Just to clarify a bit. IGFA has three statuses - Pending, Current and
Defeated. Before IGFA will classify an application as Pending, they require
several notarized items which are detailed on their web site and on the
application form and instructions.

1. A complete description of the catch. They look for such things as foul
hooked, help in landing the fish, illegal activities, non-allowed tackle,
etc.
2. Biologist certification of the species.
3. Weighing witness(es)
4. Scale certification status.
5. Lure and line or fly/tippet/leader and one foot of the fly line which are
sent out to the testing lab for line strength certification.
6. Video, pictures and observer witnesses, if any.

I'm probably forgetting more details but these six seem the most important
as I recall.

IGFA has announced a new program whereby IGFA members can send their
certified scale to IGFA who will certify the scale return it to the member
and the member can measure and weigh the fish, witness the application, sign
the application and allow the fish to be released immediately into the water
body.

As I recall, when IGFA has received the notarized application, fee, line,
etc.but before receiving the lab test results are received, IGFA classifies
the catch as PENDING. A catch may remain in the PENDING status longer than
test results received back from the lab. I am led to believe that IGFA
conducts additional investigations when they deem them necessary prior to
changing status to CURRENT. A catch remains CURRENT until another catch
weighing at least two ounces more completes the process and then the old
record becomes classified DEFEATED. I hope this has clarified the world
record process.

It is curious that a bass this big has not been mentioned in the press
before this! Maybe the lady used the above described technique and wants to
remain anonymous. Well not any more! She'll be hounded to death from now
on.

FWIW If her status is still PENDING on 1/1/04 she will not be listed in
IGFA's record book that comes out in April-May of 04. That will add to the
confusion LOL.

Good luck to her.
John


"RGarri7470" wrote in message
...
2212.1

This months issue of the International Game Fish Association newsletter
shows a
woman holding up a big bass. It says the fish was 29 inches long, 27.5
inches
fork length and 25 inch girth. It weighed just over 22.5 pounds on a
Bocagrip
scale.

IGFA is processing the application for a new world record. Wonder if it
will
make it. How accurate is the Bocagrip?

She caught it on a Storm Wildeye jerkbait in Spring Lake, California.


Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com