Advertisement
Alapaha River Largemouth Record Broken Again
Craig James | August 27, 2020
When Garrett Mullis, of Lakeland, put his feet into the Alapaha River to do some wade fishing with his friends on Saturday, Aug. 22, he had no idea of the good fortune that lay in store for him.
“Really the plan was just to spend the afternoon catching some bream with crickets. We had caught close to 50, and I was getting tired of rebaiting my hook,” said Garrett.
Alapaha’s Blackwater Redbelly Slam With 9 GPS Locations
Garrett decided to wade a sandbar or two up from where he had been bream fishing and began making casts to some cover with a bubblegum-colored Trick Worm.
“My Lew’s spinning combo and a weightless Trick Worm are my go-to setup for fishing the Alapaha. I’ve been wading the river since I was a young kid, and I’ve caught a pile of bass on it,” said Garrett.
After making a long cast to a small pocket in a fallen tree, things got really interesting.
“When the fish hit, I knew it was a big one,” said Garrett. “For the next minute or so, I would work it out from the timber, and then loosen my drag as she pulled back toward the tree.”
After playing tug of war with the fish in the limbs, Garrett carefully played it back toward the sandbar he was wading on.
“With my spinning reel setup and 10-lb. Trilene line, I had to play the fish for a good couple of minutes, I just knew it was gonna come off,” said Garrett.
When he pulled the giant bass onto the sandbar, he jumped on it, clutching it between his arms.
“Man I toted that thing out of there like I was holding a baby, no way I was gonna lose that fish,” said Garrett.
Garrett Mullis with the new Alapaha River largemouth record.
Garrett took the fish to the Piggly Wiggly in Lakeland to be certified, where a crowd of onlookers watched the giant river bass push the digital scales down to show 8.665 pounds, which converts to 8-lbs., 10.64-ozs. The fish’s species—never in question—was later confirmed at the WRD Waycross Fisheries Office.
Garrett’s bass replaces the previous river record of 6-lbs. 12.9-ozs. set back in June of this year by Kevin Mullis, of Waycross.
Alapaha River Official Records
| Bowfin | 9-lbs., 0.32-ozs. | Glen Solomon | 07/26/19 |
| Largemouth Bass | 8-lbs., 10.64-ozs. | Garrett Mullis | 08/22/20 |
| Redbreast | 11.6-ozs. | Craig James | 11/05/24 |
| Spotted Sunfish | 6.24-ozs. | Craig James | 09/06/24 |
| Warmouth | 8.74-ozs. | Colt James | 09/08/24 |
See all of GON’s official Georgia Lake & River Records here.
Requirements For Record Fish
• Fish must be caught legally by rod and reel in a manner consistent with state game and fish regulations.
• Catch must be weighed on accurate Georgia DOA certified scales with at least two witnesses present, who must be willing to provide their names and phone numbers so they can be contacted to verify the weighing of the fish.
• Witnesses to the weighing must be at least 18 years old, and they must not be members of the angler’s immediate family nor have a close personal relationship with the angler.
• Catch must be positively identified by qualified DNR personnel.
GON’s records are compiled and maintained by GON, to be awarded at GON’s discretion. Additional steps may be required for record consideration.
Become a GON subscriber and enjoy full access to ALL of our content.
New monthly payment option available!
Advertisement
Other Articles You Might Enjoy
Advertisement