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A potential new Tennessee state record largemouth bass is currently under official review. Darren Nunley, an angler from Sequatchie County, landed the 15.75-pound bass—measured on certified scales—at Nickajack Lake in Marion County on the morning of February 28, 2026. If ratified, this specimen would surpass Gabe Keen’s standing state record by approximately half a pound.
Nunley reported that upon initially hooking the fish, it did not immediately appear to be of exceptional size.
The prospective record must still complete a formal validation process. With assistance from Sequatchie County Wildlife Officer Shawn Edgmon, Nunley and Powell weighed the fish using certified equipment at the Save A Lot grocery store in Whitwell. Officer Edgmon recorded the length of the bass at 29.5 inches, noting that the scale had recently certified one month prior. After consulting with TWRA Biologist Mike Jolley, Edgmon will assist Nunley in completing the required record application. Nunley is scheduled to meet with Jolley on Monday for species verification.
