What would you do... record bass?

Okay, I'm interested to hear what you guys would do if you caught a bass heavier than the current state record. Everybody always gives someone a hard time on here if the keep a big bass to get a pin or mount, but what if there were higher stakes? Lets say you catch a biggun that goes 16 lbs on your accurate scale. Would you...

1. Bring it to your local DFG office, get it weighed, identified, and certified as the new record. This means you have to kill it though, as you cannot transport live fish.

2. Snap a photo, and let it go, and brag it up on your local forum

It's tough, but I think I would probably bring it in. A fish that big is relatively close to the end of its lifespan, and has already spawned several times, so its genes are in the pool already. I'd get a skin mount of it after the certification process, because a fish like that is a fish of a lifetime and should be remembered.

That's just what I'd do. I release everything I catch except for the occasional stocked pond trout, but I think I'd make an exception here. Not that I'm ever planning on catching a state record bass, but it's fun to think about. So what would you do? I'm interested to hear.

It's tough, but I think I would probably bring it in. A fish that big is relatively close to the end of its lifespan, and has already spawned several times, so its genes are in the pool already. I'd get a skin mount of it after the certification process, because a fish like that is a fish of a lifetime and should be remembered.

I'd probably do the same as you, but I would give the skin mount to my favorite tackle shop. They'd get some free advertising (people want to see a state record), and they'd probably give me some free bait If I did keep a state record bass to be taxidermied, I'd rather have it someplace public than cooped up in my room.

I dont really care about pins and I release everything I catch. If I caught a record fish...I am bringing it in. No doubt about it. It would have at that point passed its genes on many times.

What are the higher stakes you mentioned? Just being higher than the state record?

Either way, I don't really care about pins or any of that stuff. I'd weigh it, take pictures and video and release it. I always catch and release.

I think by higher stakes he meant a catching a state record verse catching just another big bass.

The lg bass record in this state will never be broken! Even if someone grew one as a pet. This week the Tennessee state record bass was broken after 60 years. Even that fish wouldn't have been a Mass record.

I remember more stories of the people that release them than the people that keep them. Like this kid. http://www.onthewater.com/12-year-old-catches-and-releases-possible-state-record-bluegill/

I think by higher stakes he meant a catching a state record verse catching just another big bass.

Yeah, this is what I meant. Sorry, I phrased it sort of weirdly.

The lg bass record in this state will never be broken! Even if someone grew one as a pet. This week the Tennessee state record bass was broken after 60 years. Even that fish wouldn't have been a Mass record.

I remember more stories of the people that release them than the people that keep them. Like this kid. http://www.onthewater.com/12-year-old-catches-and-releases-possible-state-record-bluegill/

Yeah, that is a fair statement. I too doubt it will ever be broken... but hey, you never know!

This same circumstance can be applied to any species? Would you claim the record brown trout, pickerel, bluegill, or whatever if it meant you had to kill it? If I caught a record, I probably would. Unless it was a brook trout... for some reason I could never kill one of them that size.

im getting a 16lbser this year. im going to keep it alive and weigh it! then donate it to Bass pro

they can put it in their tank and i can point an say i caught that fish

I tryd doing the bass pro thing they wouldn't take it as you cant transport live fish, however I did with the help of Smoke and Denny. I got the best of both worlds and the fish swam away to be caught another day.

Mine was only 9.4 not 16

ya another 9.4 reference!

If I broke the record I'd pop wood, video and picture it (the fish not the wood), release it. Then I'd call 9.4 and tell him the Reign of 9.4 is over and the reign of Mr 16 has begun

ITS STILL A RECORD HERE ON MAFF MEATBALLS HOLDING STRONG !LEGENDARY WITH A GOLD PIN TO PROVE IT

I would KEEP it hang it on my wall and look at it every morning i drank my coffee and then i would look at all the messages of everyone dogging me for keeping it and laugh and then look back up at the fish on the wall and wink.

Me personally I would take as many pictures and videos as I could
and release it. A fish that big deserves to live it"s life out in the water.
You can always have a mount made with pics and measurements.

No disrespect to anybody's choice.

this is hanging on my den wall