But Jim Shepherd of the Internet's Fishing Wire says Oswald has only herself to blame for any suspicion being raised. Although she's an amateur angler, she could have taken better care of her catch.

"She didn't even manage to keep the fish in one piece," Shepherd said.

The tackle shop people who weighed the behemoth said it wasn't in "optimum condition." Oswald told them that her monster flounder was too big for the net that she carried in the 23-foot boat from which she was fishing. The fish slipped from the net, had to be re-netted, then fell on the deck, its tail getting damaged as she stood on it trying to get the hook from the fluke's mouth. That wasn't all.

The cooler aboard the boat wasn't big enough to hold the flounder and during the trip back to shore the head and tail was damaged even more. The tackle shop said the head was nearly severed from the body

But the fishing store's employees agreed that the fish was fresh and did not appear to have come from a commercial netting operation, which would automatically disqualify it with the IGFA.

However, Oswald took the flounder home and left it in a cooler outside. The next day, she discovered the fish was gone, apparently pulled out by an animal. When found, the head and part of the body was missing. The only total evidence of her catch is a photo shot at the bait shop and several people who say they saw her catch it. Oswald, meanwhile, may have to take a polygraph test.

But if her flounder is accepted by the IGFA, she could win a $50,000 boat, offered by the Fisherman magazine's "Dream Boat" contest.

Look for Gene Mueller's Outdoors column Sunday and Wednesday and his Fishing Report every Thursday, only in The Washington Times. E-mail: gmueller@washingtontimes.com.

Article written by: Glen Mueller

The Washington Times