--- title: "‘Now That’s a Fish.’ This Largemouth Bass Was Just Declared the New Tennessee Record" description: "The 15 pound 7.5 ounce bass caught by Darren Nunley in February was officially certified after genetic testing results came back." date: "2026-05-12" modified: "2026-05-12" authors: - name: "Natalie Krebs" job_title: "Executive Editor" link: "https://www.outdoorlife.com/authors/natalie-krebs/" url: "https://www.outdoorlife.com/fishing/tennessee-record-largemouth-bass-certified/" categories: - "Bass Fishing" - "Fishing" - "Freshwater" - "Largemouth Bass" - "Record Fish" tags: - "News" --- # ‘Now That’s a Fish.’ This Largemouth Bass Was Just Declared the New Tennessee Record ![The new Tennessee state record largemouth bass]() *Photos via TWRA (left); Facebook* The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency [announced Tuesday]() that its standing state-record largemouth bass had officially been replaced with one caught late this winter. The new record, caught by Darren Nunley on Feb. 28, weighs 15 pounds 7.5 ounces and taped out at 27 7/8 inches long. It replaces a record that stood for 11 years. TWRA announced the record following the conclusion of genetic testing on May 9 to confirm the species. Nunley's bass tops the previous record largemouth caught in 2015, which weighed 15 pounds 3 ounces, and was caught on Chickamauga Reservoir. Long-time bass guide and former tournament angler Hensley Powell was fishing Tennessee’s Nickajack Lake on the day his buddy Darren Nunley caught the fish. The two men had launched Powell’s boat early and motored to a shallow grass bed where Powell had helped a few customers catch a pair of 8-pound bass the day before. ![Tennessee anglers with a huge largemouth bass.]() *Darren Nunley (left) and Hensley Powell with the pending state-record bass. Photo courtesy Hensley Powell* “I gave Darren a [Z-Man JackHammer Chatterbait]() to tie on that morning,” Powell [told *Outdoor Life* in March](). “It was a half-ounce, colored green-pumpkin with a [Hog Farmer Spunk Shad plastic trailer]() on the lure.” The buddies fished for about an hour. Then, around 8:30 a.m., Nunley cast a plug. “He was just swimming the lure along and had a strike,” said Powell, who is 49 and lives in Whitwell. “I thought he was hung on grass when his rod bowed and he started cranking ... I saw it boil the surface. It never jumped, but when it turned sideways, I told Darren that was a good one.” The bass fought hard, but soon Nunley had the bass close enough to the boat for Powell to net it. “I told him, ‘Now that’s a fish.’ Darren was shocked when he saw how big it was.” ![Two anglers and a wildlife official with a state-record bas.]() *Tennessee wildlife officer Shawn Edgeman (right) measured the bass and recorded an official weight of 15.75 pounds. Photo courtesy Hensley Powell* The veteran guide knew immediately the fish was a potential Tennessee record. He called someone at TWRA, who instructed him on what to do and where to take the bass for an official certified weight. The anglers put the oversize bass in the live well and ran back to the boat ramp. After three weighings, they got a final weight of 15 pounds and 7.5 ounces. **Read Next:** [Tennessee Fishing Guide Catches Record Bass that Officials Say Shouldn’t Be There]() “Darren ... doesn’t get to fish as much as he’d like to,” Powell says. “God sent him that fish.” *Bob McNally contributed reporting.* ## Author Natalie Krebs is the Executive Editor of *Outdoor Life*, where she tackles everything from reporting digital features to producing podcast episodes. Originally from Missouri, she currently lives in northwest Arkansas with her bird dog, Hatchet. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [LinkedIn]()