{"id":28118,"date":"2024-02-17T00:29:35","date_gmt":"2024-02-16T23:29:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/?p=28118"},"modified":"2024-02-17T20:16:31","modified_gmt":"2024-02-17T19:16:31","slug":"ball-bearings-found-stuffed-inside-kansas-state-record-crappie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/ball-bearings-found-stuffed-inside-kansas-state-record-crappie\/","title":{"rendered":"Ball Bearings Found Stuffed Inside Kansas State Record Crappie"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>img#mv-trellis-img-1::before{padding-top:51.206896551724%; }img#mv-trellis-img-1{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-2::before{padding-top:133.27586206897%; }img#mv-trellis-img-2{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-3::before{padding-top:75%; }img#mv-trellis-img-3{display:block;}<\/style>\n<p>In an unexpected turn of events, the new Kansas state record crappie was nullified after steel ball bearings were found stuffed inside the fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I covered the controversial story of this record crappie last month and am now publishing this follow-up article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Keep reading to get all the details on this most interesting and shocking of fishing stories!&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Back Story<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-editorskit-rounded\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"297\" src=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/330761613_215249314365421_3414485222019130832_n-min-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28125\" srcset=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/330761613_215249314365421_3414485222019130832_n-min-1.jpg 580w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/330761613_215249314365421_3414485222019130832_n-min-1-150x77.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"eager\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"297\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20580%20297'%3E%3Crect%20width='580'%20height='297'%20style='fill:%23e3e3e3'\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28125 eager-load\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/330761613_215249314365421_3414485222019130832_n-min-1.jpg\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-1\" data-src=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/330761613_215249314365421_3414485222019130832_n-min-1.jpg.webp\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/330761613_215249314365421_3414485222019130832_n-min-1.jpg.webp 580w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/330761613_215249314365421_3414485222019130832_n-min-1-150x77.jpg.webp 150w\" data-svg=\"1\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A really big Kansas white crappie<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>It was on March 5, 2023, that Topeka resident Bobby Parkhurst was fishing at Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake No. 2 when a huge crappie took his minnow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shortly after, the fish had been weighed and verified, and a state record application had been sent to the KDWP.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ksoutdoors.com\/KDWP-Info\/News\/Weekly-News\/4-4-23-Topeka-Angler-Sets-New-Kansas-Record-for-Crappie\/Topeka-Angler-Sets-New-Kansas-Record-for-Crappie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">official report<\/a>&nbsp;stated that <em>&ldquo;after inspection and measurement by John Reinke, assistant director of Fisheries for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Bobby&rsquo;s catch was weighed on a certified scale, where it was recorded as weighing 4.07 pounds.&rdquo;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&ldquo;As fisheries biologists, we get the chance to see a lot of big fish, but this one is certainly for the books,&rdquo;<\/em> said Reinke. <em>&ldquo;This crappie measured in at 18 inches long and 14 inches in girth, so it truly deserves a spot on the state record list.&rdquo;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few weeks later, on March 30, 2023, the KDWP had officially certified the catch as the new Kansas state record for white crappie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Second Examination of the Record Catch<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-editorskit-rounded\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"773\" src=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Messenger_creation_68-min-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28126\" srcset=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Messenger_creation_68-min-1.jpeg 580w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Messenger_creation_68-min-1-576x768.jpeg 576w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Messenger_creation_68-min-1-546x728.jpeg 546w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Messenger_creation_68-min-1-150x200.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"773\" src=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Messenger_creation_68-min-1.jpeg.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28126 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Messenger_creation_68-min-1.jpeg.webp 580w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Messenger_creation_68-min-1-576x768.jpeg.webp 576w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Messenger_creation_68-min-1-546x728.jpeg.webp 546w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Messenger_creation_68-min-1-150x200.jpeg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Messenger_creation_68-min-1.jpeg\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-2\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The record crappie being reexamined by the KDWP<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>On April 20, 2023, a few weeks after Bobby&rsquo;s record had been certified, game wardens came to the angler&rsquo;s home and seized the frozen fish.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the KDWP&rsquo;s Chief of Public Affairs &amp; Engagement Officer, whom I had contacted earlier today,&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;the KDWP had received a tip from an eyewitness that the fish had first been weighed at a second location and weighed only 3.73 pounds at that time. To preserve the integrity of KDWP&rsquo;s state record program, KDWP Game Wardens met with the angler who voluntarily presented his fish for re-examination.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After that, things went quiet for a long time, until November 14, 2023, when the KDWP&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ksoutdoors.com\/KDWP-Info\/News\/Weekly-News\/4-4-23-Topeka-Angler-Sets-New-Kansas-Record-for-Crappie\/Topeka-Angler-Sets-New-Kansas-Record-for-Crappie\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">updated its official report<\/a>, stating that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&ldquo;Upon further review by KDWP officials, the crappie caught by Parkhurst could not be confirmed; therefore, the previous record for Kansas&rsquo; largest crappie still stands (Miller, 1964).&rdquo;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it would take another few months before the full story finally came to light!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ksnt.com\/kansasoutdoors\/i-did-everything-i-was-supposed-to-do-kansas-wildlife-officials-remove-anglers-trophy-catch-from-state-record-list\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KSNT 27 News interview<\/a>, the KDWP stated that there had been no error in the verification process. Instead, the information supplied via the record application was not true and correct.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Department&rsquo;s spokesperson then added that the issue was with the listed weight on the form and that it had not been filled out accurately by the angler.