New Arkansas record Bass ruled illegally caught.

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission


March 9, 2012

State largemouth bass record un-Dunn

WYNNE – Less than two weeks after an Arkansas largemouth bass record apparently was set, an investigation by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has revealed that the fish was caught illegally.

Paul Crowder of Forrest City claimed to have set the record Feb. 28 on Lake Dunn near Wynne. Crowder’s fish weighed 16 pounds, 5 ounces, which would have broken the record by an ounce.

The AGFC discovered that a fishing license was purchased for Crowder three hours after he claimed to have caught the bass. Crowder’s fishing license expired in April 2011. Under AGFC regulations, it is illegal for any person 16 years of age or older to fish without possessing a current Arkansas fishing license. State record-fish rules require that an angler hold a valid license at the time of the catch.

Crowder has been charged with fishing without a license. He faces up to a $1,000 fine and up to 30 days in jail. The fish was seized as evidence by AGFC wildlife officers. Crowder has a court hearing March 19 in Wynne District Court.

Crowder’s fish would have broken the 36-year-old record set by the late Aaron Mardis of Memphis. Mardis set the state record March 2, 1976, with a 16-pound, 4-ounce largemouth caught on Mallard Lake near Manila in Mississippi County. Crowder’s fish was not fully certified as the state record by the AGFC’s director and chief of fisheries. The AGFC will continue to recognize the Mardis fish as the state record.

AGFC Chief of Fisheries Mark Oliver said he was disappointed that a bass large enough to be a state record can’t be certified because of illegal activity.

“At this time, we are still confident in the size and weight of the fish and proud that such a monster was produced in Arkansas waters,” Oliver said.

Crowder’s fish measured 26½ inches long and 22¾ inches in girth.

The 80-acre Lake Dunn is in Village Creek State Park in Cross County. The AGFC is testing the fish to determine the genetic strain of the bass.

banghead

Uh oh...

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Originally Posted by Little Skeeter

banghead

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dido

Hey WB you have another member of the JADA club.

something still does not look wright about that fish (color) looks like in been in freezer!!!!!!!!!!!

anybody got a picture of the monster ????????

Just a reminder for everyone to check their license. I would say that was the thrill of victory and agony of defeat all in one fish.

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Originally Posted by RCC

Just a reminder for everyone to check their license. I would say that was the thrill of victory and agony of defeat all in one fish.

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Im sure WB can vouch for that, it was his only day of glory.

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Originally Posted by wilbur

Im sure WB can vouch for that, it was his only day of glory.

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You know that hurts more than just wannabe creek! Lol.....

What a clown. How do you go a year without knowing your license is expired. That is what would happen to me if I ever tried to fish without a license.

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Originally Posted by creekslick

Hey WB you have another member of the JADA club.

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That's what I was thinking.

Lake Dunn and Austell are 2 awesome lakes for giant bass. A friend of mine caught a 12.02lb from Austell one year that qualified him for the Budweiser Big Bass Shootout at Table Rock. It was the biggest registered bass caught in Arkansas that year.He caught it on a Roland Martin double- buzz. He used Leuhr Jensen lures big enough to catch musky on most of the time when he fished those lakes. I caught one 8 lbs. on a Smithwick Rattlin Rogue with suspend dots in Austell. Those lakes are on Crowley's Ridge in Village Creek State Park.The ramp on Austell is long and almost straight up and down.It pays to do things legal or you pay in the end!


OLD GEEZER FISHERMEN NEVER DIE, THEY JUST SMELL THAT WAY!!

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Originally Posted by MEATGETTER

something still does not look wright about that fish (color) looks like in been in freezer!!!!!!!!!!!

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My guess is the pic that was posted was taken the day after the fish was caught. He had different clothes on the day he caught it, and the fish looks like it has been in a cooler with not enough ice. This is what it looked like the day it was caught.

ouch

Well. Who'd a thunk it.

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Originally Posted by BigKev77

What a clown. How do you go a year without knowing your license is expired. That is what would happen to me if I ever tried to fish without a license.

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That would never happen to my fishin license....but I did let my drivers license expire for about 6 months once....when I went to buy my fishin license they told me about it:dono

That would be painful

Lmbo what a goofball

I for one think they were stupid in changing the way we buy our fishing lic. Now,i have gone a month
Before realizing they were expired.i think they should go back to the old way or make our hunting lic the same
time frame.

LOL... Whelp back to the Drawing board. That's a crying shame.

Doooh!!!...ya woulda tho't he'd have figured that they could check that out. Maybe not.

He was not worried about his fishing license. He had three warrants for arrest at the time he was fishing. The sheriffs office arrested him after the interviews with the news.

Here is the Bass.


Arkansas probably has several more Bass this large in it's waters.

There are probably some like this here in KY lake also, I hope there is, lol


http://www.bassmaster.com/news/new-l...d-set-arkansas

I guess he was fishing with an expired License.


I wonder if the guy forgot his license expired ?


It does happen, oh well who knows.


It was a great Bass though.

does anyone know if Dunn or Austell has crappie in them. I am going for a golf outing later in the fall and might take my boat with me.

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Originally Posted by ibmack

does anyone know if Dunn or Austell has crappie in them. I am going for a golf outing later in the fall and might take my boat with me.

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Always heard Dunn was the better of the 2 for crappie but I've never fished either

Check the date of the original post. Four years ago.

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Who's manning this DREDGE? [emoji23][emoji23]

I only had 2-300 posts when this thread hit the forum. [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

I think he is looking at crappie not super bass :dono

4 years or not just looks like a member asking a simple question

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Originally Posted by ibmack

does anyone know if Dunn or Austell has crappie in them. I am going for a golf outing later in the fall and might take my boat with me.

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Yes they do. I've caught better fish out of Austell.

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Originally Posted by jigflinger

Check the date of the original post. Four years ago.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

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doesn't matter how old the post is, when you respond it moves back up in view for people to respond. that's how you can research on the site :biggrin

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Originally Posted by arkcrappie

Yes they do. I've caught better fish out of Austell.

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thanks ac.

IDGIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Who caught that Hillary Cliton