Darlington Man Ties State Record for Rock Bass: Maryland Department of Natural Resources

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Thomas Over Jr. of Darlington has set a record with the 1-pound rock bass he caught in the lower Susquehanna River Jan. 6.

“I was throwing a tandem perch rig with BPS jig heads and Southern Pro lil Hustler 1.5-inch white/red tube in deep water,” Over told the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “When I felt the ‘thump’ and started cranking, I thought I had a doubleheader of jumbo yellow perch, but to my surprise, it was a new species of fish that I did not recognize. I sent a picture to a few friends and Paul Badders replied, ‘rock bass, and a pretty big one from the looks of it.’”

The 10.5-inch-long fish was taken to Angler’s Sport Center in Annapolis to be weighed and have its species confirmed by Maryland DNR Recreational Fishing Outreach Coordinator Erik Zlokovitz. Over’s catch is an exact tie with Maryland’s current state record, which was set by Timothy A. Adams on the Susquehanna River on May 4, 1997, the Maryland DNR stated.

A member of the sunfish family, rock bass have short, robust bodies with an olive-green top and gold or brassy-colored sides, according to the Maryland DNR. The scales along their sides have a dark spot, often forming a striped-like appearance. Rock bass are not related to striped bass, which are often called “rockfish.”