FWC’s TrophyCatch announces Season 8 Hall of Fame leader: Vance McCullers with 15 lb. 2 oz. bass

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) TrophyCatch program announces the largest Hall of Fame Bass in the current season, Season 8, to date: a 15-pound, 2-ounce largemouth bass that was recently caught in Polk County by Vance McCullers.

“I’ve caught a lot of nice fish, and when I got her to the boat, I lost it. 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.”

TrophyCatch has awarded prizes for the catch and release of more than 10,000 largemouth bass since the program began in 2012. 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 of their catch to TrophyCatch.com, showing the entire fish and its weight on a scale, before releasing it back into the water.

“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. 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 TrophyCatch program, email Laura Rambo at Laura.Rambo@MyFWC.com or click here: trophycatchflorida.com/.