See The Monster Bass Just Caught in Kissimmee, Florida

Hunting for the monster bass we all dream of is some people’s weekend hobby, but for others, it’s a full-time gig. For those lucky enough to consider themselves “professional fishermen,” heading out to tournaments each year in order to search for the largest fish sometimes pays off. In a recent tournament in Kissimmee, Florida, a monster bass was reeled in by one of those lucky fishermen!

This Monster Bass Was Caught on Day 1 of the Kissimmee Chain Tournament!

Few places in the United States are as well-known for fishing as Florida. When it comes to bass, Florida is renowned for it’s pretty unique collection of fish. With such a history rooted in fishing and a huge number of lakes and inlets within the state, it’s no surprise that Florida is home to some of the most popular fishing tournaments each year.

Only a few days ago, the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tournament that was being held on the Kissimmee Chain began. The Kissimmee Chain is a chain of lakes across South Florida that spans 21,000 across of land, forming part of the head of the Kissimmee-Okeechobee-Everglades system. The region is known for its bass fishing, specifically largemouth. As one would imagine, the Bass Pro Tournament held in the area is all about the bass.

On Day 1 of the Tournament, this Fish was Caught

Day one (February 13th) kicked off the tournament with a bang. The biggest catch of the day belonged to Fletcher Shryock, a professional fisherman from Ohio, when he caught a monster bass.

The bass landed him at number one for the day, although it doesn’t exactly specify the weight of the fish. As the photo shows, however, it was a doozy. As a reminder, scoring in fishing isn’t as simple as weighing the fish, although that is an element that is considered. A score is awarded for each fish caught, with the score consisting of the weight, species, and sometimes the type and strength of the line that was used. Catching a large fish on a weaker line, for example, would give a higher score because it shows that the angler isn’t just skilled in picking a position but in actually landing the fish itself without losing it.

A Day Later and the Leaderboards Look a Bit Different

Although Shryock was ahead Day One, it wasn’t enough to keep him there. Currently, Shinichi Fukae is sitting at number one as they move into the third period of fishing. The tournament is still up for grabs, however, so it’s still anyone’s game (or fish).

Even on Valentines Day, it seems that the anglers out there fishing are catching more than just fish!

Up Next:

• Sea Monsters! The 10 Biggest Trophy Fish Ever Caught in Florida (3 are More than 1,000 lbs.!)
• The 15 Biggest Fish in the Great Lakes
• The 10 Biggest Fish in the World

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Matt Jeppson/Shutterstock.com