NEW WORLD RECORD BASS CAUGHT IN JAPAN!

[delawarebass]

A new pending world record largemouth bass was caught in Japan last week. I have been waiting for my sources over there to call with more information, but it looks like Lure Magazine in Japan has gotten the rights to the story first, but as new information comes in I will post it on my site. I have pictures though and a video that not many others have right now including all the FACTS! Stop on by, tight lines, Steve Delaware Trophy Bass at http://delawaretrophybass.com

[delawarebass]

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/apps/videos/

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 has 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. Was it LBV? I don't think so after looking at it.

Next I went to BOUNTY FISHING, and asked them to run the photos through their software and run it by their team. Here is what they found.

"Given all the controversy surrounding Manubu Kurita's pending World Record Largemouth Bass, Bounty decided to pass the picture along to the Forensics Team. 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."

(The photo they used is at Delaware Trophy Bass)

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.

[delawarebass]

BREAKING NEWS SEPTEMBER 15th, 2009


IGFA receives documentation, photos on pending world record largemouth bass caught in Japan Weight 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 a much talked about 22 lb 4 oz largemouth bass, caught from Japan's largest lake in July, has arrived into the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) headquarters for world record recognition.

Late Monday, the IGFA, the 70-year old non-profit fisheries conservation, education and record-keeping body, received the application for the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), caughtJuly 2, by Manabu Kurita, 32, of Aichi, Japan. IGFA rules for fish caught outside the U.S. allows anglers 90 days to submit their applications from the date of their catch.

IGFA conservation director Jason Schratwieser said the World All-Tackle application is currently under review after it was received through the Japan 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 northeast of Kyoto. Photos and video were also submitted with the written documentation.

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'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 speculated that 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 fish measured 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 Japan Game Fish Association where they first collect and review record applications for fish caught in Japan," said Schratwieser. "It works out well because they not only translate applications but can also contact the angler if more documentation is needed.

"We still have a number of questions to ask them and Kurita regarding local 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 on nearly 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 field of freshwater record-keeping when Field & Stream magazine transferred 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 conservation of game fish and promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through 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 & Museum in Dania Beach, Florida.


Photos in the gallery and full article in the world record bass section

[delawarebass]

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.

[delawarebass]

New information and new video direct from Lake Biwa by James Hall from Bassmaster.

http://www.delawaretrophybass.com/apps/ ... -interview

[delawarebass]

Special offer on swimbaits used to catch these trophy bass at the site. http://delawaretrophybass.com/tacklestore.htm