20-pound bass for years.
We've all read about how potential world records were pursued on those California lakes. The thought of one of those guys setting this record seemed obscene.
They would locate a huge female fish on a spawning bed and then usea group of guys to sit on it 24/7 trying to induce a strike, which they did several times when it was under record weight.
Then when one bass finally got big enough, all they were able to do was snag it. Kurita caught this fish fair chase while trolling a bluegill. That sounds a whole lot better to me.
I've got more of a problem with the publicist from the InternationalGame Fish Association (IGFA), that will eventually certify or deny therecord, that used seperate words to say "blue gill." Are you kidding me? Has this person even looked at their own record book?
The last thing I'll have you examine is Kurita's smile. It doesn'tmatter to me that he's not some Bubba with patches all over his shirt or that his grin is under orange hair because it's genuine. My gut reaction looking at the picture is he caught the fish, fair and square.
Another thing I find of interest regarding this fish is the attitude toward it in official circles in Japan. There the largemouth bass is considered an invasive species. They have no reason to feather their own nest in this regard.
The last idea I'll present is the term of world record itself. I long ago tired of hearing about world champions that didn't compete against an entire world. Now, it seems, the largemouth bass world-record chase has actually taken on a world-wide scope.
All that does is further validate Perry's long-standing claim. It's not diluted by Kurita's fish, but enhanced.
Kurita's fish still has to pass at several weeks of scrutiny by theIGFA before it is declared a world record. His documentation has arrived in Dania Beach, Fla., home of the IGFA.
"We still have a number of questions to ask the Japan Game and FishAssociation and Kurita regarding local laws and the area he caught it in while trolling through a canal on the lake," said IGFA conservation director Jason Schratweiser. "We hope to make an announcement in threeor four weeks."
Here's hoping Kurita and his fish pass muster. I think it would be good for the sport.
Steve Ford
--
he latest news is in! It looks as if this bass is going to be disqualified as a new world record largemouth! If everything that is coming out of Japan and ICAST 2009 is true, then this bass will not be certifed as a new world record by the IGFA. It appears as if this bass was caught in an off limits area of the Lake and the IGFA does not accept world records from areas such as this. Will George Perrys record still stand?
Looks as though it might, giving a lot of California and Texas bass anglers a new ray of hope. Here we go again. I can't wait to see how this is going to turn out in the next few weeks. I wrote to the Japanese agency responsible for certifying the catch and here is their response as of July 31st, 2009.
UPDATE FROM JAPAN!! 7/31/09
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
Fax. :81-3-5423-6023
E-mail: japan@jgfa.or.jp
The complete story and videos will be available at the main site of Northeast Bass Fishing For Trophy Bass.
**** Note*** You only have 30 days to submit an IGFA application for a world record if its in the United States!, But you have up to 90 Days if its not in the country!** So we may have to wait 50 more days to see whats up with this strange, almost unmarketable world record bass.***!!
Even If this bass is submitted to the I.G.F.A. to be certified, which at this point, I don't think it will be), I really doubt that it will be certified at all even as a tie. Once again, We were dupted by a Mullet wearing, Bleached Blonde headed Elvis Impersonator! Help!! Where's Mike Long and Mac Weakley when you need them. Lets put this baby to bed and get on with a serious record we can all be proud of, and maybe when we do catch the "REAL" world record largemouth, it will not look as if it has a diaper rash!!
The rest of the story is at Northeast Bass Fishing For Trophy Bass
http://delawaretrohybass.com
http://www.delawaretrophybass.com/artic
World Record Bass and Trophy Bass Articles, Videos, Gallery http://delawaretrophybass.com
Looks as though it might, giving a lot of California and Texas bass anglers a new ray of hope. Here we go again. I can't wait to see how this is going to turn out in the next few weeks. I wrote to the Japanese agency responsible for certifying the catch and here is their response as of July 31st, 2009.
UPDATE FROM JAPAN!! 7/31/09
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
Fax. :81-3-5423-6023
E-mail: japan@jgfa.or.jp
The complete story and videos will be available at the main site of Northeast Bass Fishing For Trophy Bass.
**** Note*** You only have 30 days to submit an IGFA application for a world record if its in the United States!, But you have up to 90 Days if its not in the country!** So we may have to wait 50 more days to see whats up with this strange, almost unmarketable world record bass.***!!
