FWC certifies 16-year-old’s 3.02-pound jaguar guapote as Florida state record

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists certified a new jaguar guapote state record on Sept. 18, 2026. Xzavier Peon, 16, of Miami landed the fish in the Westwood Lakes area on live bait: 3.02 pounds, 16 inches. He told FWC he first thought he had a peacock bass; once the jaguar came up, he figured it was a record.

Jaguar guapote were made eligible for state-record status in 2012. The first certified record came in 2017 and stood nine years. The species lives mainly in southeast Florida’s urban canal systems and is one of more than 30 nonnative freshwater fishes established in the state.

FWC’s standing advice is catch, keep, and eat nonnatives — except legally introduced peacock bass and triploid grass carp. Dumping aquarium fish or moving nonnatives between waters is illegal. Anglers who think they have a record should call the nearest FWC regional office. Memorable freshwater catches can also go through Big Catch; bass 8 pounds and up belong in TrophyCatch.

Photo: Carlos Cuenco / FWC (Xzavier Peon holding the record jaguar guapote).

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: FWC GovDelivery — Youth angler lands state record jaguar guapote (Sept. 18, 2026). Also: FWC news.