Record Smallmouth Caught in (Michigan) Tourney

http://flwfishing.com/tips/2015-10-21-record-smallmouth-caught-in-tourney-

If only that was me! 

One of the greatest freshwater gamefishes. And what a massive beast! I cant imagine what I would think if I saw that on the end on my line! probly shat myself

One of the greatest freshwater gamefishes. And what a massive beast! I cant imagine what I would think if I saw that on the end on my line! probly shat myself

+1.  Smallies are just soooo much cooler than ditch-pickle largemouth: they fight harder, are more aggressive, and taste amazing on the table.

If I saw this fish on my line, I'd probably experience a combination of sharts+heart attack  .

Probably chilly water and it just hugged the bottom hahahahah What a toad.

Wow, what a fricking beast.
Sounds like the fish was harvested, I wonder how much flak the guy has caught for that.

Sounds like the fish was harvested, I wonder how much flak the guy has caught for that.

The article said the fish was kept, and the fish bio quoted in the article said the fish was well past its prime spawning age and likely near the end of its life.

Seems to be a common theme I've seen when it comes to black bass and records: you'll suffer the wrath of the bass fishing community if you bonk any bass, but given the OK if it's a potential record.  Is he going to eat that monster smallie?  I sure as hell wouldn't, what with the fish's age and the likely accumulation of toxins in its system.  Too bad the state law requires a fish biologist's examination of the catch to qualify as a record.  Having to kill trophy fish just to certify that it's a trophy seems like such an archaic and outdated practice with today's technology.

Sounds like the fish was harvested, I wonder how much flak the guy has caught for that.

The article said the fish was kept, and the fish bio quoted in the article said the fish was well past its prime spawning age and likely near the end of its life.

Seems to be a common theme I've seen when it comes to black bass and records: you'll suffer the wrath of the bass fishing community if you bonk any bass, but given the OK if it's a potential record.  Is he going to eat that monster smallie?  I sure as hell wouldn't, what with the fish's age and the likely accumulation of toxins in its system.  Too bad the state law requires a fish biologist's examination of the catch to qualify as a record.  Having to kill trophy fish just to certify that it's a trophy seems like such an archaic and outdated practice with today's technology.

Get good pictures and measurements and you can have a perfect fiberglass mount and let the fish be. Plus the glass mounts don't fade in color. Really just keep your trophy fish mounts out of direct sunlight. Seen some nice fish mounts destroyed by sunlight ( faded color and fins falling apart.)