Even If this bass is submitted to the I.G.F.A. to be certified, which at this point, I don't think it will be), I really doubt that it will be certified at all even as a tie. Once again, We were dupted by a Mullet wearing, Bleached Blonde headed Elvis Impersonator! Help!! Where's Mike Long and Mac Weakley when you need them. Lets put this baby to bed and get on with a serious record we can all be proud of, and maybe when we do catch the "REAL" world record largemouth, it will not look as if it has a diaper rash!!
The rest of the story is at Northeast Bass Fishing For Trophy Bass
http://delawaretrohybass.com
http://www.delawaretrophybass.com/artic
World Record Bass and Trophy Bass Articles, Videos, Gallery http://delawaretrophybass.com
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
"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
The first reports came out about a possible new world record largemouth bass caught in Japan on July 2, 2009, and it weighed 22 pounds, 5 ounces, which was one ounce more than the 77 year old record of George Perry.
Here is what I reported first on my website on July 2, 2009, just a few hours after the bass was first caught.
Congrats to the angler on a fine catch.
Lake Biwa shocked the bass world a couple years ago by producing a bass that was well over 18 pounds (The Japan record was caught at Lake Ikehara, and weighted over 19 pounds.).
A 25 lb. bass was caught as by catch in a fisherman's net earlier this year, so many thought it would be just a matter of time before a record size fish was taken from Japan's largest (over 70 miles long) natural lake.
More updates from the Deps site:
As best I can summarize before the actual translating: He (reporter) was returning from a previous trip and had been out late that night. The next day around 12 he got a call about the big bass and to hurry as it was over 20 pounds. He arrived with a camera crew. The fish was originally kept in a recirculating livewell but as the day wore on the power died and so did the fish ultimately. Originally they thought of donating the fish live to the local museum for tourism purposes. The fish is now frozen and awaiting certification process.
When the fish was landed, the hook(s) fell out right as he got it in the net. It is still unclear even from the translator whether it is a lure or live bait that was used.
It apears to not have been caught on the "Mother" swimbait as was originally speculated. It also appears to have been caught in deep open water.
ROD: SIDEWINDER THE DOM DRIVER F / E
LINE: TORAY SUPER HARD STRONG 25lb
Then on July 4, 2009, I received this update on the staus and a video surfaced which i posted to my site.
It's amazing how quiet it is in Japan after the news that Japanese angler Manubu Kurita may have tied the more than 77-year-old all-tackle world record for bass with a 22-pound, 5-ounce largemouth he caught from Lake Biwa in the Shiga Prefecture of Japan.
Jon Storm of BassFan.com said the lack of news could be because the rights for the story have been locked in by a magazine there. Storm has reported the bass was caught on live bait, but there's also a report that Kurita used a $300 swimbait. He represents Deps Tackle Co., a Japanese firm. Storm has been told that Lure Magazine in Japan might have secured the rights to this fish story, so the details of the catch could be a while in coming.
THE VIDEO OF THIS BASS IS NOW UP IN THE VIDEO SECTION OF THIS SITE. http://www.delawaretrophybass.com/a
I was excited at this point with all the commotion surrounding this catch, and the fact that we may have a new world record, even though I assumed it was going to come from California like so many others also thought, but it was still exciting to see such a monster finally weighed and certified, so I thought.
Then came the news that they had certified the scales in Japan and it was over the 22.4 mark of the Perry bass, and that the Japanese media, DEPS lure company, and LURE magazine in particular, had secured the rights to the story and were witholding any other information at all to the public because they were going to sell the DVD in Japanese later in the year and run an article in Lure magazine. Hmmm. seems strange that they wouldn't want to capitalize on the biggest money making opportunity to hit bass fishing in 77 years, I thought.
At this point I was wondering what was going on along with everyone else.
Then came the ICAST 2009 show in Florida, and the rumors started to fly about the bass being caught in an off-limits area of Lake Biwa and the IGFA does not allow world records from what it calls "Sanctuaries".
After hearing this, I started examining the photographs a lot more closely. I ran the video in slow motion and after about 2 hours started to really question the big red marks all over this bass. They really looked familiar to me but I couldn't figure out from where. That was until my cousin, who is a commercial fisherman came over and looked at them, and said "Those marks on that bass look just like the ones on the fish I catch in my Gill Nets!".
