Hey tell your buddy he needs to get a scale because length is no indicator of weight.

Here is a fish that was just a hair over 23" long and weighed 10lbs 4oz

http://www.calfishing.com/images/daily_reports/2_17_03_rob_tape.jpg

Here is a fish that was 25" long that weighed 9lbs 12oz

http://www.calfishing.com/images/daily_reports/7_13_03_rob_9-12_8.jpg

And here is a fish that was 26" long and weighed 14lbs 6oz

http://www.calfishing.com/images/daily_reports/4_09_03_rob_14-6_6.jpg

Without the girth, the length means nothing.

I'm stayin out of this pending world record drama for now though. Let's let IGFA make their ruling and go from there.