Nature

‘Catfish Hunter’? Nope: Just an Average Day on Hubbard Creek Lake

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Tony Maples Photography

 

A Texas fisherman recently landed a massive catfish out of a North Texas lake, ultimately making his day. It may not have been “Catfish Hunter,” the massive and elusive catfish in the movie “Grumpier Old Men,” but it sure was a doozy! In a post by the Hubbard Creek Lake Fishing Facebook page (a public group), a man by the name of Brandon Vandygriff caught the catfish that weighed in at close to 60 pounds on Thursday, December 21. The lake is located just northeast of the city of Abilene, and the fish (officially coming in at 59.4 pounds) is a new record for Hubbard Creek Lake.

Sadly, the fish is not a state record. The largest blue catfish caught in Texas (on record) weighed-in at 121.5 pounds and was listed as being caught in Texoma in 2004. And, the world record for the same type of fish came in at 143 pounds and was caught by Richard Anderson back in 2011 out of Kerr Lake in Virginia.

Vandygriff’s fish was reportedly released back into the water to live to fight another day. “He’s back out there for the next catter. He came back strong and took off mad,” Vandygriff wrote. While most fishermen would prefer not to have noted such a large catch as this (for fear of endangering its life being out of the water too long), the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website identifies that fishermen must make their catch in Texas waters, measure it, and ensure it’s weighed at an official weigh station. On top of that, they need to take photos, fill out an Angler Recognition Award application and file that within a 60-day period of the catch. This would be if the angler wanted an official certificate from the TPWD registering the catch (which arrives 6 to 8 weeks later.)