OUTDOORS: Florida Man Catches FWC Record Size Flier Fish, Hit the Scales at 1.36 Pounds

caught 1.36-pound flier on Ocheesee Pond in Jackson County

(FWC) — Michael Baxley caught a 1.36-pound flier on Ocheesee Pond in Jackson County in June 2025, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission fisheries biologists certified a new state record tie for the flier fish, a native Florida game fish.

Baxley’s catch officially ties the current record and surpasses a previously tied record set in 2015 by Twilla Gates in Jackson County, which hit the scales at 1.35 pounds.

Braxley’s ability to capture this fish is outstanding for a lesser-known species.

“I feel fortunate as a biologist to have not only certified the existing record flier but now also Mr. Baxley’s tying record flier,” said Chris Paxton, Regional Fisheries Biologist and Administrator for Florida’s Northwest Region.

“Events like these continuously remind me of the unique and diverse fish species and angling opportunities found in the Northwest Region of the Florida Panhandle.”

 

State records for freshwater fish in this size range must exceed the existing record by at least 0.02 ounces to qualify as a new record.

The flier is one of Florida’s rare sunfishes, making it a notable find in the state’s waters. The flier can be recognized by a distinct dark teardrop marking under the eye and rows of black spots on the body.

The anal fin is also huge and almost equal in size to the dorsal fins. Making its fins symmetrical in appearance. Young fliers have a distinct dark eyespot, or ocellus, which has a reddish margin on the soft dorsal fin.

This small fish rarely reaches lengths more than 6 inches or weighs more than half a pound. It is an elusive fish, and its range is limited to ponds, marshes, and slower backwaters of smaller streams and rivers in north and northwest Florida. Due to its small size and relatively rare appearance, this tiny sport fish is seldom targeted deliberately.

Instead, it’s typically caught by bream anglers using standard sunfish baits. Its primary diet consists of insect larvae, but anglers have successfully harvested the flier fish using live worms, crickets, bread balls or small lures and flies.

You don’t have to catch a state record to receive recognition for your fishing achievements. Anglers can submit a photo of a flier at least 8 inches long or 0.5 pounds to FWC’s Big Catch program for a frameable certificate to commemorate their accomplishment. This program provides certificates commemorating trophy catches of 33 different freshwater species.

Information about state-record fish, including an application and rules, can be found HERE by clicking the “State Record Fish” tab. To learn more about fishing in Florida and receive quarterly updates on fishing conditions in your area, visit the Fishing Forecasts page.

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