5.55 lb. Redear Sunfish

[fishmounter]

I just got off the phone from talking to "Tom" at Angler's Pro Shop in Havasu, Az and it has been confirmed that a 5.55 lb. Redear Sunfish has been caught at Lake Havasu today by Robert Lawler of Havasu while fishing a plastic worm for bass. The fish measured 16.75 inches long and had a girth of 19 inched. The Arizona State Game and Fish Dept measured and confirmed the catch and have determined that it is a Line-Class World Record Redear Sunfish. The shop has the fish and is holding it for a taxidermist. I gotta see a pic of this thing!

[Thisfool]

o man what a catch

[tree]

I just got off the phone from talking to "Tom" at Angler's Pro Shop in Havasu, Az and it has been confirmed that a 5.55 lb. Redear Sunfish has been caught at Lake Havasu today by Robert Lawler of Havasu while fishing a plastic worm for bass. The fish measured 16.75 inches long and had a girth of 19 inched. The Arizona State Game and Fish Dept measured and confirmed the catch and have determined that it is a Line-Class World Record Redear Sunfish. The shop has the fish and is holding it for a taxidermist. I gotta see a pic of this thing!


holy moly! why is it that lake havasu produces these piggies?

[Fishbreath]

Redears eat quagga mussels. Havasu has an infestation of quaggas. I have to think that has to be at least part of the reason.

[goodguy]

I caught my biggest redear at havasu as well. It went about 1.5 lbs I thought that was huge...

[KID-FISH]

I have read of giant redears coming out of Havasu before - on this site, with pictures. I'm amazed at how huge they look...imagine the fight?! Hopefully we'll get a look at it. Thanks for the report.

[Hometown]

The western outdoor news has a pick in this weeks edition may 6 its on page 7
I just got off the phone from talking to "Tom" at Angler's Pro Shop in Havasu, Az and it has been confirmed that a 5.55 lb. Redear Sunfish has been caught at Lake Havasu today by Robert Lawler of Havasu while fishing a plastic worm for bass. The fish measured 16.75 inches long and had a girth of 19 inched. The Arizona State Game and Fish Dept measured and confirmed the catch and have determined that it is a Line-Class World Record Redear Sunfish. The shop has the fish and is holding it for a taxidermist. I gotta see a pic of this thing!

[fishmounter]

Is that edition out yet? The fish was just caught yesterday. If so, somebody scan it and put it up on this website for all of us to see.

[GdHkSet1]

That is awesome news, congrats to the angler job well done..

[DesertJim]

Jeff,

Here's the photo of the beast. We have a little more information up on my web site at www.OutdoorNewsService.com.

30294

Jim Matthews

[Bassnman Mike]

That thing is a BEAST!

[Fishbreath]

Apparently, the present all tackle record is 5 lbs 7 oz, not 5.7 lbs. At 5.55 lbs this one is a couple of ounces bigger, so should qualify as a new record if all the paperwork is approved.

[carpanglerdude]

That is amazing! I do wish that he would hold it properly (http://tacticalbassin.com/trophy-fish-photography-part-1/) though, so we can actually see it's true size.

[M@M]

WOW!!..that is a HUGE redear!! :EyePop:......hmmm, guy doesn't look too interested.....guess he's bummed it wasn't a bass::LOL:

[smokehound]

Damn. That things a freakin Whelk-Cracker

[a321eric]

That thing is a fatty. I was up there for a bass tourny about 3 weeks ago and i seen a dead redear floating. it must have been 3 pounds. One of the guys in my club was catching a bunch of redear on accident by drop shotting margarita mutillator up there too.

[a321eric]

just out of curiosity, if they catch a potential record breaking fish like that, do they measure it and then let it go or was the fish kept in order to confirm the record?

[Oban]

By no means am I an expert, nor caught anything a record breaker would even eat as bait, but my understanding is the fish usually is kept if you want to confirm the record. "For it to qualify for a state record, anglers must have caught their fish on a hook and line, must have their fish weighed on a certified scale witnessed by one observer, have the fish positively identified by a qualified expert from the Commission and submit an application with a full, side-view photo of the fish." At minimum.

Then I understand there is collaborations and committees that debate over it, and its best to have an official come out and see the fish...
Its why the large mouth record still stands from the 1930s. People release their record breakers after photos and weighing, then the committees deny the fish was a record breaker or say the scale isn't official. Easy to fake photos nowadays and have people lie for you I guess.

Just read about the largemouth caught in Japan that tied the world record. He was forced to keep his catch and thats one of the only reasons it lasted long enough to become official.

[Sparky70]

throw that puppie back to eat more muscles

[Natural Lefty]

I saw the story and photo on Jim Matthew's fishing report too. I am not surprised a record would come from the Colorado River area. It seems to me that several world record Redears have been caught over the past couple of decades, all over 5 pounds, which is bigger than the Bluegill record. One of the earlier ones came from Northern California in fact. By the way, my wife and I did fish Lake Havasu briefly a few years ago, and the only fish we caught was a large Redear of at least a pound in the London Bridge Channel on a nightcrawler piece. I saw another guy with a large Redear he had caught too, but they are relatively underfished there I think since most people there are fishing for bass of one kind or another.

The ones we catch average around a pound each on Colorado River backwaters, bigger than anywhere else I know. They must have lots of clams, mussels and snails to eat. There are also some in the canals around Blythe. Big Redears sure can pull too, definitely my favorite Sunfish to catch and the largest growing one not counting Bass and Crappies.

I agree that people need to keep the fish in order to confirm it's really a record. It's interesting that the person caught it while Bass fishing; hopefully someone who really tries to catch Redears will catch the next record one, but in any case it's a great catch.

[Ifishtoolittle]

I saw the story and photo on Jim Matthew's fishing report too. I am not surprised a record would come from the Colorado River area. It seems to me that several world record Redears have been caught over the past couple of decades, all over 5 pounds, which is bigger than the Bluegill record. One of the earlier ones came from Northern California in fact. By the way, my wife and I did fish Lake Havasu briefly a few years ago, and the only fish we caught was a large Redear of at least a pound in the London Bridge Channel on a nightcrawler piece. I saw another guy with a large Redear he had caught too, but they are relatively underfished there I think since most people there are fishing for bass of one kind or another.

The ones we catch average around a pound each on Colorado River backwaters, bigger than anywhere else I know. They must have lots of clams, mussels and snails to eat. There are also some in the canals around Blythe. Big Redears sure can pull too, definitely my favorite Sunfish to catch and the largest growing one not counting Bass and Crappies.

I agree that people need to keep the fish in order to confirm it's really a record. It's interesting that the person caught it while Bass fishing; hopefully someone who really tries to catch Redears will catch the next record one, but in any case it's a great catch.

Aren't Quagga mussels thick in the Colorado River area?

[PUDD MASTER BAITER]

i cant imagine the surprise it would be, on my 2wt setup with 2lb leader.pound per pound best fighters.

[Socal Bassman]

That thing is a monster!!!