Now I knew where I had seen these before. I tried as hard as I could to discount this theory by trying to find some type of predator in Lake Biwa that may have caused those marks, but I couldn't. Then I tried to find any other bass with those marks that lived in lakes that had a high level of contamination, but I just didn't see it. I have had people tell me they have caught bass with these marks on them in Korea before. If they prove not to be marks from a net, then they must be an infection of some sort that I am not familiar with, but then my next question is raised, which is: "Why are they serving these and other fish from Lake Biwa on the restaurant menu with those types of infections on them? I know I certainly wouldn't want to eat anything that had those marks on it. If that's what you can see..What is in it that you can't see?
Now I am not going to say that I know conclusively that this is what they are, but it seems strange that the IGFA has not received any paperwork on this bass at all as of today, July 23, 2009, and neither has any other organization in Japan that I am aware of. There is no news, no comments by Japanese media, nothing! We will just have to wait and see what happens, but at this point I am really skeptical! You can view all these photos and videos yourself and you be the judge at Delaware Trophy Bass.
Given all the controversy surrounding Manubu Kurita’s pending World Record Largemouth Bass, Bounty Fishing decided to pass the picture along to the Forensics Team for me. Using the picture below, it was conlcuded that this fish was 28.27″. While this may break the BountyRecord, it falls quite short of the 29.4″ called.
Here is what I reported first on my website on July 2, 2009, just a few hours after the bass was first caught.
Congrats to the angler on a fine catch.
Lake Biwa shocked the bass world a couple years ago by producing a bass that was well over 18 pounds (The Japan record was caught at Lake Ikehara, and weighted over 19 pounds.).
A 25 lb. bass was caught as by catch in a fisherman's net earlier this year, so many thought it would be just a matter of time before a record size fish was taken from Japan's largest (over 70 miles long) natural lake.
More updates from the Deps site:
As best I can summarize before the actual translating: He (reporter) was returning from a previous trip and had been out late that night. The next day around 12 he got a call about the big bass and to hurry as it was over 20 pounds. He arrived with a camera crew. The fish was originally kept in a recirculating livewell but as the day wore on the power died and so did the fish ultimately. Originally they thought of donating the fish live to the local museum for tourism purposes. The fish is now frozen and awaiting certification process.
When the fish was landed, the hook(s) fell out right as he got it in the net. It is still unclear even from the translator whether it is a lure or live bait that was used.
It apears to not have been caught on the "Mother" swimbait as was originally speculated. It also appears to have been caught in deep open water.
ROD: SIDEWINDER THE DOM DRIVER F / E
LINE: TORAY SUPER HARD STRONG 25lb
Then on July 4, 2009, I received this update on the staus and a video surfaced which i posted to my site.
It's amazing how quiet it is in Japan after the news that Japanese angler Manubu Kurita may have tied the more than 77-year-old all-tackle world record for bass with a 22-pound, 5-ounce largemouth he caught from Lake Biwa in the Shiga Prefecture of Japan.
Jon Storm of BassFan.com said the lack of news could be because the rights for the story have been locked in by a magazine there. Storm has reported the bass was caught on live bait, but there's also a report that Kurita used a $300 swimbait. He represents Deps Tackle Co., a Japanese firm. Storm has been told that Lure Magazine in Japan might have secured the rights to this fish story, so the details of the catch could be a while in coming.
THE VIDEO OF THIS BASS IS NOW UP IN THE VIDEO SECTION OF THIS SITE. http://www.delawaretrophybass.com/a
I was excited at this point with all the commotion surrounding this catch, and the fact that we may have a new world record, even though I assumed it was going to come from California like so many others also thought, but it was still exciting to see such a monster finally weighed and certified, so I thought.
Then came the news that they had certified the scales in Japan and it was over the 22.4 mark of the Perry bass, and that the Japanese media, DEPS lure company, and LURE magazine in particular, had secured the rights to the story and were witholding any other information at all to the public because they were going to sell the DVD in Japanese later in the year and run an article in Lure magazine. Hmmm. seems strange that they wouldn't want to capitalize on the biggest money making opportunity to hit bass fishing in 77 years, I thought.
At this point I was wondering what was going on along with everyone else.
Then came the ICAST 2009 show in Florida, and the rumors started to fly about the bass being caught in an off-limits area of Lake Biwa and the IGFA does not allow world records from what it calls "Sanctuaries".
