Here's the picture Rick wanted to post:


I know...records schmecords...maybe. I'd turn one in if I could. It raises the bar another notch, and gives everyone else a higher mark to try and beat. Besides, done in a thoughtful way, a new State Record fish could be verified alive, and wouldn't necessarily have to die.
Records can also be used as a reference point to draw attention to the fact that fish the size that Rick catches are HIGHLY unusual in Iowa. I fish a LOT, and I catch a substantial number of fish each year...and yet I may NEVER catch bluegills and bass that big! That's what gets me so excited about Rick's fish!