A Phenix City, Alabama, fisherman caught a 63-pound blue catfish last weekend on Goat Rock Lake along the Chattahoochee River just above Columbus.
Gene Fleming, according to Georgia Outdoor News, reeled in the record-setting fish using an 8-pound test line.
Fleming and his brother-in-law were fishing Sunday evening and caught the fish around dark. They had launched about 2 p.m.
Despite a slow day of cat fishing, they managed nine stripers while anchored up and bottom fishing.
“When that joker hit that fluke, I thought I had hooked the biggest striper I had ever hung,” said Fleming. “When this fish came out of the creek and hit the main channel, he almost stripped me dry.
“I had my brother-in-law snatch the anchor up. All the catfish rods were still out. He started reeling as we went, but we were dragging catfish rods behind us, and he was pulling us downriver.”
The chase would take the duo 300 yards and last about 35 minutes. Fleming said it took about 25 minutes just to pull the fish up to the boat so he could see what he had caught. Another 10 minutes were needed just to net the fish.
The fish measured 4 feet, 2 inches and had a 36-inch girth.
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