Post by: Huntbear on September 16, 2009, 07:01:18 PM
48-Pound Trout: World Record or Genetic Cheat?
In an age of biotechnological juicing, not even the easygoing pastime of fishing is free from controversies over artificial enhancement.
On September 5, Saskatchewan fisherman Sean Konrad caught a 48-pound, world-record rainbow trout. The fish came from Lake Diefenbaker, where trout genetically engineered to grow extra-big escaped from a fish farm nine years ago.
The previous world record was held by Sean’s twin brother Adam, who pulled a 43-pound, 10-ounce rainbow trout from Lake Diefenbaker in 2007. That catch sparked online debate over the legitimacy of Lake Diefenbaker’s farm-born, genetically-engineered rainbows. Technically known as triploids, they’re designed with three sets of chromosomes, making them sterile and channeling energies normally spent reproducing towards growth.
In 2007, on a message board of the International Game Fish Association, the angling world’s record- and ethics-keeping body, some fishermen argued that triploids were unnatural, as divorced from the sport’s history as Barry Bonds’ home runs were from Hank Aaron’s.
The IGFA refused to make a distinction between natural and GM fish. Neither would they distinguish between species caught in their traditional waters and those introduced into new, growth-friendly environments, such as largemouth bass whose extra-large ancestors were imported from Florida to California in the 1960s.
But to purists, there was a difference between transplantation and outright manufacture.
The Konrad brothers’ response on the message board was curt: “Stop crying and start fishing.”
Now they’ve caught another record-breaking trout. Or have they?
Post by: ICEMAN on September 16, 2009, 07:31:29 PM
Post by: Big D on September 17, 2009, 04:45:23 AM
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi983.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fae312%2FBigDsPhotoAlbum%2Fp2-Konradrecordrainbow580-350.jpg&hash=311898d0fca6437fd526e5002c92a09f252faaf3)
Post by: BigGoonTuna on September 17, 2009, 07:18:46 AM
Post by: yelp on September 17, 2009, 07:26:45 AM
Post by: GoldTip on September 17, 2009, 07:32:09 AM
B&C and P&Y don't distinguish between deer taken in Texas on low fence ranches where northern deer genes have been introduced either.
Post by: couesbitten on September 17, 2009, 07:57:11 AM
Post by: jackelope on September 17, 2009, 08:03:27 AM
Quote
48-Pound Trout: World Record or Genetic Cheat?
genetic cheat. natural course of a fish's life is to breed, causing them to lose weight. a triploid does not breed...no weight loss, no nothing. they eat and eat and eat. it's been morphed by a lab. it;s a mutant fish.
:twocents:
:stirthepot:
Post by: KimberRich on September 17, 2009, 08:19:54 AM
Huge fish! The guy looks like Stifler from American Pie.
:chuckle: Definitely looks like the Stiffmeister!!!
Huge fish! But genetically designed to get huge.. Like Barry Bonds. So maybe put an asterisk next to the fish like they should do next to the Home Run record! :dunno:
:stirthepot:
Post by: ICEMAN on September 17, 2009, 08:29:59 AM
Post by: deaddog on September 17, 2009, 08:48:03 AM
I like my picture better... swimming pig...Me too Iceman, hey that water pig aint one of those lab made mutant pigs is it? and if it is, does the bacon taste the same? :chuckle: :chuckle:
Post by: Huntbear on September 17, 2009, 09:17:14 AM
Post by: Alpine Mojo on September 17, 2009, 10:00:37 AM
So like the boys said... “Stop crying and start fishing.” :hello:
Post by: Alchase on September 18, 2009, 12:39:17 PM
Sure beats little Freddy with his spiderman fishing pole catching one of the dock in Pine Lake on Power Bait :twocents:
Post by: Alchase on September 18, 2009, 12:41:13 PM
Post by: archrywattitude on September 18, 2009, 01:02:57 PM
Here's the photo.HOLY FISH!!!!! nice work!
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi983.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fae312%2FBigDsPhotoAlbum%2Fp2-Konradrecordrainbow580-350.jpg&hash=311898d0fca6437fd526e5002c92a09f252faaf3)
Post by: dbllunger on September 18, 2009, 01:45:47 PM
Post by: bearpaw on September 18, 2009, 01:58:52 PM
Huge fish! The guy looks like Stifler from American Pie.
:chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
Post by: Dmanmastertracker on September 18, 2009, 02:38:51 PM
Post by: sisu on September 22, 2009, 12:08:13 AM
Hey, how in the he!! did you get pictures of my old girl friend? :chuckle: