NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency confirmed Monday that a new state record for largemouth bass has been established, breaking a mark that had stood for more than 11 years.
According to TWRA, Darren Nunley caught the record fish in Nickajack Reservoir on Feb. 28. The bass weighed 15 pounds, 7 1/2 ounces and measured 27 7/8 inches long.
The catch surpassed the previous state record set by Gabe Keen in February 2015. Keen’s largemouth bass weighed 15 pounds, 3 ounces and broke a record that had stood for more than 60 years at the time.
Nunley, a Whitwell resident, caught the fish around 8 a.m. using a jackhammer chatterbait lure. TWRA said he was fishing with 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 also sent a fin clip for genetic testing, with official results finalized May 9.
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