FWC certifies new state record spotted bass 

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Law Enforcement Officer Wil Raker certified a new state record spotted bass caught by angler Joe Durden from Blountstown. The fish weighed 3.93 pounds and measured 18.25 inches in length. 

Durden was excited to catch his spotted bass on the Apalachicola River during the Fifth Annual Liberty County Bulldog Booster Bass Tournament out of Bristol Landing. Officer Raker met with Durden shortly after the tournament at Jerkins Angus Farm in Bristol to confirm the weight of the fish on a certified scale. 

“I knew right away this was potentially a state record,” said Durden. “This was the biggest spotted bass I had ever seen on the river.” 

Durden, an avid bass tournament fisherman, caught his spotted bass on a crankbait while using LiveScope technology. After landing the fish, an FWC freshwater fisheries biologist met with Durden to discuss his catch and verify it was a spotted bass. 

“Catching a state record fish is a tremendous accomplishment for any angler,” said Andy Strickland, fisheries biologist with FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “Particularly a record that’s held the test of time for 40 years.” 

The previous spotted bass state record was 3.75 pounds, caught by angler Dow Gilmore on June 24, 1985, on the Apalachicola River. 

The Apalachicola River is one of Florida’s largest rivers and is home to two other black bass species: the Florida bass and the shoal bass. The Apalachicola River is an exceptionally productive waterway that supports a thriving bass fishery along with outstanding populations of bream and catfish. 

Anglers can check state records by visiting MyFWC.com/Freshwater and clicking on “State Record Fish.” They should notify the nearest FWC regional office if they believe they have caught a record fish. Contact information for FWC regional offices can be found at MyFWC.com/Contact by clicking on “Contact Regional Offices.”