Man Catches Likely New Record Smallmouth Bass—Then Fillets It

It’s widely believed that after bass legend George Perry caught the world-record largemouth in Georgia in 1932, the fish became a family meal.

Now, the 7-pound smallmouth bass caught recently by Vermont angler Andrew Oestringer isn’t in the same company as Perry’s 22 pound, 4-ounce largie, still it would have easily broken a state record—before he started filleting it.

’Unofficial’ Smallmouth Bass Record

“It’s rare but not unheard of for anglers who plan to keep a nice fish for dinner to grab an unofficial weight at home, realize their catch might have been a record, and reach out,” said Shawn Good, a fish...

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