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It's amazing that for 77 years bass anglers have been trying to beat the catch of a 22-pound, 4-ounce bass made by George Perry on June 2, 1932, in Georgia's Montgomery Lake--and then somebody comes along and ties the record.
Japan's Manabu Kurita is that angler. He made his catch on July 2 at ancient Lake Biwa northeast of Kyoto, and it has generated quite a buzz among the passionate bass-fishing community.
But Kurita waited until this week to submit documentation for the catch to the Florida-based International Game Fish Assn. The IGFA issued a press release Tuesday afternoon stating it had received documentation via the Japan Game Fish Assn., and that it is under review. A decision regarding the submission is due within a month.
Kurita's bass measured 27.20 inches in length and an almost equal 26.77 inches in girth. It was caught on a live bluegill as the angler was trolling through a canal. The IGFA will try to verify whether all regulations were adhered to.
Beating Perry has and remains the premier aspiration among serious bass fishermen. Few thought a Japanese reservoir could produce so large a bass. Many believed and still believe the new record fish will come from a Southern California reservoir, such as Lake Dixon in Escondido or Lake Casitas near Ventura, to name just two.
For now, however, anglers will wait to see what the IGFA says about Kurita's impressive catch.
2 comments:
I broke this story first with no credit. I now have new pictures of this bass as well that DO NOT appear on ANY OTHER SITE. I suppose someone will take credit for this too but if you want to see them and other pictures of giant bass just stop in to Northeast Bass Fishing For Trophy Bass at http://delawaretrophybass.com
There still has not been any ruling on the pending record bass caught by Mr. Kurita at Lake Biwa.
It has been half a year; usually records are either approved or disapproved within a couple of months at best.
A new Japanese Yellowtail record (over 100 pounds!) was caught on Oct. 24, 2009, and it has already been approved...
But yellowtail record submissions do not have all the politics that largemouth black bass record submissions do here in Japan.
One of my sources in the know tells me that there is no way the JGFA will allow the grand fish to become a new Japan record--
Caught up in politics...-dsc04276.jpg
especially since it comes from "catch and kill" (catch and release of bass is illegal) Biwa Lake.
Interestingly enough, the IGFA is an autonomous body, and is supposed to make decisions regardless of what other (ie. JGFA) organizations allow/disallow.
Yet the IGFA has not rendered a final decision on this fish.
Steve Mras, multiple IGFA WR holder, emailed me the following:
No decision yet on possible record bass caught in Japan
The IGFA is still waiting additional information before making a decision for world record recognition on a 22 lb 4 oz largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), caught by Manabu Kurita, 32, of Aichi, Japan, from that country’s largest lake July 2. IGFA conservation director Jason Schratwieser said the World All-Tackle application is still under review after it was received in mid-September through the Japan Game Fish Association (JGFA). “We’ve been corresponding with the angler via our sister organization, the JGFA,” said Schratwieser. Besides being a non-profit fisheries, education and conservation organization, the 70- year old IGFA has long been the world’s recognized record-keeping body for over 1100 salt and fresh water recreational fish species. Schratwieser said the bass weighing 10.12 kg (22 lb 4 oz) was pulled from Lake Biwa an ancient reservoir northeast of Kyoto. Photos and video were also submitted with Kurita’s written documentation. If approved Kurita’s fish would tie the current record held for over 77 years by George Perry caught on Georgia’s Montgomery Lake, June 2, 1932, near Jacksonville, Georgia. In North America the largemouth bass, and especially the All-Tackle record, is considered by millions of anglers as the “holy grail” of freshwater fish because of its popularity and the longevity of Perry’s record.
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Mr. Kurita has made a complete submission, with more info provided than many submissions that became records with no problem.
It makes one wonder what "additional information" the IGFA could be possibly be waiting for?
I have met Mr. Kurita several times in my tackle store in Aichi, Japan. He is an avid bass angler, with a passion for hunting big fish; it seems very unfortunate that such a fine catch that should bring so much controversy.
Nobody I talked to here can remember a JGFA record submission that has taken this long. I am not going to hold my breath on a ruling anytime soon.
http://delawaretrophybass.com
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