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| OK, this isn't muskies, but in Jon's latest issue of Bassmaster magazine, there is an article about Arizona angler Ron Casner. On Feb. 21, he bagged a 17.46 pound largemouth on Canyon Lake, near Phoenix. The marina at the lake had already closed for the day, so Ron put the bass in the livewell and transported it 9 miles to Apache Junction and had it weighed on their certified scales. It would be a new state record. Ron then brought the fish back to Canyon Lake and released it alive.
TTI Companies, a hook mfg. had offered a $50,000 reward for any state record fish taken on their hooks. This was. Ron applied to the state for his record and was DENIED. Az. has a regulation against transporting live fish, Ron was not ticketed for this violation, and told the truth about where the fish was caught and weighed.
Jim Wanicke, Az. Game and Fish Dept. regional manager, explained to the Arizona Republic News," It definately would have sent the wrong message: that you might get a ticket, but you also will get a state record that might be worth thousands of dollars in endorsements." The dept. decided not to recognize Casner's bass and did not cite him for the infraction.
To me, the 'wrong message' is: if you kill the fish you get the prize. What is wrong with this picture? I would have liked to tell my son Jon, "Do good, tell the truth, release big fish alive and good things will happen." Sure is hard to do that with this example. Thanks for letting me vent, mm[:blackeye:] | |
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| The Arizona DNR like many other DNR operations most likely wants the fish to be varified by a DNR bioligist for species, sex, and to make sure the person didn't stick a pound of lead down her throat for the record. He still could apply for a length record, but not the weight record. Check your own state regs for record consideration. Most likely the DNR wants the fish for validation of weight/size. $50K would be nice, but to see a large fish like that swim away is priceless.
Lance | |
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| Could be, but the article states:
"It is our discretion whether we want to cite him or not...we felt that by denying him the record, his loss in endorsements and the money he could have and would have made was probably enough of a deterrent" (quoting Warnicke).
I agree, this was a costly decision. Ron noted that he did this because he was unaware of the rule against transporting fish (no doubt enacted to prevent cross-stocking) and because a big stink was raised the time a 16.2 pound fish was killed after being taken from Canyon Lake. m | |
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$50K fine for CPR!