Florida Man Goes Hands-On With Giant Bass In Gator-Infested Waters

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Jul 09, 2024, 12:48 ET

By David A. Brown

HAWTHORNE, Fla., July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --The following details were sourced from an incident report filed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The agency's officers and investigators are tasked with protecting fish, wildlife and their habitats as well as Florida's residents and visitors.

Incident date: 3 February, 2023

Florida's Luke Matthews wrestles giant bass out of gator-infested waters.

At approximately 3 p.m., a Gainesville man identified as 24-year-old Luke Matthews launched his 12-foot aluminum boat into Orange Lake, a 12,550-acre Fish Management Area in southeastern Alachua County. While participating in a private competitive fishing event, Matthews encountered a largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) greatly exceeding any he had previously seen.

Hostilities ensued, with the bass forcefully assaulting Matthews' personal property, later identified as a topwater frog. After engaging the fish in a physical struggle, Matthews prevailed through lawful methods and restrained the combative bass in a safe manner until he was able to record the details requisite for the FWC's top-tier angler recognition.