Missouri Angler Lands Massive 120-pound Blue Catfish, Smashes State Record
OutdoorHub Reporters 04.06.15
Who says Asian carp is good for nothing? With a piece of cut Asian carp as bait, Missouri angler Burr Edde III pulled in a 120-pound, 8-ounce blue catfish on a trotline, smashing the state “alternative method” record. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), the fish was caught on a stretch of the Missouri River in Saline County.
“Oh my goodness! That’s a big fish,” Edde told the MDC, recalling his trouble in getting the fish out of the water. “How am I going to get this one into the boat?! It was definitely an experience of a lifetime to catch one that big. I was blessed. And there are still lots of them out there!”
State biologists verified the fish several days later, using a certified scale at the Bass Pro corporate headquarters in Springfield. Edde said that he initially meant to either release the fish or donate it to the display tanks at Bass Pro, but the catfish unfortunately expired before that could happen. It did however, break a more than 50-year-old record. Missouri’s alternative, or trotline, blue catfish record previously belonged to a 117-pound specimen landed by Azel Goans in 1964. That fish came from the Osage River. The state’s all-tackle record was landed on pole and line, going to a 130-pound beast caught by Greg Bernal in 2010, also from the Missouri River.
Blue catfish are the largest species of North American catfish and can weigh up to 150 pounds, making them fairly popular with seasoned anglers. Due to their size, blue catfish also require incredibly strong tackle. Edde says that his record catch is much too large to mount, but he is considering getting a replica of the fish.
