What a fish!
Why cant that still be the record? Didn’t they start some kinda catch and release record program a few years back. Obviously estimating that much over the current record whats the issue. Shouldn’t have to kill that beast just get the honor.
That C&R record program is only set up for pike, musky, sturgeon, and catfish I think?
Personally I feel when you catch a fish like that, having your name in a record book is just an after thought and wouldn’t be important to me.