BFL angler boats a 13-6 at Santee Cooper

Gary Pope of Georgetown, S.C. tied the record for the heaviest bass ever weighed in a BFL event Saturday at Santee Cooper Lakes in South Carolina. Pope's bruiser tipped the scale at 13 pounds, 6 ounces, which equaled the mark set by Cody Pitt of Elmer, La. at Toledo Bend Reservoir two years ago.

It's the seventh-largest bass ever weighed in an FLW/MLF event at any level.

Pope finished 7th in the tournament with a four-fish, 25-10 stringer. The winner was Brent Riley of Cross, S.C. with a 35-3 bag. Runner-up James Gibbons of Timmonsville, S.C., also topped 30 pounds (31-3).

Below is a list of the fish over 13 pounds that were weighed in FLW/MLF events:

14-8 -- Rick Turner; Tyler, Texas -- Lake Amistad -- Toyota Series -- March 21, 2007
14-5 -- Tom Sawicki; Modesto, Calif. -- California Delta -- Toyota Series -- May 3, 2006
14-1 -- Steve Sapp; Manteca, Calif. -- California Delta -- Toyota Series -- May 3, 2006
13-11 -- Brett Davies Davis, Calif. -- California Delta -- Pro Circuit -- March 12, 2008
13-10 -- Derek Mundy; Broaddus, Texas -- Sam Rayburn Reservoir -- Toyota Series -- Jan. 28, 2021
13-9 -- Justin Lucas; Guntersville, Ala. -- California Delta -- Pro Circuit -- March 12, 2008
13-6 -- Gary Pope; Georgetown, S.C. -- Santee Cooper Lakes -- BFL -- Feb. 22, 2025
13-6 -- Cody Pitt; Elmer, La. -- Toledo Bend Reservoir -- BFL -- Feb. 4, 2023
13-4 -- George Jeane Jr.; Evans, La. -- Toledo Bend Reservoir -- Toyota Series -- May 31, 2012
13-2 -- Andy Sanchez; La Pine, Ore. -- Clear Lake -- Pro Circuit -- Oct. 24, 2007
13-2 -- Ben Law; Tulsa, Okla. -- Truman Reservoir -- BFL -- Oct. 16, 1997
13-1 -- Casey Martin; Leesville, La. -- Toledo Bend Reservoir -- Toyota Series -- Feb. 14, 2013
13-1 -- Creighton Johnson; Canton, Ga. -- Lake Guntersville -- BFL -- Feb. 9, 2013
13-1 – Zachary Holwerda; Glendale, Ariz. -- Clear Lake -- Toyota Series -- April 25, 2007

---