One Awesome Smallmouth !

	On March the 14, 2007, while fishing on Lk. Pardee, Ca. I caught a fish, that many would consider to be the catch of a lifetime. It was a giant Smallmouth Bass that pulled my certified scale down to 8.50 lbs. The current Ca. state record stands at 9 lb 1 oz.   In itself, this would have been a fairly amazing catch, but the really incredible thing was, this same exact fish had been caught and released 10 days earlier, by an awesome young angler, named Ryan Leveque, and was weighed at 8.94 lbs, to become the new Pardee Lk. record !   Of course, the first question always is, "So how do you know it was the same fish" ? Good question. The answer is, the markings, and spot patterns on a bass are like a fingerprint, in that they never change there shape or arrangement, throughout a bass' life. So, compare the marking on Ryan's fish and my own, and see for yourself. And if that is not enough, check out the small split on the rear, soft dorsal fin, in both pictures.   So then, I feel that I owe Ryan a huge debt of gratitude, for my being able to catch this fish ! The fact is, had he kept this fish (as many less knowledgeable anglers would have) it is a 100% guarantee that I would not have caught it myself !    Currently, I am doing everything I can to have "two" replicas made of this awesome fish ! One for myself, of course, but I plan to present Ryan with the other one. It's just the only way I feel that I could possibly repay Ryan for doing the right thing, and releasing this fish. The only problem is, apparently, molds for replicas of 9 lb Smallmouths, simply might not be available. But it's just like fishing for giant bass in the first place, "If their is a will, their is a way" ! Their is such a thing as 3D laser scanning, and laser carving. This technology can be VERY expensive, like say, $5000 !   But one way or the other, we will get this job done ! Stay tuned for updates.
	Here I am with a vertical shot of this giant Smallmouth......
	And here is the horizontal shot....
	And here's Ryan Leveque, with the same monster Smallie (for comparison) 10 days  before, when she weighed 8.94 lbs, and became the new lake record !   Awesome catch Ryan ! You da' man ! ......and you totally deserve the lake record !
	Hey Ryan, now the only question is, which one of us is going to catch her first next year, when she will become the new California state record ??? ;-)

Catch and Release Works ! Please release the giants, so that they can become even bigger, and so that you yourself, as well as your fellow anglers, will have the chance of catching them again !!!                                                     Fish Chris