Oh boy... Thats not good!

I am more interested in the fish that bit while you were pulling in a line than the measuring board, and I don't really know the answer. I fish Fishers of Men and I just looked at the rules. There is nothing there about the fish having to be caught using a rod and reel. It only says fish must be caught in a "sporting manner" and "no snagging". It also says no more than one rod and reel per angler can be used at one time.

I think it's an interesting question.

So one thing I "think" is meant here by swipe is that for salt water fish I think it is, you don't pinch the tail but swipe the tail towards the line and see if the longest part measures.

For bass, as someone mentioned, you pinch the tail and if it touches it's a keeper.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/measurement-tips

On the other one, most rules I've seen say something similar to, "... must be at least 14� long and caught on artificial bait with rod and reel..."

Sounds like it would be legal in a basschamps tournament.

I guess the question would be was you initial lure in or out of the water while you were pulling it in.

Both should count in my book you caught the first one.the second one sounds like a legal fish.There is too many gd rules now a days.I prolly would have done the same thing tho.

Crank bait was in the boat. Untangled the braid, set down rod and started pulling it in.

However one could argue the rooster tail and my crank bait were both in the water at the same time at one point. If you must finish a retrieve before you make another cast, sounds like only 1 lure in the water at a time.

Keeping the fish was never an option, but was interested to see the responses. Too bad it was the biggest fish of the day. Could have been one of the dinks we were catching.

Fishing partner tied it on and fished with it, never caught a fish.

I admire your integrity. Nice to see you value that more than $190.

-SSJr

If it touches 14" it's a legal fish, if you do not want to weigh a legal fish that is your business

If I have a fish that close to 14" I will measure it again before I put it in the weigh bag. I had one shrink one time....had to go weigh in with 4 fish.

On the flip side only one rod was used at the time and would be no different then a donkey rig or A rig.

hmmmm

Always best to err on the conservative side in a competitive event. You reputation takes many years to build and only a few minutes to screw it up.

I have also had a few fish that have shrunken up or grown in the live well during the day.

At one event on Fork my partner caught a perfect Under. 15 7/8" I measured it as soon as he landed it and put it in the well. Two hours later as we are idling out of the area I measure it again, perfect fish 15 7/8".

We filled our limit out early and culled 3 or 4 fish that were either smaller fish. Shortly after noon we caught another nice Under. We already had our limit so I pulled the 15 7/8 fish out and measured it again. It was perfect. I culled one of the smaller Unders and put the new fish in the box.

Two hours later we go to the weigh in dock and check in. We load the boat and drive around to the weigh in site. My partner starts bagging the fish. I tell him, "Just to be safe let's measure the fish one more time so we don't lose our entire catch for the day."

I throw that sucker on the board for the 4th time and it now goes 16 1/8 inches!! That fish grew 1/4" in my livewell!! Wouldn't have believed it unless I saw it with my own two eyes! So we look at each other in disbelief and go to weigh in with FOUR FISH!!

Yep that is always my concern.

First I hear of one growing, but I have heard of fish tensing up in the livewell and shrinking a little. I've never experienced it, cause I've never kept one that close.

I'm as competitive as anyone else with anything I do, but willing to sacrifice a few dollars to prevent any possible controversy.


Will probably go the rest of my life and never snag another line and then catch a fish while pulling it in to throw away.

Must be caught in a conventional manner, ie rod and reel. Pulling in a line by hand is unconventional, hence not allowed to keep that fish.