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Metal Detector Did the Trick&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-editorskit-rounded\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-1-min.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28128\" srcset=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-1-min.jpeg 580w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-1-min-480x360.jpeg 480w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-1-min-320x240.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-1-min-150x113.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-1-min.jpeg.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-28128 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-1-min.jpeg.webp 580w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-1-min-480x360.jpeg.webp 480w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-1-min-320x240.jpeg.webp 320w, https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-1-min-150x113.jpeg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-1-min.jpeg\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-3\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Courtesy of KDWP<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>In a&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ksnt.com\/kansasoutdoors\/i-did-everything-i-was-supposed-to-do-kansas-wildlife-officials-remove-anglers-trophy-catch-from-state-record-list\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KSNT 27 News interview<\/a>, the KDWP stated that there had been no error in the verification process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, the information supplied via the record application was not true and correct.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Department&rsquo;s spokesperson then added that the issue was with the listed weight on the form and that it had not been filled out accurately by the angler.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In her Email to me, the Department&rsquo;s Chief of Public Affairs &amp; Engagement Officer further explained that,&nbsp;<em>&ldquo;when staff used a handheld metal detector to scan the fish, the device detected the presence of metal.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Wardens then took the fish to the Topeka Zoo for an x-ray examination, where it was revealed that two steel ball bearings were inside the crappie.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>As a result, the Department later nullified the angler&rsquo;s catch as a state record, reinstated the previous state record (Miller, 1964), and has since made the fish available for return to the angler.&rdquo;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Shameful and Unnecessary Act<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I must admit that when I first covered the story and talked to the angler himself, I was also skeptical of the KDWP&rsquo;s decisions and explanations!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mostly because the whole thing took so many months, I guess.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that the whole story has been revealed, however, I am pretty upset at this, being an avid angler myself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To be fair, it is yet to be determined how the steel ball bearings ended up inside the fish or who tipped off the wardens about the case!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But this thing sounds too much like the story about the&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2023\/05\/12\/sport\/fisherman-cheating-sentenced-jail-spt-intl\/index.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">two guys who cheated<\/a>&nbsp;during the Lake Erie Walleye Trail Fishing Tournament last September.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember those guys? They had actually stuffed their walleyes with lead weights!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those anglers actually got jail time for that! And rightly so if you ask me.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I don&rsquo;t know if there will be any consequences for the Topeka angler this story is about, but no matter if he will be held accountable or not, this is a terrible, shameful, and stupid thing to do!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though this story was kind of upsetting, I hope you&rsquo;ve enjoyed the read nonetheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I wish you a great weekend and tight lines out there! (And don&rsquo;t ever cheat, it&rsquo;s not worth it!)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:15px\">All images courtesy of KDPW<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In an unexpected turn of events, the new Kansas state record crappie was nullified after steel ball bearings were found stuffed inside the fish.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28120,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","ub_ctt_via":"","disable-in-feed":false,"article-schema-type":"","disable-critical-css":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1558],"tags":[381,1560,1840],"table_tags":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min.jpeg","author_info":{"display_name":"Max Loesche","author_link":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/author\/max-loeschegmail-com\/"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min.jpeg",1200,900,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-150x150.jpeg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-1024x768.jpeg",1024,768,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-768x576.jpeg",768,576,true],"large":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min.jpeg",1200,900,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min.jpeg",1200,900,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-728x546.jpeg",728,546,true],"mv_trellis_1x1":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-728x728.jpeg",728,728,true],"mv_trellis_3x4":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-546x728.jpeg",546,728,true],"mv_trellis_4x3":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-728x546.jpeg",728,546,true],"mv_trellis_4x3_high_res":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-728x546.jpeg",728,546,true],"mv_trellis_4x3_med_res":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-480x360.jpeg",480,360,true],"mv_trellis_4x3_low_res":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-320x240.jpeg",320,240,true],"mv_trellis_16x9":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-728x410.jpeg",728,410,true],"mv_trellis_srcset-960":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-960x720.jpeg",960,720,true],"mv_trellis_srcset-1080":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-1080x810.jpeg",1080,810,true],"1200x1200":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min.jpeg",1200,900,false],"web-stories-poster-portrait":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-640x853.jpeg",640,853,true],"web-stories-publisher-logo":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-96x96.jpeg",96,96,true],"web-stories-thumbnail":["https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/4_15_23-Crappie-Xray-Image-2-min-150x113.jpeg",150,113,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Max Loesche","author_link":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/author\/max-loeschegmail-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":1,"uagb_excerpt":"In an unexpected turn of events, the new Kansas state record crappie was nullified after steel ball bearings were found stuffed inside the fish.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28118"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28118"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28118\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28134,"href":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28118\/revisions\/28134"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28118"},{"taxonomy":"table_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strikeandcatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/table_tags?post=28118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}