Maybe similar at best. The angler still had to make the fish bite and it isn't like hunting when you can see your prey.

I literally know of a guy that has a HUGE buck on his place he wants 10k for. He has this deer and several others on a grand total of a 160 acres. I have no idea how you couldn't walk around 160 acres and find the deer you were looking for. Just not my deal, but I don't have a problem with anyone that wants to do it. On top of this the majority of the "BIG" deer on his placed are purchased and released. From what I understand about the lake in question, is that the guy is growing his fish which doesn't seem the same to me.

The lake is about 40 acres.

I spoke to my friend at Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens just while ago. Here is the skinny on their stance on a state record out of private waters.

They now have a separate category for Private Water Records and Public Water Records. So the answer is Yes, if someone caught a 19 pounder out of a private lake it would be a new State Record for Private Waters. This does NOT eclipse the State Record for Public Waters.

With regard to World Record keeping, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) keeps those records. The state would certainly recognize the Record but it would need to be submitted to the IGFA for Record status.

Also to the point of this being like a "High Fence" big game hunt. It is nothing like that. I will not mention the name of the place because I do not want to have the appearance of bashing anyone or anyplace. The guys I took to this world class exotic ranch were driven out to the animals in a truck where they picked out the animals they wanted to shoot. They shoot the animals at close range and the guides field dressed the deer and loaded them up. They processed the meat and did the taxidermy job. It was all included.

I forgot to mention the $6,000 was just for getting to kill two trophy deer. It did not include travel, food, lodging, booze. All together the two day "hunt" was over $8K. Please understand my intention here is not to bash hunters in any way. It just ain't my cup of tea.

The only way you could compare fishing a private lake to a high fence deer hunt would be if you could pick out the fish you wanted and shoot it, stuff, it and take it home. I'm sorry fellas. It ain't even close.

Just my opinion.... That and $5 will buy you a cup of coffee,

Ken

This is the best apples-to-apples comparison I think. There are guys who go out and hunt high-fence whitetail ranches and pay 10's of thousands of dollars for a once in a lifetime deer. Same principle applies. You can go sit in the woods for years and never kill a 200+ class trophy. Just as, many of us will spend countless hours on the water and never have the day this guy just did. It's phenomenal I think and I'll be booking a trip soon.

55 lbs for 5 fish????? Thats incredible. Congrats Steve! I could care less about the size of the lake and how its managed. You still had to coax them in to biting and then catch them. If I had $800 laying around, I would be there tomorrow. Great acomplishment.

if i can't get my dad on his first DD this year, i'll get him a trip there for his 2012 christmas present. he's long overdue.

The ponds in Lakeridge fish like that.All you have to do is buy a half million dollar home beside one.They are private to each neighborhood they are located in.

I spent a day on the Bell...what an amazing place and an amazing gentleman who owns the place.

I hope a state record does come out of his lake....he deserves it with the hard work and thought he has put into his land.

Great place to fish.