The biggest / heaviest / longest LARGEMOUTH BASS ever reportedly caught on rod and reel from the entire St. Johns River / Ocklawaha River basin of Florida -- and it wasn't caught in Rodman Reservoir! https://sites.google.com/site/ocklawahamanpaulnoscareports/biggest-heaviest-largemouth-bass-ever-from-the-ocklawaha-river-florida The biggest / heaviest / longest LARGEMOUTH BASS ever supposedly taken from the Ocklawaha River was reportedly 21 pounds 3 ounces in weight and measured beyond 32 inches in length. It was caught near Moss Bluff by Thomas A. Johnson of Ocklawaha, Florida on January 2, 1975. There is at least one photo from the "Ocala Star-Banner" newspaper, in 1975, of this extremely long bass which looks very much longer than the Ford "5th generation" pickup truck 21-inch height tailgate that also appears in the picture. After being weighed at a nearby fish camp and photographed, this fish was eaten before the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (FL GFC) was ever notified of its existence. With only the available photos of Johnson's catch and not the fish itself, FL GFC was never able to certify the WEIGHT of this bass as HEAVIER than the then recognized 19-pound state record -- so this Ocklawaha River "giant" never became the new Florida certified record largemouth bass. Mr. Johnson's bass, as reported, weighed more and was longer than any of the top-ten heaviest documented Florida-caught largemouth bass. Those ten also were never certified by the FL GFC or its successor Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FL FWC). It ranks among Florida's heaviest undocumented largemouth bass which were reportedly heavier than the current 1st place non-certified but documented 20-pound 2-ounce state record. https://sites.google.com/site/ocklawahaman/all-time-top-25-biggest-fl-largemouth-bass The Thomas A. Johnson January 2, 1975 fish is the heaviest and longest largemouth bass ever reportedly caught on rod and reel from the Ocklawaha or St. Johns River basins. This bass was supposedly taken at least 25 miles upstream on the Ocklawaha River from Eureka and would have hatched from its egg many years before the September 30, 1968 completion of Rodman Dam. NOTE: THIS HUGE BASS WAS NOT CAUGHT IN RODMAN RESERVOIR (a.k.a. Rodman Pool or Lake Ocklawaha), IT WAS TAKEN FROM THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER! Perhaps it may be conjectured that this huge LARGEMOUTH BASS could have survived for about 15 years within the safe refuge of the 5-mile long Silver River (a.k.a "Silver Springs Run") -- which has been closed to all fishing by state law since 1929 (click next link)--while venturing out into the Ocklawaha River only occasionally as a "tackle buster" until it was legally caught near Moss Bluff during that relatively warm winter of 1974-75? http://archive.flsenate.gov/data/session/2002/Senate/bills/analysis/pdf/2002s0680.nr.pdf STREAM-BRED FLORIDA LARGEMOUTH BASS ARE NATIVE TO THE FREE-FLOWING OCKLAWAHA RIVER FOR OVER 1000 YEARS! GET BACK TO THE REAL-FLORIDA! THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER IS SPECIAL -- SET IT FREE! FROM ITS SUPREME SOURCE TO THE SEA! ALL SPRING-FED SWIFT-FLOWING 56 CROOKED MILES OF MAINSTREAM! FROM ITS SILVER SPRINGS SUPREME HEADWATER TO THE ST. JOHNS RIVER ESTUARY! "There are lake fishermen, and there are river fishermen, and seldom do the twain agree!" - Original author's name is unknown. "Ocklawahaman" Paul Nosca's Bass Fishing began in Florida more than 50 Years Ago (1965)! https://sites.google.com/site/ocklawahamanpaulnoscareports/ocklawaha-river-bass-fishing-is-special Thank you to all that have already signed this petition and desire a free-flowing "Source to the Sea" 56-mainstream-mile "Real-Florida-By-God" Ocklawaha River - Silver River - Silver Springs system! Encourage others & spouses &/or significant others to do the same! Thanks for your support! Sincerely, Paul.