A great Story (true)

[Leadfinger]

The following story is true.

Because the newspaper article is old it's kinda hard to read, I apologize . . put your glasses on and take your time . . lol

 

I don't have any experience putting together a post like this so if I don't make sense  . . .KMA . . .J/k

 

Catch and Release:
The Idea that a fish can be caught and if properly handled could be released  back into the water to be caught again.

As the human population grows so does the number of Recreational Fisherman and the pressure on fish populations in our lakes and rivers.
Whereas I am not opposed to the harvesting of fish legally for the table,  unless the practice of catch and release is utilized by more fisherman the dream of catching a "wall mount" will forever stay a dream.

This story was almost never told  .. completely .. . Yes the magazine article was published but doesn't tell the whole story.

 

Reading in the Rest Room

A friend of mine went to the men's room of the construction company he owns in Ontario Calif. While sitting on the "crapper" he picked up a Western Outdoor News that was left behind by a previous "sitter". While reading thru the different articles he is surprised to see my name appear in a column by Mike Jones titled "Just Bassin".

When he called me to tell me about the column I was equally surprised since I never spoke to anyone from Western Outdoor News. I phoned the author Mike Jones and asked him about the article, He told me he had tried to contact me but had no luck and was glad I called. He explained to me how he came up with the story and how he put the story together.

 

Meeting of The Mikes

Mike told me he attended a seminar in New York where Fish and Game biologists from all over the US  were in attendance discussing various topics about the state of our fishing resources in this country and as a writer for a fishing magazine he was assigned to write a story about this meeting.

When Mike arrived at the meeting he recognized the  familiar face of Mike Giusti a California Fish and game Biologist. Having met before at similar functions in California the two Mikes shared a table at the New York meeting. During conversation about how catch and release is helping to preserve the fisheries in California, Biologist Mike Giusti shared the story that Mike Jones writes about in this Western Outdoors Magazine article.

 

More facts about the fish and the guy that caught it the second time.

When I spoke with Mike Jones I asked him the name and phone number of the guy that caught the fish and I gave him a call. Doug Morgan answered the phone and didn't have a clue who I was,  After I explained to him I was the guy that caught the fish the first time. He was completely amazed at how this whole story could even happen,  After discussing the details of where the fish was caught at Lake Perris in Riverside, California it was discovered that he hooked the fish within 50 yds of where I had hooked and released it in November 1988 but what is a real "trip" is that he caught the monster bass on a plastic 5" curly tailed grub Exactly what I caught the same fish on 7 years earlier.

The pictures here are of Doug Morgan holding the Monster Bass.

 

More about Mike Giusti California Fish and game Fisheries Biologist

Because of his extensive work as Fisheries Biologist Mike Giusti was given the opportunity to plan and develop a trophy fishing lake in California ,Diamond Valley Lake. In 2008 I volunteered to help in a study of fish growth rates  in Diamond Valley Lake.  I was assigned to an electro-shocking boat with Mike Giusti. Since the study was taking place throughout the night shocking and measuring fish I was able to get further details about this story.

When Doug Morgan sent the tag to California Fish and game the person who looked up the details surrounding the tagging of this fish was shocked when they had to dig thru files to find such an old tag document. Few people record and send the details of these tags which would help in the study of our state fisheries.

 

My final Thoughts

Beside the fact that I had a part in this story I am completely amazed by the chain of events from beginning to end.

The chances of my buddy picking up that newspaper that morning and finding my name in the article, the chances of Mike Jones and Mike Giusti sitting together at that meeting in New York, the chances of that fish staying around the same area to be caught again7 years later, the chances of the fish being caught on the same lure!

 

I can still remember that chilly November morning when I caught that Bass and noticed the tag wired in its mouth. I knew the tag was there for a reason and scrambled around in my boat to find a pencil and paper. I completely forgot about the paper I wrote the specifics of the fish on and found it in some jeans I was about to throw in the washing machine.(almost ruined the key to this story) I sent the facts to Fish and game in a hand written letter since the California Fish and game didn't have a email address for this type of thing.

 

Its funny how doing something that you believe in can by chance change so many things and create a memory and a story like this . . . .   I had no idea that something like this could happen . . I just went fishin

 

Bruce Earwood

AKA Leadfinger

Edited May 16, 2014 by Leadfinger

[deerejon]

Wow I can't wAit to get off my phone and to a PC to read this whole thing if I get the drift it's a wild tale.... Awesome!!!

[vipersniper]

nice fish lead . ya them bass like to stay in the same area. caught a nice smallmouth 21 years ago and threw it back . when i got home i wished i kept it . next time i went back to same spot a guy that was fishing with caught it and threw it back. 3rd time out i kept it i know it was the same fish it had 3 light scales in a triangle shape on it's right side . it's still on my wall caught it with a frog colored heddon torpedo . i retired the heddon torpedo it's also on  the wall hanging out of the fish's mouth . that heddon torpedo has 2 treble hooks on it and a couple of weeks after catching that smallmouth i tried to release another fish but got the dan treble cuaght on my finger and couldn't get iot out. i unscrewed the treble and made the 1.5 hours back to town to the hospital where the doctor took it out. don't ask me how you forget there is a hook stuck in your finger but my truck had a 4 speed and every time i forgot  about the hook and shifted i was reminded lol.

[little_old_man]

Great story Leadfinger, and good work releasing that fish so many years ago.

 

I love to eat largemouth bass but on those rare occasions when I go bass fishing I never keep them any longer. However, there is a small lake just a few miles up the road from me where supposedly the world record bass has been caught and released twice, and I might have second thoughts about releasing a million dollar fish should I ever be fortunate enough to catch it.   

[Leadfinger]

Great story Leadfinger, and good work releasing that fish so many years ago.

 

I love to eat largemouth bass but on those rare occasions when I go bass fishing I never keep them any longer. However, there is a small lake just a few miles up the road from me where supposedly the world record bass has been caught and released twice, and I might have second thoughts about releasing a million dollar fish should I ever be fortunate enough to catch it.   

Never hesitate to keep a trophy sized fish (if you plan to have it mounted). Every fisherman has a vision of what a trophy fish is and when that day comes that you land that fish of your dreams freeze it and get it to the taxidermist ASAP. On the other hand releasing a fish that has already reached trophy size  creates the potential to provide another fisherman a catch of a lifetime.

 

It's spring time and the weather is nice  . . it's time to pack up the wife, kids and dog and head out to your favorite fishing hole and get revenge on winter

[WeednFeed]

I love this story Leadfinger. I too release most of the fish I catch. It's the right thing to do, save some for seed.( I also take a few for the table)

 

Here is a video link of me releasing a 35 inch Atlantic Salmon. Excuse the video I was trying to hold the fish and film at the same time. Enjoy:

 

http://s174.photobucket.com/user/weedfeed/media/Videos/b259fdaf.mp4.html

[NumNutz]

cool story Lead, thanks for sharing.......

[BUDMAN]

@@WeednFeed Nice fish ..... @@Leadfinger nice read thanks for sharing

[Hemps]

cool story! and of course it's a fishing story which only makes it better!