A 14-pound, 9-ounce largemouth bass recently earned angler Joseph “Brooks” Morrell a championship ring in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) TrophyCatch program. Morrell, of Hampton, also entered a 13-pound, 12-ounce bass into the competition’s second season (Oct. 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014), making him the only angler in the state to catch, record and release two fish achieving “Hall of Fame” status.
Both fish were caught in March 2014 at 2,000-acre Kingsley Lake in north-central Florida, southwest of Jacksonville.
Along with his championship ring, provided by the American Outdoors Fund, Morrell was presented with replica mounts of his fish from New Wave Taxidermy. Any angler who enters a “Hall of Fame” fish weighing more than 13 pounds receives a replica mount at the end of the contest season. “Hall of Fame” winners also win a prize package of gift cards and fishing apparel.
The FWC TrophyCatch program is designed to help scientists gather data for managing the state’s great bass fisheries. It also promotes catch and release of these trophy-sized fish, as entrants must catch, document and release fish heavier than 8 pounds to be eligible for prizes. For information on how to get involved with the TrophyCatch program, go to www.trophycatchflorida.com.
To date, more than 1,000 bass heavier than 8 pounds have been documented through the program. FWC biologists are using the data gathered to manage fisheries throughout Florida. This information, which could be invaluable to any trophy bass angler, is available to the public at the TrophyCatch website.