By David A. Brown
HAWTHORNE, Fla., July 9, 2024
/PRNewswire/ --The following details were sourced from an
incident report filed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission. The agency's officers and investigators are tasked with
protecting fish, wildlife and their habitats as well as
Florida's residents
and visitors.
Incident date: 3 February,
2023
At approximately 3 p.m., a
Gainesville man identified as
24-year-old Luke Matthews launched
his 12-foot aluminum boat into Orange Lake, a 12,550-acre Fish
Management Area in southeastern Alachua
County. While participating in a private competitive fishing
event, Matthews encountered a largemouth bass (Micropterus
salmoides) greatly exceeding any he had previously seen.
Hostilities ensued, with the bass forcefully assaulting
Matthews' personal property, later identified as a topwater frog.
After engaging the fish in a physical struggle, Matthews prevailed
through lawful methods and restrained the combative bass in a safe
manner until he was able to record the details requisite for the
FWC's top-tier angler recognition.
Read more at Bassmaster.com
Contact:
Chad Gay
cgay@bassmaster.com
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SOURCE B.A.S.S.