a man in Mississippi he caught a huge catfish with his rod with which he set a new record in the state.
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fish and Parks said Eugene Cronleyof Brandon, caught the 131-pound (59.4-kilogram) fish on April 7 in the Mississippi River near Natchez.
Mira: Texas Halts Truck Inspections at Mexico Border
“I have been fishing for catfish all my life and never dreamed of anything like this”said Cronley to the Clarion Ledger newspaper.
He claimed to have used a rod and reel and a herring as bait.
The department said the catfish from Cronley it surpassed the previous one caught in the same way, a 43.1-kilogram (95-pound) one, in 2009. It also surpassed the 45.8-kilogram (101-pound) blue catfish caught by a two-person team in 1997. Both fish were also trapped in the Mississippi River near Natchez.
The world record for a blue catfish caught was broken in 2011 by a massive 143-pound (64.9-kilogram) specimen pulled from the lake Virginiaaccording to the International Sport Fishing Association.
Cronley he said his fish was 1.40 meters long (56.6 inches) and had a girth of 1.04 meters (41 inches) at its widest.
“It’s a monster”said Cronley.