New State Record Set

[Gsseagle]

New Bullhead Catfish Record Set

Harrisburg, PA - A brown bullhead catfish caught in Carbon County’s Beltzville Lake has been certified as the new Pennsylvania state record for that species by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC).

Ian Radler of Palmerton, Carbon County, caught the fish on the evening of Aug. 22, 2011. Radler was fishing for catfish near the Trachsville Bridge using cut bait. More information and pictures can be found at: fishandboat.com/strecord.htm. His catch exceeds the previous record by 6 ounces. That fish was caught in 1983 by Eddie Lasorda while fishing at Marsh Creek Lake in Chester County.

The Fish and Boat Commission certifies state records based on total body weight. Potential record fish must exceed the established mark by at least 2 ounces, 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, and 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. Staff from the PFBC must examine the fish.

The PFBC is the only entity that can certify an official state record fish in the Commonwealth. Complete rules and application are available on the Commission’s website at: fishandboat.com/strecord.htm.

[Gsseagle]

FISHING NEWS
Potential World Record Northern Snakehead Eaten in Maryland
BY: Daniel Xu + POSTED: 8/7/15

Dan Moon with what may be one of the largest snakeheads ever caught on a rod and reel. Moon used a Booyah spinner bait.

It seems that there are not only more snakeheads in Maryland, they are also getting bigger. According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources(DNR), Dan Moon of Woodbridge, Virginia caught an absolutely massive 18.8-pound snakehead off the Potomac River on June 20. At that weight, Moon’s catch not only beat out the current state record, but also the all-tackle world record recognized by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA). Unfortunately, the angler could not find a certified scale and ate the fish instead, rendering it ineligible for either the state or world record.

“For any official state or world record you must get the fish weighed on a certified scale. Unfortunately it is difficult to find a certified scale in some areas, and many tackle shops do not carry them,” the DNR Fisheries Service stated on Facebook.

“Your best bet then is to take a possible record fish to a seafood dealer or a grocery store for a certified weight. Get the scale operator to mark the weight and sign his/her name and contact number on a sheet of butcher paper. Then get a DNR biologist out to confirm the species,” the agency said.

The Potomac River is a hotspot for the world’s largest snakeheads, much to the dismay of biologists who consider the fish an invasive species. Record snakeheads caught from the Potomac include the current state record, a 16.94-pound fish caught by Teddy McKenzie last June, and the previous world record, a 17-pound, 6-ounce snakehead caught by Caleb Newton in 2013. Both were found just within two miles of where Moon caught his fish. The current world record is a 17-pound, 12-ounce fish from Quantico Creek, Virginia captured by Luis Aragon last year.

While records are impressive, DNR biologists are now trying to prevent the species from reaching the Upper Potomac through the C&O Canal. If the fish do gain a foothold in the river above the Great Falls, the species will almost certainly establish itself and become next to impossible to remove. Visitors to the river reported last fall that snakeheads have reached the canal and at least one adult has been spotted guarding a school of fry nearby.