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. There are multiple ways to participate and earn recognition for your fishing achievements. You can earn recognition by submitting your catches of exceptional size, multiple catches of different species, multiple catches of the same species, or catching specific species within a given timeframe.

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).

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

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