Big Blue Cat

[gasman]

We have caught and eaten many blues over 50 and a few over 70. Not much difference in the meat. Definitely not tough.

I beg to differ. I tried one over 40 and it will never happen again

 

[JBell]

Does a catfish that old still reproduce?

 

[gasman]

Does a catfish that old still reproduce?

Absolutely

 

[Pilchard]

I'd put it back. I chased records for a short time. Never got the thrill of it.

I was on the boat when the world record hammerhead was caught in boca grande pass. We hauled it to the dock, had it weighed and then buried it with a backhoe in an orange grove. Never was interested in chasing records after that experience.

Worst part is I don't think my buddy ever filled out the IGFA paperwork.

 

[TNGunsmoke]

I'd have probably not ever thought about it being a record, taken a few pictures of it, and slipped it right back in the river. We rarely ever keep anything much bigger than about 15 pounds.

 

[clwg97]

That is one of the things Texas does right with bass. They take it to the lunker bunker and it becomes one of the main breeding fish for their stocking program. Not sure that someone is sticking that behemoth in a Livewell though!!

 

[Planking]

Ive caught a few over 50. I broke 80 once. I have always thrown them back. Plenty of bait stealers in there to eat and they aren't near as much fun to catch for yourself or another angler.

 

[Bad habit]

Being from Mississippi I hope he gets the recognition he deserves. All the Facebook game wardens are probably flipping out that he kept it.

Any catfish over about 8 pounds coming out of the Mississippi River south of the Ohio or anything in the delta is absolutely chock full of Mercury and PCBs. No way in hell would I eat anything out of the Mississippi.

 

[BuckWild]

I wouldn't eat a 2 lb catfish out of the MS River. Especially that far south.

Too much sh!t dumped in that river...lol.

 

[Ed Cude]

This has been a discussion between several of us members this mornin. Kill this fish just to be in a record book or release?

Personally, I don't see the use in killing a fish that old. Record or not, a fish that size should have been released to fight another day.


The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Fisheries Bureau has certified a new state record blue catfish. Eugene Cronley, the lucky angler from Brandon, caught the 131 pound fish on April 7, 2022 from the Mississippi River near Natchez. Mr. Cronley said that it took him forty minutes to land the huge fish, "it is truly a fish of a lifetime."

The fish shattered the previous rod and reel record of 95 lbs. caught by Dakota Hinson in 2009 and is larger than the trophy record blue catfish of 101 lbs. caught by the team of Freddie Parker and Brad Smith in 1997. Interestingly, both of those fish were also caught from the Mississippi River near Natchez.

Mr. Cronely caught the fish with a rod and reel using skipjack herring as bait.

Great jobs . Congratulations on the record. Nice fish .

 

[gary66]

Personally, I don't see the use in killing a fish that old. Record or not, a fish that size should have been released to fight another day.

mount it... be a great addition

 

[00bucshot]

Being from Mississippi I hope he gets the recognition he deserves. All the Facebook game wardens are probably flipping out that he kept it.

Any catfish over about 8 pounds coming out of the Mississippi River south of the Ohio or anything in the delta is absolutely chock full of Mercury and PCBs. No way in hell would I eat anything out of the Mississippi.

Totally agree !!

 

[tntime]

That beast will probably end up in the garden or a ditch, unfortunately. Maybe you could make some pet food?

 

[Mud Creek]

If it was caught using a livescope then kill the fish and end its embarrassment.

 

[Flintlocksforme]

This has been a discussion between several of us members this mornin. Kill this fish just to be in a record book or release?

Personally, I don't see the use in killing a fish that old. Record or not, a fish that size should have been released to fight another day.


I see your point about CPR, catch, photograph, release. I did that with a 57 inch blue with a 36 girth. Estimated at 95 pounds in mid July, freshly spawned out and skinny Fish had made many contributions to the TN River at Kingston on Watts Bar already. It would have pushed the 108 mark easy pre spawn. No big deal. It just felt like the right thing to do. Any way I have no problem catching spawning cats and eating young cats. Barely even had a chance to live. What else is a 100 pound plus cat going to accomplish. Some cultures value elderly over babies, some value babies over elderly. In America we get to choose.

 

[timberjack86]

It's really nobody's business, if he caught it legally. It's his fish and his choice. Congrats to the lucky angler!

 

[Deer Assassin]

It's a dang catfish there are plenty of them


I assure you when I catch the state record flathead

I will keep it and feed it to @gasman
He won't know any difference

 

[gasman]

It's a dang catfish there are plenty of them


I assure you when I catch the state record flathead

I will keep it and feed it to @gasman
He won't know any difference

 

[JJBraves]

Kill it and get the record. Doesn't stop us from killing trophy bucks, why should fish be any different?

Because I guarantee he didn't eat it. at least I hope he didn't. Nothing swimming in our polluted waters that has been there that long to get that big is free of toxins and pollution.

 

[WTM]

It's a dang catfish there are plenty of them


I assure you when I catch the state record flathead

I will keep it and feed it to @gasman
He won't know any difference

yeah those doo doo fed trashville cats do get big. i bet they tasty too.