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Georgia Angler Breaks 45-Year-Old Shoal Bass State Record

Another fishing record has been broken. This time, it was a 45-year-old shoal bass state record in Georgia. The record was broken by Joseph Matthew McWhorter, who lives in Lanett, AL. He was in GA to fish. The record-breaking bass was caught on the Chattahoochee River near Columbus, GA. It weighed eight pounds and five ounces. It beat the previous 1977 record by only two ounces. McWhorter wasn’t too far off from breaking the world record. To compare, the International Game Fish Association states that the world record shoal bass weighed eight pounds and twelve ounces. The world-record fish was caught in 1995 in Florida’s Apalachicola River. On average, shoal bass are between 12 and 24 inches long.

McWhorter’s impressive state record was announced by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on their Facebook page. They stated that McWhorter is “the proud holder of the new state record shoal bass.” The DNR goes on to say that the shoal bass is the official state riverine sportfish species. They can be found in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. Specifically, they can be found in the drainages of the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint River. In GA, they’ve recently been introduced into the Ocmulgee and Oconee rivers, too.

“Shoal bass are usually found around current breaks near flowing water. This can be in the middle of a big shoal, in a deep-water bend of the river with large boulders, or on the bank behind a tree in the water,” the DNR added in their celebratory post for McWhorter.

To Catch Better Bass, Listen to These Stars

Bass fishing is a lot like alligator hunting. At least, it is according to former Swamp People star Troy Broussard. He might spend the brunt of his time hunting gators, but that doesn’t mean that Broussard doesn’t know his way around bass fishing. In fact, he’s used both animals to make a living. When talking to BassMaster, he goes in-depth with his comparison.

“Alligators and bass are predators,” he said. “They both have seasonal patterns. They both look for food the same as opportunistic feeders. Both animals will use the least amount of energy they can to get a meal. They are both going to look for a prime opportunity to feed.”

In addition to talking about how both bass and gators like to inhabit deep waters, his knowledge of their patterns has served him well. Broussard isn’t the only one with some insight into bass fishing, though. Additionally, Lucas Black of NCIS: New Orleans fame, has an entire 30-minute video dedicated to bass fishing. In the video, he discusses everything from fishing lures to fishing secrets. Oh, and of course, to prove his credibility, he catches lots of bass along the way.