Rob I dont think that the fish has to be caught on video to get the record. I dont even theink the fish has to be killed. It just has to be documented well. The problem lyes afterwards. The poor bastard who catches it will be put under a microscope and evrything they ever did or said would be brought up. No matter how clean they are you will have a good amount of people questionong the angler and the catch. It will suck for the person who catches it. i also highly doubt there would be the millions of dollars the some think the angler would get. I actualy think the imediate rewards would not be worth the stress and headaches.
as far as all you what ifs, oh man it would suck to be you if you caught it like that!
I think even though there is not a specific law regaurding robotic lures the IGFA would probably disqualify it saying it was not caught in a sporting way.
Also with all your what ifs, even if they all individualy checked out OK I would guess because they are so many of them that would disqualify it. I believe they have a board that votes on the records so I think that would be just too much to allow the record. I still hope Kurita gets the record so its not so sacred and when the next Amercian breaks it he will be embraced and not crucified.