After hearing this, I started examining the photographs a lot more closely. I ran the video in slow motion and after about 2 hours started to really question the big red marks all over this bass. They really looked familiar to me but I couldn't figure out from where. That was until my cousin, who is a commercial fisherman came over and looked at them, and said "Those marks on that bass look just like the ones on the fish I catch in my Gill Nets!".
Now I knew where I had seen these before. I tried as hard as I could to discount this theory by trying to find some type of predator in Lake Biwa that may have caused those marks, but I couldn't. Then I tried to find any other bass with those marks that lived in lakes that had a high level of contamination, but I just didn't see it. I have had people tell me they have caught bass with these marks on them in Korea before. If they prove not to be marks from a net, then they must be an infection of some sort that I am not familiar with, but then my next question is raised, which is: "Why are they serving these and other fish from Lake Biwa on the restaurant menu with those types of infections on them? I know I certainly wouldn't want to eat anything that had those marks on it. If that's what you can see..What is in it that you can't see?
Now I am not going to say that I know conclusively that this is what they are, but it seems strange that the IGFA has not received any paperwork on this bass at all as of today, July 23, 2009, and neither has any other organization in Japan that I am aware of. There is no news, no comments by Japanese media, nothing! We will just have to wait and see what happens, but at this point I am really skeptical! You can view all these photos and videos yourself and you be the judge at Delaware Trophy Bass.
Given all the controversy surrounding Manubu Kurita’s pending World Record Largemouth Bass, Bounty Fishing decided to pass the picture along to the Forensics Team for me. Using the picture below, it was conlcuded that this fish was 28.27″. While this may break the BountyRecord, it falls quite short of the 29.4″ called.
News Flash--World Record Largemouth Contender
Name: WR 5.jpg Views: 138 Size: 172.7 KB
News Flash--World Record Largemouth Contender-wr2.jpg
Certified weight: 10.12 kg. = 22 lb. 5 oz
Length: 29.4 inches
Location caught: Lake Biwa, Japan
Name: WR1.jpg Views: 2702 Size: 27.7 KB
This was just on the TV news about an hour ago, so this is all the info I have. Mr. Okamura, the president of Deps Tackle Co., helped with the interview; I did not catch the anglers name.
We are well past the spawning season when most of the giants are caught at Lake Biwa; most of the fish now are quiet slender (after spawn condition). Not this one!
Name: WR 4.jpg Views: 135 Size: 140.8 KB
News Flash--World Record Largemouth Contender-wr3.jpg
Congrats to the angler on a fine catch.
Lake Biwa shocked the bass world a couple years ago by producing a bass that was well over 18 pounds (The Japan record was caught at Lake Ikehara, and weighted over 19 pounds.).
A 25 lb. bass was caught as by catch in a fisherman's net earlier this year, so many thought it would be just a matter of time before a record size fish was taken from Japan's largest (over 70 miles long) natural lake.
__________________
CHECK BACK SHORTLY AT DELAWARE TROPHY BASS AS MORE INFORMATION COMES IN.
http://delawaretrophybass.com
Name: WR 5.jpg Views: 138 Size: 172.7 KB
News Flash--World Record Largemouth Contender-wr2.jpg
Certified weight: 10.12 kg. = 22 lb. 5 oz
Length: 29.4 inches
Location caught: Lake Biwa, Japan
Name: WR1.jpg Views: 2702 Size: 27.7 KB
This was just on the TV news about an hour ago, so this is all the info I have. Mr. Okamura, the president of Deps Tackle Co., helped with the interview; I did not catch the anglers name.
We are well past the spawning season when most of the giants are caught at Lake Biwa; most of the fish now are quiet slender (after spawn condition). Not this one!
Name: WR 4.jpg Views: 135 Size: 140.8 KB
News Flash--World Record Largemouth Contender-wr3.jpg
Congrats to the angler on a fine catch.
Lake Biwa shocked the bass world a couple years ago by producing a bass that was well over 18 pounds (The Japan record was caught at Lake Ikehara, and weighted over 19 pounds.).
A 25 lb. bass was caught as by catch in a fisherman's net earlier this year, so many thought it would be just a matter of time before a record size fish was taken from Japan's largest (over 70 miles long) natural lake.
