Is this gigantic largemouth taken a few days back the new all-tackle world record?? Well, details are a bit sketchy at the moment but George W. Perry and his 22-pound, 4-ounce record for the species, which has stood since 1932, may just be in jeopardy…or not??

Caught in Japan’s Lake Biwa by Dep Tackle pro staffer Manabu Kurita in early July, this bass allegedly weighed (on a certified scale) 22 pounds, 5 ounces. Again, many of the particulars are taking their time crossing the Pacific — including what the fish was caught on, though at this point, it’s looking like live bait.

Now, it’s up to the International Game Fish Association to sort out all the details. If all the proper paperwork is submitted and the fish truly weighed 22 pounds, 5 ounces, it may still not be considered the new standard for largemouth. You see, the IGFA has a rule that states a record must be broken by two ounces. Since Kurita’s bass may have only eclipsed Perry’s by an ounce, it may be declared a tie….which seems pretty lame to me. How can you call it a tie if it weighed more??

Well, it will be interesting to see how this all shakes out. In the meantime, watch the video and let us know what you think…