The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has made several changes in the program effective July 1, including a new series of freshwater grand slams.
And in October, the FWC will unveil a new TrophyCatch program for bass over 8 pounds with three tiers — the Lunker Club for bass 8-9.99 pounds; the Trophy Club for largemouth 10-12.99 pounds; and the Hall-of-Fame Club for bucketmouths 13 pounds and up.
The FWC will encourage fishermen to follow catch-and-release guidelines for TrophyCatch entries with reward incentives.
Bass 8-12.99 pounds can be documented with length, weight and a series of photos before releasing the fish. There will be a different certification process for bass over 13 pounds.
The TrophyCatch program is part of the FWC's new Black Bass Management Plan designed to promote Florida as the Bass Fishing Capital of the World.
Using data on when and where trophy bass are caught and released, biologists will be able to improve management techniques, according to the FWC.
More details on the TrophyCatch program will be forthcoming this fall.
In the meantime, there are upgrades to the Big Catch Angler Recognition Program that started in 1990.
More than 7,500 Big Catch certificates have been issued since 1990 that are full color and suitable for framing.
But as of July 1, the FWC instituted a mobile-friendly online reporting system so anglers can submit catches electronically. New sponsors — FishPhotoReplicas.net and SportsmanOnCanvas.com — offer 20 percent discounts for replica mounts.
And there are now grand slams for bass, bream and nonnative fish.
The Black Bass grand slam includes catching a largemouth, spotted bass, shoal bass and Suwannee bass in one year.
The Bream grand slam is for catching any four of bluegill, shellcracker, spotted sunfish, warmouth, redbreast sunfish or flier in one day.
The Nonnative slam is for catching butterfly peacock bass, Mayan cichlids and oscars in one day.
In addition, there are changes in sizes for species like Suwannee bass and shoal bass. Yellow perch, Mayan cichlids and jaguar guapotes have been added, while alligator gar, redfin pickerel and skipjack herring have been dropped.
For information, check MyFWC.com/BigCatch.
BASS TOURNAMENTS
Tom Yutzy and Buford McCoy took home $1,000 for winning the 13th annual Lake Alfred Lion's Club Tournament on Lake Alfred July 4. With Yutzy's 7-pound, 15-ounce kicker fish, best of the day, they totaled 26 pounds, 1 ounce. Doug Yutzy and Sean Phelps finished second with 23 pounds, 7 ounces. Monte Goodman and Eric Conant placed third with 17 1/4 pounds. The event raised $3,300 for Lion's Club projects.
Richie Upchurch weighed in 25.42 pounds, anchored by a 9.30-pound bass, to win the Camp Mack Open on the Kissimmee Chain Saturday. James Pearson took second with 22.77 pounds. Jeff Crandon finished third with 19.32 pounds, and fourth went to Eric Conant with 17.93 pounds.
David Glenn eked out a narrow victory over Jay Morgan in the Winter Haven Lunker Lovers tournament on the Kissimmee Chain Sunday. Glenn weighed in 20.24 pounds, while Morgan had 20.22 pounds, a margin of 0.02 pounds. Matt Henderson finished third with 19 pounds, while fourth went to Huck Pewitt with 17 1/4 pounds, including the big bass of 7.52 pounds.
Monte Goodman and Eric Conant won the Sunday Open Series tournament on the south Winter Haven chain with 19 pounds, 13 ounces. Jason and Dell Danes took second with 18 pounds, 1 ounce, including the biggest bass at 7 pounds, 6 ounces. Matt Bedenbaugh and Mike Adams tied for third at 15 pounds, 11 ounces with the teams of Robert Gatlin and Stan Adams, and Terry Pierce and Louis Veal.
Eric Conant, fishing solo, swept big-bass and overall honors with a 7-pound, 1-ounce bass and a 17 1/4-pound stringer in the Ron's Tackle Box evening tournament last Thursday on the south Winter Haven chain. Rick Combee and Brooke Shock placed second with 9 pounds, 13 ounces, while Robert Gatlin and Stan Adams had 8 pounds, 5 ounces for third.
Robby Wright won the Bass Bandits tournament on Lake Toho Saturday with 12.20 pounds. Rick Schuler placed second with 10.70 pounds with the top fish of 5.05 pounds. Donnie Rooks had 8.05 pounds for third.
[ Del Milligan's freshwater fishing column appears Thursdays in The Ledger. He can be reached at del.milligan@theledger.com or 863-802-7555. Milligan's blog, Central Florida Fishology, can be found at theledger.com home page. ]