__________________
CHECK BACK SHORTLY AT DELAWARE TROPHY BASS AS MORE INFORMATION COMES IN.
http://delawaretrophybass.com
Giant Bass caught in Delaware
This is one of the hottest baits out right now. It has produced a ton of really big largemouth and smallmouth all over the country. I have been using it for a few months and I love it. I put up the video for you to watch if you haven't seen or used it yet.
http://www.delawaretrophybass.com/a
http://www.delawaretrophybass.com/a
The greatest All-American hero
Wagner wins wire to wire, collects $120,000 plus trip to Forrest Wood Cup30.May.2009
DAVENPORT, Iowa — It was said many times this week that fishing in the Walmart BFL All-American is a dream come true for a weekend tournament bass angler. Underscoring that sentiment is Adam Wagner, who completed his wire-to-wire victory Saturday on the Mississippi River with a three-day total weight of 36 ½ pounds.
“I’ve dreamed of being a professional fisherman since I was 6 years old,” said Wagner, who fished in his third career All-American this week (he placed second in 2005 and 23rd in 2004).
His wife, Kimber, and 9-year-old daughter, Jordyn, were at the final weigh-in in Davenport, Iowa, to watch his dream come true today as he put four bass weighing 11 pounds, 5 ounces in the scale and then hoisted a check for $120,000 high above his head. Wagner will soon further his dream, as he is now qualified to fish against the best bass pros in the world in this year’s $2 million Forrest Wood Cup and eligible to compete on the Walmart FLW Tour in 2010.
“It gives me a shot to go out on the Tour,” he said, “so if (my wife) says it’s OK … I’m ready to go.”
Winning the All-American is the exclamation point on a season that has already been like living a dream for Wagner, who works as an equipment operator in Cookeville, Tenn. He’s already won two other Bass Fishing League events this year in the Music City Division, where he’s currently ranked No. 1 in the Boater Division with two regular-season events left to go. The rising star now boasts 20 top-10 finishes in BFL competition, including six wins, and $251,618 in FLW Outdoors earnings.
Wagner found his system during practice and never looked back. He fished pools 14 and 13 – the farthest eligible upstream from the takeoff site of Rock Island, Ill. – plucking keeper bass from each all three days.
“I locked through to (pool) 13 every day,” he said. “I got lucky and found a couple fish in 14 … where I had about 40 minutes to fish each day before locking through. I’d usually catch three more in 13.”
The system was a gamble in that it only allowed him about an hour and a half of fishing time each day in pool 13, where he caught most of his bigger bass. In pool 13, Wagner landed his lunkers by swimming a ¼-ounce jig with a black skirt in grass and lily pads in about a foot of water or by fishing a green-pumpkin Senko when the bite called for it. In pool 14, he consistently flipped a Sweet Beaver with a 3/8-ounce tungsten weight to wood and lay-downs in the current in the main channel in about 3 feet of water.
Today he caught a big smallmouth in pool 16 near the takeoff site, the only fish he caught there all week. His final kicker fish looked great onstage, but was just icing on the cake as he won by an incredible margin of 9 ½ pounds. His daily weights were as follows: day one, five bass, 15-9; day two (also his birthday – talk about a whirlwind week), five bass, 9-10; and day three, four bass, 11-5.
All week Wagner said he “came here to win it.” But despite his confidence in his pattern and determination throughout the week, when it was all said and done, he was still a bit overwhelmed.
“This is just unbelievable,” he said.
Steve Wagner happy with second
Steve Wagner of New Kent, Va., fished his way to second place in the Boater Division of the All-American with a three-day total weight of 27 pounds. He earned $25,000.
Being the runner-up sat fine with Wagner, who said: “I knew unless I pulled out a miracle today, he was going to win. I’m not disappointed.
“I made it here. I’ve only been fishing for four years.”
Fishing in his first All-American this week, Wagner now has five BFL top-10 finishes on his résumé.
Wagner said he made a critical error on day one that may have cost him the win. He said he was boating farther upstream than anyone in the tournament, about 60 miles one way, where he had found several hot spots in practice. With only an hour to fish each day that far north in pool 13, he wasted precious time Thursday trying to recapture his success from practice.
“Those areas where the good fish were – the water dropped about a foot and the fish weren’t there,” he said of day one, when he only bagged four bass for 9-4 as he checked four other spots he’d previously located before locking on to a bite in a 40-yard stretch of water. “As soon as I got there, I knew the fish were going to be there.”
Locked on to a pattern, Wagner spent most of the rest of the week on that small area on Edick Lake flipping a 3 ½-inch Strike King jig in June-bug color to heavy cover for his bass.
