World Record Striped Bass Caught and Released On Lake Ouachita

Was a World Record Striped Bass Caught and Released On Lake Ouachita in Arkansas?

A Striped Bass was caught near Point 7 on Lake Ouachita in Arkansas by Joe Mann an angler from Weatherford, Texas fishing in a FLW - BFL Regional Championship Bass Tournament in October of 2005. Joe was using a Zoom Trick Worm with a 1/0 Gamakatsu Hook with 12lb Maxima line spooled on a Shimano Reel with matching Shimano Rod. Joe was not fishing out of his own boat and did not want to delay his partners fishing time in taking the fish to the weigh in station. He measured the striper in the boat and released it, a 50 pound scale was available - the fish was so heavy, “it broke the scale in two, and fell to the deck”. NSBA figured it to be over 20 years old, (size of lower lip bone structure), and the oldest fish, they feel, ever recorded. There were a total of 4 witnesses; in addition another Tournament boat came over after watched Joe land it. He offered a near by angler who was not in the tournament $100 to carry the fish in and was refused. Joe said since he was not familiar with striped bass. Had he known the scope of what he had caught, he would have reacted differently.

The Striped Bass measured 53 1/2 inches long with a girth of 37 1/4 inches.

Estimates by Arkansas fisheries biologist based on length weight formulas indicate the striper would have been 70-90 pounds.

Joe certainly had the Arkansas state record as well as the fresh water striped bass record and very possible the world record Striped Bass.

World Record Striped Bass caught by Al McReynolds measured 53" in Length with a 34 1/2"Girth weighing in at 78 lbs 8oz.

Arkansas State record striped Bass Weighed: 64 pounds 8 ounces was 51 Inches with a girth of 31 1/2 inches.

Joe can be reached at 817-658-3698 or via his e-mail jtmann@hughes.net

During an April yearly netting of striped bass for brood stock, the AG&FC netted a striped bass they estimated to have weighed in the 60 pound range. The nets are checked often and the fish was immediately released.

Striped Bass Hall of Fame

Striped Bass weighting 92 Pounds
92 pound Striped Bass
Picture courtesy of the Maryland DNR

Since 1982 there apparently has been only 1 Striped Bass caught and verified that exceeded the 78.5# world record It did not become the new IGFA record because it was caught in a net by the Maryland DNR during a research project around 1995.
The Striped Bass was a massive 92 pounds and hangs on the wall of DNR in Annapolis, MD