After nearly six months of waiting, Japan’s Manabu Kurita takes his place along side Georgia, USA angler George Perry in the International Game Fish Association’s (IGFA) World Record Game Fishes book as dual holders of the All-Tackle record for largemouth bass, each weighing 22 lb 4 oz and caught 77 years apart. The IGFA has approved Kurita’s application for the fish caught from Japan’s largest lake, Lake Biwal, an ancient reservoir northeast of Kyoto, on July 2, 2009. The 70-year old non-profit fisheries conservation, education and record-keeping body, received Kurita’s application and documentation on Sept. 19, 2009. Kurita, 32, of Aichi, Japan, used a Deps Sidewinder rod and a Shimano Antares DC7LV reel loaded with 25 lb Toray line when he pitched his bait, a live bluegill, next to a bridge piling. He twitched the bait only a couple of times, got the bite, and after a short, three minute fight had the fish in the boat. Kurita was quoted as saying “I knew it was big, but I didn’t know it was that big.” But big it was. Using certified scales, his fish weighed in at 10.12 kg or 22 lb 4 oz. When measured, the fish had a fork length of 27.2 inches and a girth of 26.7 inches. The IGFA has line classes up to only 20 lb for largemouth bass, so Kurita had no chance at a line class record as well. Kurita’s fish ties the current record held for over 77 years by Perry who caught his bass on Georgia’s Montgomery Lake, June 2, 1932, near Jacksonville, Georgia. That 22 lb 4 oz behemoth won Field and Stream Magazine’s big fish contest, and 46 years later, when the IGFA took over freshwater records from Field and Stream, it became the All-Tackle record, now one of over 1,100 fresh and saltwater species the IGFA monitors. In North America the largemouth bass, and especially the All-Tackle record, is considered by millions of anglers as the “holy grail” of freshwater fish because of its popularity and the longevity of Perry’s record. That fish undoubtedly helped to spawn a billion dollar industry that today makes up a significant part of the sport of recreational fishing. IGFA rules for fish caught outside the U.S. allows anglers 90 days from the date of their catch to submit their applications. IGFA conservation director Jason Schratwieser said Kurita’s application was meticulously documented with the necessary photos and video. Schratwieser said, “The moment Kurita weighed his fish, word spread like wildfire. We knew this would be significant so we immediately contacted Japan Game Fish Association (JGFA) for more information. Established in 1979, JGFA compiles and translates all record applications of fish caught in Japan before forwarding to the IGFA. A considerable amount of time passed as correspondence flowed between the IGFA, JGFA, and Kurita, a primary reason it took so long to come to a decision. During this time, the IGFA was also besieged with letters and emails from the bass fishing community, said Schratwieser. “Many were incredulous that the All-Tackle record could be tied from a fish in Japan. Others beseeched the IGFA to approve the record and give Kurita the credit he deserves. Still others wanted to know why the entire process was taking so long. It soon became clear to the IGFA staff that this would be a contentious issue no matter if the record were approved or rejected. “The IGFA was also sensitive to this particular record because in past years there have been several attempts to sue us over largemouth bass record claims. Although none of these claims have been successful, they have resulted in considerable legal fees for the IGFA,” he said. In the end, the IGFA staff concluded it would be both in the best interest of the IGFA and that of Kurita if he submitted to a polygraph analysis. The IGFA reserves the right to employ polygraph analyses to any record application, and this is explicitly stated in the affidavit section of the world record application form. He immediately agreed. On December 15, Kurita was examined by a professional polygraph analyst in Japan. The many questions he was given included if he was truthful about the information reported on the application form and if his boat ever came to a complete stop while fighting his fish. The results from the polygraph concluded that Manabu Kurita answered the questions honestly and that the catch was legitimate. . . George Perry’s 77 year old record was officially tied. Due diligence pays off. “Six months may seem like a lot of time to determine if a fish ties a record,” said Schratwieser. “Hopefully, people now understand the amount of due diligence the IGFA conducted on this record. Although we treat all records with equal rigor, the All-Tackle largemouth bass record is nothing less than iconic and the bass angling community deserved nothing less.” Schratwieser added, “The IGFA wishes to applaud Kurita on his outstanding catch and would also like to commend him on his patience and candor during the entire review process. We would also like to thank the JGFA for their diligence and tireless assistance in corresponding with Kurita and fisheries officials.” Largemouth bass have been introduced in many countries but in Japan fisheries officials consider it an invasive species. And, because bass are not native and are stocked in Japan, many speculated the big bass was a sterile triploid. However when biologists in Japan examined the ova of the big female, Schratwieser said they concluded that the fish was not triploid. For over 77 years the record stood as bass fanatics theorized when and where the record would be broken. Over the years there have been rumors and unsubstantiated reports of bass that could have tied or eclipsed Perry’s record, but nothing ever passed IGFA criteria. Some anglers did come close, however. Schratwieser said the closest came in 1991, when Robert Crupi caught a 22 lb bass in Lake Dixon, California USA, that still reigns as the 16 lb line class record and the third heaviest approved bass record in IGFA history. Little did people know that introduced bass grew big in places besides California, and that there are true monsters swimming on the other side of the world in Japan.”