|
Big Catch Minimum Lengths & Weights |
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|
Minimum Length (in) |
Minimum Weight (lbs) |
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|
Species |
Adult |
Youth |
Adult |
Youth |
|
Largemouth Bass |
24 |
18 |
8.00 |
6.00 |
|
Shoal or Spotted Bass * |
16 |
12 |
2.00 |
1.50 |
|
Suwannee Bass |
14 |
11 |
1.50 |
1.00 |
|
Striped Bass |
30 |
22 |
12.00 |
9.00 |
|
Sunshine Bass |
20 |
15 |
5.00 |
3.50 |
|
White Bass |
15 |
11 |
2.50 |
1.75 |
|
Black Crappie |
14 |
10 |
2.00 |
1.50 |
|
Bluegill |
10 |
8 |
1.00 |
0.75 |
|
Redbreast Sunfish |
9 |
7 |
0.50 |
0.40 |
|
Redear Sunfish |
11 |
8 |
1.25 |
1.00 |
|
Warmouth |
9 |
7 |
0.50 |
0.40 |
|
Spotted Sunfish |
7 |
5 |
0.50 |
0.40 |
|
Flier |
8 |
6 |
0.50 |
0.40 |
|
Yellow Perch * |
12 |
9 |
0.75 |
0.50 |
|
Channel Catfish |
25 |
19 |
12.00 |
9.00 |
|
Flathead Catfish |
36 |
27 |
25.00 |
18.75 |
|
White Catfish |
22 |
16 |
5.00 |
3.75 |
|
Blue Catfish |
36 |
27 |
25.00 |
18.75 |
|
Brown Bullhead |
16 |
12 |
2.00 |
1.50 |
|
Yellow Bullhead |
14 |
10 |
1.50 |
1.00 |
|
Longnose Gar |
40 |
30 |
15.00 |
11.00 |
|
Florida/Spotted Gar |
28 |
21 |
4.00 |
3.00 |
|
Chain Pickerel |
22 |
17 |
3.00 |
2.25 |
|
Common Carp |
30 |
22 |
20.00 |
15.00 |
|
Butterfly Peacock Bass |
18 |
13 |
4.00 |
3.00 |
|
Oscar |
11 |
8 |
1.25 |
0.75 |
|
Mayan Cichlid * |
11 |
8 |
1.00 |
0.75 |
|
Blue Tilapia |
18 |
13 |
5.00 |
3.75 |
|
Jaguar Guapote * |
13 |
10 |
1.50 |
1.00 |
|
Bowfin |
28 |
21 |
8.00 |
6.00 |
|
American Shad |
18 |
13 |
3.00 |
2.25 |
|
*New Species |
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Big Catch
The “Big Catch” Angler Recognition Program rewards anglers who catch a memorable-sized fish. Qualifying anglers receive a colorful citation showing the type fish they caught and a window sticker to display their prowess. Anglers who release their fish get special recognition on their citation. An angler catching five “Big” fish of the same species will be recognized as a “Specialist,” fish of five different species qualifies as a “Master Angler,” and 10 different species as an “Elite Angler.” A special youth citation and pin is given to an angler under age 16 for catching a fish that is 75 percent of the qualifying size (see table above for specific sizes). Total length is maximum length in inches; weights are in pounds. Participants are encouraged to submit photographs. To qualify, the fish must be legally caught and exceed the minimum qualifying length or weight. The catch must be witnessed by another individual or photographed and a “Big Catch” form submitted.
New for 2012, “Big Catch” minimum sizes have been adjusted based on five years of FWC sampling data to better reflect species sizes documented in the field. Also new are several challenging “Slam” certificates: “Bass Slam” (for catching a largemouth bass, spotted bass, shoal bass, and Suwannee bass within one year); “Bream Slam” (for catching any four of bluegill, redear sunfish, spotted sunfish, warmouth, redbreast sunfish, or flier in one day), and a unique south Florida “Exotic Slam” (for catching a butterfly peacock, Mayan cichlid, and oscar in one day). See MyFWC.com/BigCatch for details.
Finally, coming in October is FWC’s prestigious TrophyCatch program, which will recognize anglers for catching and releasing Florida largemouth bass larger than eight pounds. The purpose of the program is to document Florida trophy largemouth bass catches, and to promote catch-and-release of these exceptional fish. Size tiers will include 8.0-9.9 pound (“Lunker Club”), 10.0-12.9 pound (“Trophy Club”), and greater than 13.0 pound (“Hall of Fame Club”), with correspondingly valuable prizes. See TrophyCatchFlorida.com for more information.
Regulations in red are new this year.
Purple text indicates an important note.
