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.
Big Catch
A Big Catch recognizes anglers who catch a memorable-sized fish, exceeding the qualifying length OR weight below. Anglers 15 years and younger can qualify with slightly smaller fish.
Master & Elite
A "Master" angler is someone who has caught five or more qualifying Big Catch fish of different species. An "Elite" is someone who has caught ten or more qualifying Big Catch fish of different species.
Specialist
A "Specialist" is an angler who catches five (or more) qualifying Big Catch fish of the same 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 Bass/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 Bass/Choctaw Bass  | 2.00 lbs. | 16 in. | 1.50 lbs. | 12 in. |
Suwannee Bass  | 1.50 lbs. | 14 in. | 1.00 lb. | 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 lb. | 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. |
Yellow Perch  | 0.75 lbs. | 12 in. | 0.50 lbs. | 9 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 lb. | 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 Gar/Spotted Gar  | 4.00 lbs. | 28 in. | 3.00 lbs. | 21 in. |
Longnose Gar  | 15.00 lbs. | 40 in. | 11.00 lbs. | 30 in. |
| Other Nonnative | ||||
Blue Tilapia/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. |
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
For program or prizing questions please email us at [email protected] or call 1-855-FL-Trophy (1-855-358-7674). For non-TrophyCatch questions try MyFWC.com.
This program is brought to you by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and our conservation partners. The FWC mission is "Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people." These programs collect valuable data through citizen-science, encourage fishing and conservation and bring enjoyment to Florida anglers.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management, 620 S. Meridian St., Tallahassee, FL 32399. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Fish images by Duane Raver, Jr. and Diane Rome Peebles. Read about privacy - Read our terms