A 47-pound flathead catfish from the
Ohio River picked the wrong midnight snack and as a result has been
named by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as the new
state
record for the species.
Angler
Vic Zendron of West Sunbury was fishing for big flatheads using a live
bluegill and 12-lb test line around 3 a.m. on September 3 when he hooked
the record fish. After 30 minutes of give and take, with the giant fish
dictating most of the battle, Zendron was able to tire the fish enough
to get it boatside. The fish was too big to net and Zendron initially
intended to release it anyhow – until a witness to the catch suggested
the cat might a new record.
In fact, Zendron’s flathead easily broke the record of 43 lb. 9 oz.
held by Pittsburgh angler Seymore Albramovitz since 1985. Albramovitz
caught his fish in the Allegheny River.
The new record fish was likely hatched about the time the former
record was set – or at least shortly thereafter. Either way, it may not
take another 21 years for the new record to be broken. The number of
anglers targeting large flathead catfish has grown in recent years and
biologists report handling flathead catfish of potential record size.
For tips and techniques for catching flathead catfish, check the
Commission’s web site at www.fishandboat.com for the article “Patterns
for Flathead and Channel Catfish,” originally published in
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Magazine.
Pennsylvania certifies state records based on total body weight.
Potential record fish must exceed the established mark by at least one
ounce, 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 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. A biologist or Waterways Conservation Officer from the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) must examine the fish. The
PFBC is the only entity that can certify an official state record fish
in the Commonwealth.