Baldwin climbs to third
Fishing in his fourth All-American, boater Chris Baldwin of Lexington, N.C., climbed three slots on the final day to finish third with a three-day total of 22-15 worth $14,000 plus a $9,000 Ranger bonus.
“I started out in pool 13 the first day, the second day I fished pool 14, and today I stayed in pool 16,” Baldwin said of his combo-platter strategy.
After only catching three bass on day one, Baldwin said it was time to change it up on day two. He caught three bass in pool 14 Friday, but then caught two nice ones in pool 16 on the way back to the marina.
That convinced him to stay near the launch site today, where he reeled in three more bass to add 7 ½ pounds to his total. Two largemouths came from a Zoom crankbait, and he caught his kicker smallmouth on a three-bladed War Eagle spinnerbait.
Devere, Moran round out top five
Fishing in his second All-American, boater Mike Devere of Berea, Ky., finished in fourth place with a three-day total of 22-14 worth $13,000 plus an $8,000 Ranger bonus.
Devere fished areas in pool 14 each day that he found while practicing with another Berea native, co-angler Brian Ross who finished 20th in his division. Devere caught most of his bass this week on a ¼-ounce Brovarney swim jig with a Zoom twin tail in pearl-white color, targeting lay-downs and stumps in about 3 feet of water.
Boater Russ Moran of Manchester, Tenn., who has fished at every level of competition in FLW Outdoors bass circuits, finished fifth in his first trip to the All-American. His three-day total weight of 19-3 earned him $12,000 plus a $7,000 engine bonus.
Moran spent the week in the minority, fishing downstream in pool 17, where he found slack water in a backwater lake with bushes. He caught most of his fish flipping a black-and-blue Strike King jig.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 boaters to fish the final day of the 2009 Walmart BFL All-American:
6th: Jeff Holder of Bossier City, La., seven bass, three-day total of 18-15, $11,000 (plus $6,000 in contingency awards)14-14
7th: Edward Gettys of Scottsboro, Ala., seven bass, 17-8, $10,000 ($5,000)
8th: Larry Neal of Piney Flats, Tenn., eight bass, 16-2, $9,000 (Neal also won the Yamaha Be the Best award worth $10,000 for being the highest-placing BFL divisional points champ)
9th: Gary Edwards of Milton, Ky., seven bass, 15-11, $8,000
10th: David Lowery of Milledgeville, Ga., seven bass, 15-2, $7,000 ($7,000)
“I’ve dreamed of being a professional fisherman since I was 6 years old,” said Wagner, who fished in his third career All-American this week (he placed second in 2005 and 23rd in 2004).
His wife, Kimber, and 9-year-old daughter, Jordyn, were at the final weigh-in in Davenport, Iowa, to watch his dream come true today as he put four bass weighing 11 pounds, 5 ounces in the scale and then hoisted a check for $120,000 high above his head. Wagner will soon further his dream, as he is now qualified to fish against the best bass pros in the world in this year’s $2 million Forrest Wood Cup and eligible to compete on the Walmart FLW Tour in 2010.
“It gives me a shot to go out on the Tour,” he said, “so if (my wife) says it’s OK … I’m ready to go.”
Winning the All-American is the exclamation point on a season that has already been like living a dream for Wagner, who works as an equipment operator in Cookeville, Tenn. He’s already won two other Bass Fishing League events this year in the Music City Division, where he’s currently ranked No. 1 in the Boater Division with two regular-season events left to go. The rising star now boasts 20 top-10 finishes in BFL competition, including six wins, and $251,618 in FLW Outdoors earnings.
Wagner found his system during practice and never looked back. He fished pools 14 and 13 – the farthest eligible upstream from the takeoff site of Rock Island, Ill. – plucking keeper bass from each all three days.
“I locked through to (pool) 13 every day,” he said. “I got lucky and found a couple fish in 14 … where I had about 40 minutes to fish each day before locking through. I’d usually catch three more in 13.”
The system was a gamble in that it only allowed him about an hour and a half of fishing time each day in pool 13, where he caught most of his bigger bass. In pool 13, Wagner landed his lunkers by swimming a ¼-ounce jig with a black skirt in grass and lily pads in about a foot of water or by fishing a green-pumpkin Senko when the bite called for it. In pool 14, he consistently flipped a Sweet Beaver with a 3/8-ounce tungsten weight to wood and lay-downs in the current in the main channel in about 3 feet of water.
