Community Corner
Largest Bass Caught In Polk County Is Biggest Of The Season
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission say this is the largest hall of fame bass in its fishing program.
POLK COUNTY — A largemouth bass catch in Polk County has taken over a hall of fame statewide fishing honor as the biggest of the season, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's TrophyCatch program.
Vance McCullers caught a 15-pound, 2-ounce bass recently at a Polk County lake, and the TrophyCatch program named it the largest Hall of Fame Bass in season eight to date, said FWC in a news release.
“I’ve caught a lot of nice fish and when I got her to the boat, I lost it," McCullers said in a FWC news release. "I called my cousin and said I caught a fish, I think it’s over 15 pounds, I wouldn’t be surprised if she weighed 15 or 17,” said McCullers. “Come to the lake! I couldn’t stop shaking for almost an hour after I caught her.”
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The TrophyCatch program rewards anglers who provide documentation of their catch and release of largemouth bass weighing 8 pounds or heavier in Florida. In order to be eligible for prizes, anglers are required to submit photos or videos that include the entire fish and its weight on a scale to TrophyCatch.com. They are required to release their catch back into the water after recording its measurements.
FWC said that TrophyCatch has awarded prizes for the catch and release of more than 10,000 largemouth bass since the program began in 2012.
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“I love bass fishing in Florida, there is no doubt that it is the best state in the country for bass fishing. Day in day out, year in year out nothing compares to Florida,” said McCullers. “TrophyCatch put Florida back on the map as the best place to bass fish.”
TrophyCatch data influences FWC research projects, such as the proper way to handle a trophy-sized bass to cause minimal stress.
This data will continue to play a key role in management decisions, said FWC. The FWC encourages anglers to join TrophyCatch to become citizen scientists and assist in the management and the conservation of Florida’s freshwater fisheries.
For more information about the program itself, and its prizes visit TrophyCatch.
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