The Maryland state record for largemouth bass was broken on July 31 when Colton Lambert, age 12, caught an 11 pound, 6 ounce lunker while fishing at a farm pond. The record setting bass was 26 inches long and 18 inches around.
Lambert caught the fish using a spinning rod loaded with an 8-pound test line and a plastic worm, rigged weedless and without a weight. Lambert was fishing with his father and younger brother at approximately 7:30 p.m. when he hooked and landed the monster fish.
Upon realizing the size of the fish, the trio put the fish in a large bucket of water for the night. The following morning the anglers transported the fish to Tyler’s Tackle in Chesapeake Beach, where it was weighed on the certified scale of the store’s adjoining seafood market.
Fisheries biologist Keith Lockwood verified proper procedures were followed and identified the fish as the new Freshwater Largemouth Bass State Record. Lockwood said that the fish could have easily weighed more if it had been in a fattened condition.
The previous record of 11 pounds, 2 oz. was held for nearly 30 years by Rodney Cockrell.
Lambert will be recognized as a State record holder at the 2013 Maryland Fishing Challenge Finale on September 7 at the Maryland Seafood Festival at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis.
source: MD DNR