Alternative Spotted bass Record from Truman

[Johnsfolly]

Not a hook and line state record, but a big spotted nonetheless.

Warsaw angler catches state-record spotted bass

Congratulations to Jason Reynolds on breaking the state record by catching a 2-pound, 11-ounce spotted bass on Truman Lake.

WARSAW, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports Jason Reynolds of Warsaw became the most recent record-setting angler in Missouri when he hooked a spotted bass on Truman Lake on a jug line. The new “alternative method” record spotted bass, caught by Reynolds on May 11 weighed 2-pounds, 11-ounces with a length of 17 1/2 inches. Reynolds was using bluegill for bait to try to catch catfish, but instead caught a state-record spotted bass.

“I really can’t believe I caught a state--record fish,” Reynolds said. “I almost released the fish right after I got it in the boat, but I didn’t because it was hooked in the gills and I wanted to make sure it was going to live before I released it.”

Reynolds added that once MDC confirmed he broke a state-record he was in shock.

“I have fished all my life and caught some pretty nice fish, but I would have never thought I would have a state-record with my name on it,” he said. “I’m so grateful and proud to have caught that fish.”

MDC staff verified the record-weight fish using a certified scale in at Lost Valley Fish Hatchery in Warsaw.

Reynolds noted he gave the spotted bass to staff at the hatchery so they could help nurse the fish back to its healthy self.

“I was hoping to release the spotted bass back into Truman Lake, but the fish didn’t make it,” he said. “So now I am going to mount it and put on my wall.”

Reynolds’ recent catch broke the previous state-record spotted bass by almost 1 pound in the alternative methods category. This state record fish is the 12th fishing record broken this year.

Missouri state-record fish are recognized in two categories: pole-and-line and alternative methods. Alternative methods include: throwlines, trotlines, limb lines, bank lines, jug lines, spearfishing, snagging, snaring, gigging, grabbing, archery, and atlatl.

Conservation makes Missouri a great place to fish. For more information on state-record fish, visit the MDC website at http://on.mo.gov/1S64jH6.

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Jason Reynolds broke the state record by catching a 2-pound, 11-ounce spotted bass with a jug line on Truman Lake May 11, 2016.

[*T*]

Just a bit surprised that a 17-1/2" spot would only weight 2#-11oz.  Nice looking fish though.