Displaying items by tag: largemouth bass

Darren Nunley of Whittier holds the 15.75-pound largemouth bass he caught on Nickajack Reservoir this winter. The fish is a new largemouth record. TWRA

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA)  has confirmed that a new state record for a largemouth bass has been established, breaking the previous mark, which was set more than 11 years ago.

Darren Nunley caught the record fish in Nickajack Reservoir on Feb. 28. It weighed 15 pounds, 7 1/2 ounces, and was 27 7/8 inches in length. The new mark surpasses the previous record of Gabe Keen, who caught a largemouth weighing 15 pounds, 3 ounces on Friday the 13th in February 2015, which at the time had broken a record which stood for more than 60 years.

A resident of Whitwell, Nunley made his record haul at 8 a.m. on a jackhammer chatterbait lure. He was using a 17-pound fluorocarbon test line and a Shimano reel.

The fish was weighed on a certified scale at a grocery store in Whitwell. TWRA sent a fin clip for genetic testing, with official results finalized on May 9.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is responsible for protecting, managing, and conserving fish and wildlife species for the benefit of Tennesseans and visitors. The Agency also maintains public safety through law enforcement and safety education on waterways.

-TWRA

Rhea County — Watts Bar Reservoir created in 1942, has remained a consistent bass fishery according to data collected over the past decades. Reservoir biologists are hopeful that a recent catch is reflective of Florida largemouth bass stocking efforts started in 2015. 

Randy Miller of Spring City caught an 11.22-pound largemouth bass on the reservoir and graciously shared the photo with reservoir biologist Mike Jolley. Jolley, an employee with over three decades of professional experience, grew up on the lake and has intimate knowledge of its waters. Jolley shared, “We routinely evaluate our fisheries in reservoirs, including Watts Bar, to assess overall health of population dynamics. Some anglers have questioned the status of the bass fishery in this lake. I’m happy to share that Watts Bar has remained a consistent fishery based on long-term, routine data collection.”