| When Robert Hornstrom of Meadville headed out to nearby Conneaut
Lake on November 8, he had high hopes for a good day of fishing. Considering that he came home with
the new state record white bass, one could say: “mission accomplished.”
 Hornstrom was jigging with a quarter-ounce spoon when the
fish struck. Once in hand, the fish measured just over 19 inches with a 15 ½-inch girth. A trip to the meat
department of a local grocery store to have the bass weighed on a certified scale revealed that not
only was the fish big, it was actually the biggest on record for its species in Pennsylvania.
The new record, 3 lbs, 15.7 oz, surpasses the previous white
bass benchmark by a little more than an ounce and a half. David F. Hornstein, also of Meadville, caught
that 3 lb, 14 oz fish - at Conneaut Lake. The state record white bass prior to Hornstein’s 1996 catch also
came from Conneaut Lake.
Pennsylvania certifies state records based
on total body weight. Potential record fish must exceed the established mark by at least one ounce,
as weighed on a certified scale. To be considered for state record certification, a fish must be caught
using legal means, in season, from Pennsylvania waters open to the public without charge or fee. Fish
taken from farm ponds, fee-fishing lakes, ponds or streams or in waters restricted to use by club members
or their guests do not qualify. A biologist or Waterways Conservation Officer from the Pennsylvania
Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) must examine the fish. The PFBC is the only entity that can certify
an official state record fish in the Commonwealth.
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