Today he caught a big smallmouth in pool 16 near the takeoff site, the only fish he caught there all week. His final kicker fish looked great onstage, but was just icing on the cake as he won by an incredible margin of 9 ½ pounds. His daily weights were as follows: day one, five bass, 15-9; day two (also his birthday – talk about a whirlwind week), five bass, 9-10; and day three, four bass, 11-5.
All week Wagner said he “came here to win it.” But despite his confidence in his pattern and determination throughout the week, when it was all said and done, he was still a bit overwhelmed.
“This is just unbelievable,” he said.
Steve Wagner happy with second
Steve Wagner of New Kent, Va., fished his way to second place in the Boater Division of the All-American with a three-day total weight of 27 pounds. He earned $25,000.
Being the runner-up sat fine with Wagner, who said: “I knew unless I pulled out a miracle today, he was going to win. I’m not disappointed.
“I made it here. I’ve only been fishing for four years.”
Fishing in his first All-American this week, Wagner now has five BFL top-10 finishes on his résumé.
Wagner said he made a critical error on day one that may have cost him the win. He said he was boating farther upstream than anyone in the tournament, about 60 miles one way, where he had found several hot spots in practice. With only an hour to fish each day that far north in pool 13, he wasted precious time Thursday trying to recapture his success from practice.
“Those areas where the good fish were – the water dropped about a foot and the fish weren’t there,” he said of day one, when he only bagged four bass for 9-4 as he checked four other spots he’d previously located before locking on to a bite in a 40-yard stretch of water. “As soon as I got there, I knew the fish were going to be there.”
Locked on to a pattern, Wagner spent most of the rest of the week on that small area on Edick Lake flipping a 3 ½-inch Strike King jig in June-bug color to heavy cover for his bass.
Baldwin climbs to third
Fishing in his fourth All-American, boater Chris Baldwin of Lexington, N.C., climbed three slots on the final day to finish third with a three-day total of 22-15 worth $14,000 plus a $9,000 Ranger bonus.
“I started out in pool 13 the first day, the second day I fished pool 14, and today I stayed in pool 16,” Baldwin said of his combo-platter strategy.
After only catching three bass on day one, Baldwin said it was time to change it up on day two. He caught three bass in pool 14 Friday, but then caught two nice ones in pool 16 on the way back to the marina.
That convinced him to stay near the launch site today, where he reeled in three more bass to add 7 ½ pounds to his total. Two largemouths came from a Zoom crankbait, and he caught his kicker smallmouth on a three-bladed War Eagle spinnerbait.
Devere, Moran round out top five
Fishing in his second All-American, boater Mike Devere of Berea, Ky., finished in fourth place with a three-day total of 22-14 worth $13,000 plus an $8,000 Ranger bonus.
Devere fished areas in pool 14 each day that he found while practicing with another Berea native, co-angler Brian Ross who finished 20th in his division. Devere caught most of his bass this week on a ¼-ounce Brovarney swim jig with a Zoom twin tail in pearl-white color, targeting lay-downs and stumps in about 3 feet of water.
Boater Russ Moran of Manchester, Tenn., who has fished at every level of competition in FLW Outdoors bass circuits, finished fifth in his first trip to the All-American. His three-day total weight of 19-3 earned him $12,000 plus a $7,000 engine bonus.
Moran spent the week in the minority, fishing downstream in pool 17, where he found slack water in a backwater lake with bushes. He caught most of his fish flipping a black-and-blue Strike King jig.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 boaters to fish the final day of the 2009 Walmart BFL All-American:
6th: Jeff Holder of Bossier City, La., seven bass, three-day total of 18-15, $11,000 (plus $6,000 in contingency awards)14-14
7th: Edward Gettys of Scottsboro, Ala., seven bass, 17-8, $10,000 ($5,000)
8th: Larry Neal of Piney Flats, Tenn., eight bass, 16-2, $9,000 (Neal also won the Yamaha Be the Best award worth $10,000 for being the highest-placing BFL divisional points champ)
9th: Gary Edwards of Milton, Ky., seven bass, 15-11, $8,000
10th: David Lowery of Milledgeville, Ga., seven bass, 15-2, $7,000 ($7,000)
Take a look at what happens when you get thrown from your bass boat at 70 mph.
http://www.delawaretrophybass.com/apps/v
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