How Long To Cook Pickerel

Record Fish

If an angler believes they have caught a state record fish, they should check the current state records listed below. Next, weigh the fish on a scale, take clear photos of the fish with the scale weight legible, and be prepared to text or email the photos for initial verification. Keep native species in a well-aerated livewell. This is encouraged to promote conservation of these large, rare individuals. If the fish is no longer alive, the angler can keep the fish in a cooler on ice and remove the drain plug. These methods will ensure the fish maintains a weight similar to the time of the catch.

The angler must then CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE REGIONAL OFFICE HERE. To properly certify a new Florida state record, an FWC biologist must identify the fish species, and an FWC employee — usually but not necessarily the same individual — must witness its weighing on a certified scale. Contact information for FWC regional offices can be found at MyFWC.com/contact by clicking on "Contact Regional offices." If you cannot contact the Regional Office you may leave a message for Doris Swain at 850-617-9495. These records are updated as soon as they are verified.

Certified state record fish must be legally caught using an active hook-and-line method (including a proper license or exemption) by sport fishing methods. Uncertified state records (indicated below by an asterisk) are believed accurate based on reliable witnesses and other evidence but are not certifiable, or they were caught by other than legal sport fishing methods. The uncertified records are provided just for information.

To replace a record, versus tying one, the weight difference should exceed the following: (i) nearest one-quarter ounce for fish up to five pounds, (ii) to the nearest one-half ounce for fish more than five pounds and up to 10 pounds, and (iii) to the nearest one ounce for fish more than 10 pounds. The "Big Catch" program gives recognition to anglers who catch fish that exceed the minimum "qualifying weights and lengths".

It is important to properly measure fish. The record fish application is available on line in PDF format. More information is provided about the various species on our Freshwater Fishes of Florida pages.

* Uncertified record. Strong evidence exists, but not all the reporting requirements were met.
** Following genetic and other analyses, it is now believed that redeye bass do not exist in Florida. This record was certified prior to those studies being conducted. Shoal bass have been officially described as a species primarily living in some of Florida's northern rivers.

Species	Weight	Length(in.)	Girth	Date	Angler	Water Body	County	Notes	Image
Largemouth Bass	17.27 pounds	unavailable		7/6/1986	Billy O'Berry		Polk County
*Largemouth Bass	20.13	unavailable		5/19/1923	Frederick Friebel		Big Fish Lake, Pasco County	This fish was weighed on a postal scale and witnessed, but an FWC (or GFC) biologist did not document it at the time to establish an official record.
**Redeye Bass	7.83 pounds	unavailable		2/18/1989	William Johnston		Apalachicola River, Gadsden County	At one time it was believed redeye bass existed in panhandle Florida. It is now recognized that these fish were misidentified by the public and likely one of the other black bass species.
Spotted Bass	3.75 pounds	unavailable		6/24/1985	Dow Gilmore		Apalachicola River, Gulf County
Suwannee Bass	3.89 pounds	unavailable		3/2/1985	Ronnie Everett		Suwannee River, Gilchrist County
Shoal Bass	5.95 pounds	22.4		11/18/2017	Sheldon Grace	Chipola River	Calhoun
Striped Bass	42.24 pounds	unavailable		12/14/1993	Alphonso Barnes		Apalachicola River, Gadsden
White Bass	4.69 pounds	unavailable		4/9/1982	Richard Davis		Apalachicola River, Gadsden County
Sunshine Bass	16.31 pounds	unavailable		5/9/1985	Thomas Elder		Lake Seminole, Jackson County
Black Crappie	3.83 pounds	unavailable		1/21/1992	Ben Curry, Sr.		Lake Talquin, Gadsden County
Flier	1.35 pounds	12 Inches		5/9/2015	Twila Gates		A Cypress Pond in Jackson County
Bluegill	2.95 pounds	unavailable		4/19/1989	John LeMaster		Crystal Lake, Washington County
Redbreast Sunfish	2.08 pounds	unavailable		4/29/1988	Jerrel Dewees, Jr.		Suwannee River, Gilchrist County
Redear Sunfish	4.86 pounds	unavailable		3/13/1986	Joseph Floyd		Merritts Mill Pond, Jackson County
Spotted Sunfish	0.83 pounds	unavailable		5/12/1984	Coy Dotson		Suwannee River, Columbia County
Warmouth	2.44 pounds	unavailable		10/19/1985	Tony Dempsey		Yellow River, Okaloosa County
Chain Pickerel	6.96 pounds	unavailable		6/11/2004	Jep Dove		Lake Talquin, Gadsden County
*Chain Pickerel	8.00 pounds	unavailable		7/5/1971	Jimmy James		Lake Talquin, Gadsden County
Redfin Pickerel	1.06 pounds	unavailable		6/6/1993	Mike Milkerson		New River, Bradford County
Common Carp	35 pounds to qualify			1/1/0001	VACANT
*Common Carp	40.56 pounds	unavailable		5/24/1981	Bernard Rowan		Apalachicola River, Gadsden County
Channel Catfish	44.50 pounds	unavailable		5/19/1985	Joe Purvis		Lake Bluff, Lake County
Flathead Catfish	69.9 pounds	48.5 inches	38.25 inches	8/26/2020	Lavon Nowling	Yellow River	Santa Rosa County
White Catfish	18.88 pounds	unavailable		9/21/1991	Jim Miller		Withlacoochee River, Marion County
Blue Catfish	69.5 pounds	48.5"	31.75"	5/30/2015	William Stewart III	Choctawhatchee River	Washington County
Brown Bullhead	7.02 pounds	unavailable		2/12/2014	Richard A. Clinton		Lake Iola, Pasco County
Yellow Bullhead	5.05 pounds	unavailable		12/17/2010	Tom Flynn		Crystal River, Citrus County
Bowfin	19.00 pounds	unavailable		10/5/1984	Jim Brown		Lake Kissimmee, Osceola county
American Shad	5.19 pounds	unavailable		2/15/1990	Bud Dankert		St. Johns River, Seminole County
American Shad	5.19 pounds	unavailable		3/18/1992	Albert Judy		St. Johns River, Volusia County
Longnose Gar	41.00 pounds	unavailable		4/14/1985	Evan Merritt		Lake Panasoffkee, Sumter County
Alligator Gar	123.00 pounds	unavailable		7/8/1995	Zachary Phillips		Choctawhatchee River, Walton County
Florida Gar	9.44 pounds	unavailable		3/25/2001	Patric A. McDaniel		Lake Lawne, Orange County
Butterfly Peacock Bass	9.08 pounds	unavailable		3/11/1993	Jerry Gomez		Kendall Lakes, Dade County	Note: Larger butterfly peacock bass have been documented by FWC biologists, but but not all state record reporting requirements were met.
Oscar	2.34 pounds	unavailable		3/16/1994	Jimmy Cook		Lake Okeechobee
Mayan Cichlid	2.37 pounds	13.6"	13.1"	11/28/2016	Jonathan Johnson	Golden Gate Canal	Collier
Jaguar Guapote	2.78	unavailable		6/29/2017	Jerry Martin	Snapper Creek (C-2) Canal	Miami-Dade
Blue Tilapia	9.57 pounds	unavailable		8/31/2010	Pamela Henry		St. Lucie River, Martin County
Yellow Perch	1.47 pounds	unavailable		10/23/2005	David Thomas		Dead Lake, Gulf County