Nickajack Lake, TN — A single cast on a chilly late-winter morning may have rewritten the Tennessee record books. On February 28, longtime Nickajack angler Darren Nunley landed a massive 15.75-pound largemouth bass, currently pending DNA testing and final certification by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) as the new state record.
One Cast, One Giant
Nunley was fishing with close friend and guide Hensley Powell, who had already been on an impressive run of big fish in the same area. The pair launched in 38-degree air temperatures with water at 53 degrees, targeting a hydrilla flat in 4–5 feet of water—classic early spring conditions for fishing vibrating jigs.
Powell had fished the same stretch the day before with another client, boating two 8-pound bass and losing a giant.
When he idled back into the area that morning with Nunley, he pointed to the spot immediately.
“Throw right there on a long cast,” Powell told him. “That’s where the big ones were yesterday.”
One perfectly placed cast was all it took.
“I Thought I Was Hung in the Grass…”
Nunley initially believed his lure had buried in hydrilla.
“I thought I was hung in the grass and tried to pop it through,” he said. “Then I realized it was actually a fish. I didn’t realize just how big it was until I got it to the boat and it went ape. But it was too big to actually jump.”
Powell wasn’t even looking when Nunley set the hook.
“I thought he’d hooked grass until I saw the line running sideways,” Powell recalled. “The fish came to the surface, and I netted it easy. As soon as it hit the deck, Darren said, ‘That’s the biggest bass I’ve ever caught,’ and I said, ‘That’s the state record.’”
Their onboard scale read 15.8 pounds. Powell immediately headed back to the ramp and contacted TWRA, who directed them to a certified scale where the fish officially registered 15.75 pounds.
A Fish 15 Years in the Making
TWRA biologists conducted a full examination and determined the fish had never been caught before.
“This fish swam around for 15 years and never got caught,” Nunley said. “My hook was the only mark in its mouth.”
Because hybrid bass are present in Tennessee waters, DNA testing is required before the catch can be officially certified as a state record. Results are expected within the next two weeks.
Powell, who has guided on Nickajack Lake for years, said the catch confirms what many local anglers have believed.
“I’ve been saying for years the next state record would come out of Nickajack,” he said. “The stars aligned for Darren. That fish was meant for him.”
A Moment to Remember
For Nunley, a lifelong Nickajack angler, the experience still feels surreal.
“This whole experience is just mind boggling,” he said. “You never know what all goes on when these types of record fish get caught, but there’s a lot that goes into it behind the scenes.”
If certified, Nunley’s 15.75-pound largemouth will stand as the new Tennessee state record—and a moment that began with a single cast on a cold February morning.
