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A GON Lake & River Records Celebration
30 anglers make their marks on GA’s fishing history.
Brad Gill | May 27, 2025
Tim Bonvechio with a bowfin from Banks Lake that goes over 10 pounds.
As I shared in this month’s Editorial on page 106, record fish are worth celebrating. More specifically, the anglers with bowed rods are the ones we enjoy celebrating. After all, without y’all, this list is dead in the water.
Since Jan. 1, 2025, we’ve added 30 new anglers to GON’s Lake & River Records listing.
Those anglers and their fish are listed on the opposite page. Most of their photos appear on the next three pages.
Remember that all records are published and kept up to date at GON.com/fishing/georgia-lake-river-records. On that web article, you’ll see the benchmark requirements you’ll need to set a record and become a part of Georgia’s rich fishing history.
Wesley Daniels is the new black crappie record holder for the Alapaha River.
This 13-lb., 14.78-oz. channel catfish sets a large benchmark for the Alapaha River. Congrats to Christopher Quiggins.
The new Alapaha River Record redbreast was caught by Reese Buckhalter and weighed 12.52 ounces.
Here’s the new Lake Blue Ridge spotted bass record. Pictured (from left) Destin LeSesne with Lake Blue Ridge Marina, Kenton Kimsey and the record holder Brandon Wright.
Allen Fitzgerald, of McDonough, with an impressive new shellcracker from Clarks Hill that goes 2-lbs., 6-ozs.
John Donalson was fishing a stretch of the Flint River near Newton when he set a high benchmark for the blue catfish record. The 35 1/2-pounder won’t be an easy one to beat.
Travis Harrell with a beast of a striper that weighed a shade over 52 pounds and was caught on the Lower Flint River between Highway 84 and the Albany Dam.
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.
Taylor Cronan, 10, with her Lake Lanier record common carp.
Kaleb Taylor with a Rabun yellow perch that set a new record. The 1-lb., 13-oz. fish was caught on March 9.
Keaton Smith, 16, of Poulan, with the new Lake Worth largemouth record.
The Withlacoochee River’s new warmouth record weighed 9.21 ounces and was caught by Brentz McGhin on May 2.
Shayne Goddard set a benchmark for West Point white bass with this lineside that weighed 2-lbs., 6.08-ozs.
Wesley Daniels set the bar for a yellow bullhead on the Suwannee River.
Josh Forsythe, of Homerville, with the new state-record spotted sunfish. The 13.69-oz. fish broke a two-way tie between two 12-oz. stumpknockers. On May 5, the day he broke the record, Josh picked his fishing location on the Suwannee River by a coin flip. Great call, Josh! Full story at GON.com/fishing/state-record-stumpknocker-coin-flip.
Michael Taylor caught the Suwannee River chain pickerel record on his homemade Jack Attack lure.
A piece of cut bream on the bottom resulted in the new St. Marys River record bowfin for Colt James.
Chas Strickland, of Nahunta, with the new Satilla River black crappie record. The 2-lb., 2.88-oz. slab ate a live minnow.
Lake Russell finally got a white catfish record. It was caught by Garrett Duncan.
Connor Simmons with a Lake Rabun warmouth that went right at 1 pound.
Jackie Dyess with the new Ohoopee River redbreast record.
Kevin Carey proved the Oconee River blue cats bite in cold temps. This 62-lb., 15.2-oz. fish is the new river record.
A.J. Lewis with the Ocmulgee River record chain pickerel that weighed 2-lbs., 8.8-ozs.
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