Spotted Bass Record Broken At Lake Hartwell During MLF Invitational

GON Staff | March 18, 2025

The biggest spotted bass ever recorded from Lake Hartwell was caught by a pro angler from Texas during the MLF Invitational tournament. Chad Mrazek caught the 6.25-lb. spot on March 16, the final day of the Major League Fishing event.

A 6-lb., 4-oz. spotted bass was just what Texas angler Chad Mrazek needed on the final day of the MLF Invitational at Lake Hartwell. The big spot propelled Chad to a third-place finish in the tournament, and it set a new GON official record for spotted bass on Lake Hartwell. Chad’s record spot hit a drop-shot rigged 6th Sense Bamboosa 5.3, a salt-infused soft plastic worm with a ribbed design that is fished on all soft plastic rigs from Carolina to Texas to drop shots.

“The record fish along with most of my catches this weekend were primarily mid lake,” Chad said. “Most hotspots were rock transitions 15 feet to 25 feet deep. The fishing was slow in the mornings for me but picked up in the afternoon each day.”

Chad’s record spotted bass anchored a five-bass, final day limit that weighed 19-lbs., 5-ozs. and solidified his third-place finish and $20,000 payday.

“I’m from Texas, but Lake Hartwell is very close to my heart,” Chad said. “I moved from Texas to attend college at Lander University (in Greenwood, S.C.) to fish for them and to get a degree. I was fishing several MLF tournaments along with college trails during that time and have since graduated. Since graduating from Lander, I went full time fishing. Learning these East Coast lakes was huge for my fishing career.”

The previous Lake Hartwell record spotted bass weighed 5-lbs., 6.08-ozs. and was caught by Raulie Bleech on March 18, 2007.

The MLF Invitational tournament March 14-16 was won by Mitchell Robinson, of Landrum, S.C., who had a three-day total of 53-lbs., 13-ozs. with a five-fish limit each day. Mitchell earned a $115,000 top prize that included a $35,000 Phoenix Bonus. Dustin Smith, of Trussville, Ala., finished second just 2 ounces out of the lead with 53-lbs., 11-ozs. The top Georgia angler in the tournament was Marietta’s Emil Wagner, who placed 14th with 47 pounds even and won $10,000.

Click here for full results of the Hartwell MLF Invitational.

Lake Hartwell Official Record Fish

Largemouth Bass	12-lbs., 6.5-ozs.	Jack Breshears	03/08/76
Spotted Bass	6-lbs., 4-ozs.	Chad Mrazek	03/16/25
Redeye Bass	3-lbs., 7-ozs.	Steve Williams	04/17/04
Striped Bass	59-lbs., 8-ozs.	Terry McConnell	02/03/02
Hybrid Bass	20-lbs., 1-oz.	Buster Green	-----
White Bass	4-lbs., 5-ozs.	H.T. Davis	02/06/67
White Crappie	4-lb., 4-ozs.	Charles McCullough	04/27/68
Black Crappie	3-lbs., 1.76-ozs.	Jimmy Burns	03/02/22
Walleye	9-lbs.	T.O. Sherriff	1974
Blue Catfish	30-lbs., 8-ozs.	Melvin Wall	06/26/03
Flathead Catfish	66-lbs.	Darrin Sealey	04/04/10
Shellcracker	1-lb., 4.16-ozs.	DJ Hill	05/13/23
Chain Pickerel	2-lbs., 5-ozs.	Jay Franklin	03/16/23

Chad Mrazek, of Montgomery, Texas, with his lake record Hartwell spotted bass caught on March 16, 2025 during the MLF Invitational bass tournament.

Spotted Bass Record Broken At Lake Hartwell During MLF Invitational

Lake Hartwell Official Record Fish

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