A new Oklahoma state record largemouth bass was caught Friday, March 23, at Cedar Lake in southeast Oklahoma. The fish weighed 14 lbs. 12.3 oz. and was caught by Poteau angler Benny Williams, Jr. while on a camping trip at the 78-acre LeFlore Co. lake.
Williams caught the bass at 11 a.m. on a ¼ oz. Striker King jig. This fish measured 26 inches in length and 22 3/8 inches in girth.
Williams’ fish breaks a state record held since 1999 when William Cross caught a 14-lb. 11.52-oz. bass from Broken Bow Lake.
“Catching the state record largemouth bass in Oklahoma is a big deal and catching a fish this large is a big deal,” said Barry Bolton, chief of fisheries for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “It speaks to the quality of fishing we have in Oklahoma and also to the anglers who get out there and fish for them. We congratulate him on his great catch.”
According to Gene Gilliland, assistant chief of fisheries for the Wildlife Department, Cedar Lake has been known to produce big largemouth bass for anglers in recent years – not only because of its southeastern location, but also because it has a history of receiving Florida strain largemouth bass through the state’s stocking program.
“They grow pretty fast down in that part of the state,” Gilliland said. “Cedar Lake has produced several double-digit fish in the last five years.”
