Miami angler Xzavier Peon, 16, has set a new Florida state record for jaguar guapote after landing a fish weighing 3.02 pounds and measuring 16 inches long in the Westwood Lakes area, west of downtown Miami.
Peon caught the fish on live bait and initially thought he had hooked a peacock bass. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission later certified the catch, which surpassed the previous record set in 2017. Jaguar guapote first became eligible for Florida record status in 2012.
Native to parts of Central and South America, jaguar guapote are an established nonnative freshwater species in Florida. They are recognizable by dark, blocklike markings and a toothed mouth, and are most often found in southeast Florida's urban canal systems, reaching north to West Palm Beach.
Florida wildlife officials encourage anglers to catch, keep and eat nonnative fish to help limit potential effects on native species. The FWC also says it is illegal to release aquarium fish into the wild or move nonnative fish between water systems. Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, as reported by People.
