I'm sure you probably looked at the fish above, adjusted your glasses, squinted, and asked what the big deal. Believe it or not, that's a state record-sized fish. It would probably help you to know that it's a spotted sunfish.
While the fish may look a bit like something you'd toss back before continuing a cast for a big one, this stumpknocker is impressive for its size. Typically, spotted sunfish only grow a couple inches long and weigh a few ounces. So, what makes this one so impressive is that it weighs 12 ounces and measures 8 1/2 inches long. Talk about a haul! Hahaha okay, so it's not that impressive from a fish standard. But for a species record, let's give our hats off to angler Wesley Daniels.
I'm more than impressed that he recognized it as being a big one for its species. Spotted sunfish get their nickname of stumpknockers for hanging around stumps and submerged limbs under the water. They seem to prefer the same kind of environment as catfish. So that's how Daniels managed to hook the fish.
State Record Fish
He had been fishing on Tuesday for catfish when he hooked this one instead. The fished tied for the state record in Georgia. That record was set by Jamie Boyette on the Ogeechee River in June 2024. Georgia Department of Natural Resources confirmed the accomplishment, making Daniels a co-owner of the state record for the species.
"I was fishing for catfish, so the unusual thing was that he was caught on a piece of shrimp, and I thought it was a big catfish at first," Daniels told the DNR. "When I pulled him into the boat, me and my friend just looked at each other, because we had never seen a stumpknocker that big!"
It's nothing to knock at. Sorry, I couldn't resist! Despite its size, stumpknockers can be difficult to hook. We recommend live bait if you're trying to beat that record.
"We are excited to have our first freshwater fish state record for 2025," DNR wildlife resources division chief of fisheries Scott Robinson said. "And I don't know about you, but that certainly fires me up to get out and get on the water,"
