Strader’s 6-07 Spot Officially a Record

Wesley Strader’s niiiiiiiiiice 6-07 spotted bass is now an official Tennessee state record.

He caught the fish back in July, from the Ocoee River in Polk County. (He also released it – just kidding – check out the lively eye of that fish….)

His new record handily defeats the former state record of 5-14, held by Jack Watson. That fish was caught from Parksville Reservoir on Dec. 31, 2008.

Here’s the story of the catch, from the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

> He caught it doing some for-fun fishing with his bud Brad Peterson of Benton, Tenn.

> “I actually went down to Brad’s house to pick up a certain kind of worm [that he wanted to use at the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup on Lanier]. When I got there I said, ‘You know, Brad, as many times as I’ve been down here, you’ve never taken me fishing on the river.’ He said, ‘Well, do you want to go now?’ And I said, ‘Sure.’ ”

> Strader caught the fish on his fifth cast, and said: “Brad, I think I just may have caught a state record.”

FYI, the world record spot weighed 10.48 pounds and was caught – guess where.

Yep, Cali.