I know the guy who caught the record small mouth out of Aurora reservoir last summer. He through it back too. I am a catch and release gal anyway. Unless someone wants a trout, I will keep it. I do not like to clean fish so I don't keep them unless I have to.
It's somewhat ironic that there are biggest catch contests for Halibut. The fishing camps tell you that it is good form to release the larger Halibut (100lb +) as they play a key role in helping to sustain the population. These are the same folks that typically hold the contests. I don't find Halibut are all that fun to fish as you drop your line to the bottom, crank up a few times, and wait. It is very tiring bringing them to the surface; even more modest sized ones. The 50ish pounders are the best tasting and don't cause any issues with their population (or so I am told).
I had no idea how big that was until I saw the picture. Holy cow! Good for him. I too would love to hear his story, but I would have released the big guy too. Kinda seems like he deserved to be free. Great story though.
" I'll try anything once, twice if I like it, three times to make sure. " Mae West
