How to Qualify

Eligible Fish Species and Minimum Qualifying Lengths and Weights

Big Catch is designed to encourage anglers to enjoy the full variety of freshwater fishes found in Florida and to explore new locations, techniques, and species. You can earn recognition by submitting your catches of exceptional size, meeting or exceeding the weight OR length requirements for each species. Anglers can submit multiple species of qualifying size for an additional challenge, earning a Specialist recognition for 5 qualifying submissions of the same species, a Master recognition for 5 qualifying submissions of different species, and an Elite recognition for 10 qualifying submissions of different species.

PLEASE NOTE: These are NOT State Record sizes. Current State Records are available HERE.

To determine the length of the fish, measure from the tip of the snout to the back of the tail fin with the fin squeezed together and the mouth closed. To determine the girth, measure around the widest part of the fish. A Big Catch Poster with these minimum qualifying sizes can be requested with illustrations of each fish to help you identify them. All fish must be caught legally, including a proper freshwater license or exemption, in Florida waters using an active hook-and-line method (bush hooks, snatch hooks, set lines, trotlines are excluded).

	Adult		Youth
Eligible Species	Adult Weight	Adult Length	Youth Weight	Youth Length
Black Bass
Florida/Largemouth Bass	8.00 lbs.	24 in.	6.00 lbs.	18 in.
Shoal Bass	2.00 lbs.	16 in.	1.50 lbs.	12 in.
Spotted/Choctaw Bass	2.00 lbs.	16 in.	1.50 lbs.	12 in.
Suwannee Bass	1.50 lbs.	14 in.	1.00 lbs.	11 in.
Panfish
Black Crappie	2.00 lbs.	14 in.	1.50 lbs.	10 in.
Bluegill	1.00 lb.	10 in.	0.75 lbs.	8 in.
Flier	0.50 lbs.	8 in.	0.40 lbs.	6 in.
Redbreast Sunfish	0.50 lbs.	9 in.	0.40 lbs.	7 in.
Redear Sunfish	1.25 lbs.	11 in.	1.00 lbs.	8 in.
Spotted Sunfish	0.50 lbs.	7 in.	0.40 lbs.	5 in.
Warmouth Sunfish	0.50 lbs.	9 in.	0.40 lbs.	7 in.
Temperate Bass
Striped Bass	12.00 lbs.	30 in.	9.00 lbs.	22 in.
Sunshine Bass	5.00 lbs.	20 in.	3.50 lbs.	15 in.
White Bass	2.50 lbs.	15 in.	1.75 lbs.	11 in.
Catfish
Blue Catfish	25.00 lbs.	36 in.	18.75 lbs.	27 in.
Brown Bullhead	2.00 lbs.	16 in.	1.50 lbs.	12 in.
Channel Catfish	12.00 lbs.	25 in.	9.00 lbs.	19 in.
Flathead Catfish	25.00 lbs.	36 in.	18.75 lbs.	27 in.
White Catfish	5.00 lbs.	22 in.	3.75 lbs.	16 in.
Yellow Bullhead	1.50 lbs.	14 in.	1.00 lbs.	10 in.
Other Native
American Shad	3.00 lbs.	18 in.	2.25 lbs.	13 in.
Bowfin or Mudfish	8.00 lbs.	28 in.	6.00 lbs.	21 in.
Chain Pickerel	3.00 lbs.	22 in.	2.25 lbs.	17 in.
Florida/Spotted Gar	4.00 lbs.	28 in.	3.00 lbs.	21 in.
Longnose Gar	15.00 lbs.	40 in.	11.00 lbs.	30 in.
Yellow Perch	0.75 lbs.	12 in.	0.50 lbs.	9 in.
Other Nonnative
Blue/Nile Tilapia or Hybrid	5.00 lbs.	18 in.	3.75 lbs.	13 in.
Butterfly Peacock Bass	4.00 lbs.	18 in.	3.00 lbs.	13 in.
Common Carp	20.00 lbs.	30 in.	15.00 lbs.	22 in.
Jaguar Guapote	1.50 lbs.	13 in.	1.00 lbs.	10 in.
Mayan Cichlid	1.00 lb.	11 in.	0.75 lbs.	8 in.
Oscar	1.25 lbs.	11 in.	0.75 lbs.	8 in.

Images are courtesy of Duane Raver, Jr. and Diane Rome Peebles.

Not sure where to find species? Try FWC’s Fish Range Finder.

NOTE: To certify a state-record fish, it must be legally caught and inspected by a FWC biologist and weighed on a certified scale. If you believe you have caught a record fish, keep it alive or place it in ice water. Do not freeze the fish because it will lose weight when thawed. As soon as possible, call the nearest FWC office to arrange to have a fisheries biologist meet with you.

Contact Us