Nice Catch
World-record bass – maybe – pulled from Lake Dixon
SAN DIEGO – Mac Weakley of Carlsbad caught what could be the world-record largemouth bass early Monday at Dixon Lake in Escondido.
The bass weighed 25 pounds, 1 ounce on a hand-held scale, which – if approved – would shatter the world record, the 22-pound, 4-ounce bass caught by George W. Perry at Montgomery Lake in Georgia in 1932.
The catch will have to be approved by the International Game Fish Association.
That may be a problem, however, because Weakley said he foul-hooked the fish – meaning the hook lodged below the dorsal fin on the fish’s side, not in the fish’s mouth.
That may or may not be a problem. The IGFA says you can not intentionally foul hook a fish. If it was not intentional, then he will be OK. -Maybe- The IGFA rules are very precise. They regulate the length and strength of leader etc. Any number of esoteric rules can disqualifiy you.
It is hard for someone not familiar with the rules to be in compliance. They even take a sample of your fishing line and break test it to see that it breaks at the right poundage. Freshwater is easier than big game* but still I’d be surprised if the guy gets awarded the record if he was not familiar with the rules ahead of time.
But since he let it go, I’m sure they’ll be about 1000 people fishing in the lake trying to get the record this weekend.
]]>< 
The fish looks FAT.
Well, of course it’s fat! It’s a female, full of eggs!
Since the guy apparently didn’t take complete measurements, either, I’d say his chances for IGFA recognition are slim.
Good photo, though. Certainly adequate to get a fiberglass model of it made up.
And while I don’t worry about 1000 people fishing for it, I do worry about the 950 of them who will want to kill it and mount it on the wall.
And yes, you should have a fishing category!
Oh John… I did not read that last senense of the story. No chance of a record. — And yeah I was thinking of the trophy hunters too.
If you think about it, it is only a matter of time before someone with the right gear and the right measurements catches the same fish (for the 4th known time) and takes the record.
I’m a saltwaer guy but I’d go after it.
That’s one bad ass bass.
Yes, but…
Is it as bad as the Big Mouth Billy Bass??
I don’t think it’s going to be easy to catch that big ol’ fish again. It didn’t get to be 25 pounds chomping on any old bait that happened to be floating by.
about foul hooking –
it’s a tough call as to whether it was intentional. Bass are probably close to being on bed in Southern California, if they aren’t already. When bass are on bed they are aggressive but they don’t neccessarily eat. Often times they just move or chase predators from the bed. Where I’m from (South Georgia), it’s not uncommon to foul hook a big bass under these circumstances for no reason other than a picture with a big fish.
For those who don’t know – when a fish is on bed it has made a large bowl shaped indention in the lake/pond bottom, usually close to the shore in shallow water to take advantage of warmer temps. The beds are made by sweeping the pond bottom with the anal fins. A fish caught that is on bed will have a reddish area around the anal fins from this activity. Once the bed is made, the female lays the eggs and a male comes along and fertilizes them. Depending on the species (and the timing of the spawn), either the male or female will hang around and protect the bed.
Bream are voracious feeders when on bed. Crappie are not. Bass are hit and miss. You can foul hook bedding crappie all day long. You can work at foul hooking bass on bed and if you work a ittle harder you can agitate them unil they finally attack and swallow your lure.
For bream, toss a popping bug or spider on a 6 weight or smaller fly rod or toss a small Spin Dandy over the bed retreive at mdium speed through the beds – they’ll strike everytime.
Go forth and redneck yourselves.
Best quote from Mac was that he didn’t care about the record and didn’t keep the fish because it made him feel good to know that there was still a 25 pounder swimming around in the lake.
“I’ve never heard of anyone having to be strapped into a fighting chair for a largemouth bass for example”
We here in the Great Lakes state don’t need no stinkin’ fighting chairs….but a 40lb muskie will make you wish you had one.
Also, one of the basic rules often overlooked between freshwater and saltwater fishing is that if you get hot while fishing freshwater fish…you can go for a swim and NOT become bait.
lake dixon is regularly stocked with trout. the bass was more than likely filling up on small trout. yum.
Good point markm, I too live in the Great Lake State a couple blocks from Lake Huron “up north.” I bass, pike, steelhead,and muskie fish both on Lake Huron and the Au Sable River. There is nothing better. I don’t eat fish so everything I catch I throw back (including Walleye.) Just being out there is great, even if I catch nothing. I’ve never seen a LM Bass as big as the picture shows – seems no one else has either.
Time for some troll-ing (pun intended)…
When fish are caught, studies show that they feel pain. How would you like to have a big hook in your mouth. (snicker)
Hello, i have caught many Lrg. mouth in my life,mostly releasing them but once in a great while i would keep one to bring home to mom so she could eat it. I know how to keep them alife for hours if not days. And im sure alll you pro bassers do to.you dont run a stringer thruogh its gill but if you run one through his lower lip he will stay alive for days.If i had a chance at a record bass I WOULD TAKE NO CHANCES i would keep it alive until I had every official scale,measurement ,and a fish and game person look at it and take pictures until THEY said it is official this is why we fish for record bass,So we can get the RECORD SO to all you that say I let it go to save its life have fun fishing for recrd bass that you let go and then lose out on a potential $10,000,000.00 in cash and endorcements.
Most bass fishermen release thousands of bass through the course of their fishing careers. The State of California allows fishermen to keep (and kill) up to 5 bass per day. Most bass fishermen never do. This bass was the WORLD RECORD. The most coveted record in all of sportfishing. Financial security for his family, college tuition for his kids…had he mouth-hooked this fish he would have been a fool for releasing it before proper measurements and certified weight could be taken. How many potential records have been dis-allowed in the last 15 years because the anglers released un-examined fish? Keep it alive if possible, but if not, it’s just one fish. This fish has spawned at least 13 times in her life. Her gene pool is alive and well in Lake Dixon. Let’s have a record that we can verify with certainty and not speculation.
I agree with git-bit its been along time comeing for a record bass,hopefuly some body will do all the rite things and be able to collect on the fame and riches .GOOD LUCK TO ALL
I caught a 10lb in lake fork in the state of texas and it was big to me. I can picture me catching one that big, I would have a heart attack for sure because when I caught my bass I thought I would have one. I dont think this sh
ould be a new record because of the facts. DM
Awesome fish! I did’nt think we grew ’em that big in So.Cal. Which State has the most top ten big mouths? WOW! What an awesome fish!