‘What a monster.’ Angler catches potentially record-breaking catfish, PA photos show
A Pennsylvania angler recently reeled in a massive flathead catfish that could dethrone the current state record — if verified by wildlife officials.
The impressive catch was made May 14 on the Susquehanna River, according to a Facebook post by Columbia Bait and Tackle, which also shared photos of the fish.
It weighed in at 66 pounds, 6.4 ounces, photos show.
“What a monster,” a commenter said, congratulating the angler. Meanwhile, many others were eager to know where the fishing spot was, and what rod and bait were used to capture the behemoth.
The current state record flathead, caught in 2020, weighs 56 pounds and 3 ounces, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission records show.
Fisherman Mike Wherley hooked the fish using a 12-inch trout, he told LancasterOnline.
“I have a scale that goes to 50 pounds, and this one went right past that, so I thought I might have a state record fish,” Wherley said, adding that he headed to Columbia Bait and Tackle to use their scale.
“I knew it was the record as soon as I saw it,” Matt Musselman, owner of the bait shop, told the outlet. “I see these big fish all the time, and this was the biggest.”
But it’s not a record yet.
“We’re aware of the fish but we haven’t yet received the application,” Fish and Boat Commission spokesperson Mike Parker told McClatchy News.
A waterways conservation officer “did visually inspect the fish,” Parker said, but he stresses that, until all the boxes are ticked, nothing is verified.
“It’s a strict process for a reason,” he said.
After being weighed and measured, the fish was released at the Columbia River Park, according to the bait shop.
Angler’s 118-pound catch breaks Oklahoma record — and officials are thanking him
Radar captures a living cloud hovering over Ohio, photos show. ‘They’re baaaaaack’
Elusive ‘demon’ shark with shining white eyes discovered by Australian researchers
Bald eagle spotted awkwardly swimming in Canada — then comes another surprise
