A record bass—in Japan

Did you hear about the possible new world record largemouth bass that was caught in Japan? That's right, Japan.

Deps pro Manabu Kurita (Deps, a Japanese fishing tackle manufacturer, who sponsors Kurita) landed the monster bass that reportedly tipped the scales at 22 pounds, 5 ounces.

That bass, if certified by the International Game and Fish Association, is one ounce larger than the one caught by George Perry in 1932—the current standing world record bass.

However, according to IGFA rules, if the bass weighs in at 22-5 and is only one ounce larger than Perry's, it will be considered as a tie.

IGFA rules state a bass must weigh two ounces more than a previous world record to stand as a new record.

The bass was reported to have measured 28.94 inches.

Kurita caught the bass on a 7-foot, 1-inch GLX G. Loomis worm & jig rod made by Deps, with a Shimano Antares DC7 baitcasting reel. He was using 25-pound Toray fluorocarbon line.

It has been reported he caught the bass just before noon on July 2, using either bluegill or a native fish similar to a bluegill.

Several anglers from Japan have made the move to America to fish on the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society's pro tour and now it seems as if Japan is quickly becoming a fishery that needs to be looked upon as serious habitat.

Before Kurita's possible new world record catch, his largest catch on Lake Biwa weighed in at 18-5 and came on a swimming bait.

The current record bass for Japan is 19.15, caught by Kazuya Shimada on Lake Ikehara on April 22, 2003, also on a swim bait.

If Kruita's catch stands, he will also break the current Japanese mark.

Lake Biwa is the largest lake in Japan, covering 259 square miles, surrounded by mountains. The clear and deep lake, at some points as deep as 300 feet, is one that holds very few fish that can be of any type of danger to the growth of largemouth bass.

It took 77 years for Perry's mark to be reached. Something tells me it won't be another 77 years before yet another possible world record bass is landed and it could very well come from Japan once again.

Jeff Christian is a freelance columnist who appears each Sunday in the News & Messenger. He can be reached at .