“Just another 30-pound blue,” Tim said.
As the husband and wife team from Springfield weighed in their catch at a Cabela’s King Kat tournament in Gallipolis, Ohio, the big blue garnered interest from a West Virginia biologist.
Turns out, the blue catfish Lynn caught is the new West Virginia state record. The 42-inch fish was certified as such on the spot.
“I was real surprised when they said it was a state record,” Lynn said.
The couple were concentrating on areas 50-feet deep in the main channel of the river, using skipjack for bait.
“We marked the fish,” Tim said, “and the next thing you know the rod went down, the tip was clear in the water and the reel was rippin’ drag.”
A crowd gathered to watch the weigh in, which included a 41-plus pound flathead catfish. Once it was announced that the new state record, “the crowd went nuts,” Tim said.
The fish blew away the previous record of 24 pounds. Because West Virginia is making an effort to stock more blues in the Ohio River, the Lange’s don’t expect the record to last long. West Virginia has been stocking its portion of the river for about five years.
“In year’s to come there’s going to be some big fish (in that area),” Lynn said. “I’m sure there are bigger (blue cats) than that right now.”
The tournament itself is proof that catfish populations are strong in that area — the Lange’s caught the state record and finished with over 40 total pounds of fish, but that was less than the 90-plus pounds of fish hauled in by the winning team. The fish were released unharmed.
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ontact this reporter at (937) 328-0366 or bplasters@coxohio.com.
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