Bass estimated at 19 years old caught in Montana

[August 11, 2011]  KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) -- A 10-year-old Montana boy fishing with a rubber worm caught a largemouth bass that state wildlife officials say could be nearly twice as old as he is.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks biologist Mark Deleray says the largemouth bass caught and released in a Flathead River slough by Garrett Frost could be as much as 19 years old. He says that may be the oldest largemouth bass on record for Montana.

The Kalispell boy caught the fish July 16 in Rose Creek Slough.

Deleray says the fish was 20 to 22 inches long and weighed about 3.5 pounds. Garrett removed a tag that had been placed on the fish in 1997 before releasing it.

Biologists estimate the fish was 5 years old when it was tagged, based on the fact that it was just over 14 inches long and weighed 1.5 pounds.

[Associated Press]

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