Off De Hook

Mississippi angler Christopher Halley experienced the catch of a lifetime when he landed a gigantic 104 pound blue catfish on the Mississippi River near Natchez. The massive fish officially set a new Mississippi state record in the Trophy category, surpassing a record that had stood since 1997. Halley said he knew the fish was big when he first saw it, but he had no idea he was about to make fishing history.

The adventure began after a stormy night on the river forced Halley to sleep in his boat. The following morning, shortly after breakfast, he started checking his trotlines and immediately felt something heavy pulling back. When the giant blue catfish surfaced, he realized he had a serious challenge on his hands. His landing net was far too small, with nearly half the fish hanging outside of it. Fearing it might escape, Halley grabbed the fish by the gills and pulled it aboard with pure determination.

At first, he estimated the fish weighed around 70 or 80 pounds. But when he placed it on a scale and saw the needle bouncing around the 100 pound mark, he knew it was something extraordinary. The giant catfish was so large it even broke his cooler while he tried to store it on ice. Later, a certified scale confirmed the fish weighed 103.8 pounds, officially enough to break the Mississippi state record. For Halley, whose previous personal best was around 50 pounds, it was a catch beyond anything he had ever imagined.

On September 22, New York angler Dante Piraino experienced the fishing moment of a lifetime while competing in a B.A.S.S. Nation tournament in Ogdensburg. Fishing approximately 30 feet deep in the famous St. Lawrence River, Piraino was working a soft plastic lure when he hooked into something extraordinary. After an intense battle, he brought a giant 9 pound smallmouth bass to the boat, a fish that measured an impressive 23.5 inches long.

Tournament officials immediately realized the fish could be something special. The bass was weighed on a calibrated scale, and later the New York Department of Environmental Conservation officially confirmed it as a new New York State Smallmouth Bass Record. The catch surpassed the previous state record by eight ounces, making it one of the most significant bass catches ever recorded in the Empire State.

Despite landing a record breaking fish, Piraino chose to release the giant bass after proper measurements and documentation were completed. Witnesses said the fish swam away strongly, giving it the chance to continue growing. Nationally recognized fish care expert Barb Elliott, who helped oversee the process, described the bass as one of the thickest and heaviest smallmouths she had ever handled. The incredible catch further highlights the St. Lawrence River’s reputation as one of North America’s premier smallmouth bass fisheries. For Piraino, what started as a tournament fishing day ended with his name permanently written into New York fishing history.

Minnesota angler Mike Johnson experienced a fishing story that sounds almost too incredible to believe. While ice fishing on Mille Lacs Lake, he landed a massive 40 inch northern pike using a rattle reel baited with a 3 inch sucker. After taking a quick photo, Johnson carefully released the large female fish back into the water, watching it disappear beneath the ice. At the time, he had no idea that his encounter with the giant pike wasn't over.

Exactly one week later, and only about 100 feet from where he had caught the first fish, Johnson hooked into another trophy sized northern pike. This time, the fish struck a 4 inch sucker suspended beneath a tip up. After successfully landing the giant fish and taking photos, he released it once again. Later, while reviewing the pictures, Johnson noticed something unusual. The fish had a distinctive cut on its back that looked strangely familiar.

Curious, he compared the photos from both trips and quickly realized the truth. The cut seen on the first fish had started healing on the second catch, and the markings matched perfectly. It was the exact same 40 inch pike he had released just seven days earlier. Johnson said it was the biggest fish he had ever caught twice, although it wasn't the first time he had encountered the same fish more than once. The remarkable experience highlights the value of catch and release fishing, allowing trophy fish to survive, grow, and provide unforgettable memories for anglers again and again.

On November 25, 2012, angler Benchawan Thiansungnoen made fishing history at Palm Tree Lagoon in Thailand when she landed a remarkable 8 pound, 14 ounce Black Catfish, setting the IGFA All Tackle World Record. What makes the catch even more impressive is that it was landed using one of the simplest baits imaginable, a bread ball.

Fishing with a Pro Kik rod and a Shimano reel loaded with strong 50 pound line, Benchawan was targeting fish in the waters of Palm Tree Lagoon when the record breaking black catfish took the bait. After a successful battle, she brought the fish ashore, where it measured 27 inches long with a 17 inch girth. The catch was officially recognized as the all tackle world record for the species, earning her a place in fishing history.

Black catfish are native to Southeast Asia and can be found in countries ranging from Thailand to Indonesia. They typically inhabit the deeper middle sections of large rivers with strong currents, feeding on insects, prawns, and smaller fish near muddy bottoms. The species is also valued commercially and is commonly sold fresh in local

A fishing trip off Rhode Island turned into a day that 17 year old Paul Newman from New Jersey will never forget. What started as a productive day on the water quickly became historic when he landed an enormous 21.57 pound tautog, officially setting a new Rhode Island state record. The crew had already been catching quality fish throughout the morning, with each catch seeming bigger than the last.

As conditions continued to improve, Paul dropped a silver dollar sized white crab on a snafu rig to the bottom. Almost immediately, he believed the bait had become stuck on the structure below. Then the rod tip twitched violently, followed by a powerful head shake. It wasn't the bottom, it was a giant tautog. The fish made several long, heavy runs, but Paul stayed calm and worked it carefully, showing patience and skill far beyond his years.

When the massive fish finally surfaced, everyone onboard was stunned by its size. After being netted and brought aboard, an unofficial hand scale reading showed around 21.75 pounds, giving the crew hope that they might have a record breaker. They quickly headed to a certified state scale where the fish officially weighed 21.57 pounds, enough to secure the new Rhode Island state record. High fives erupted all around as the crew celebrated the fish of a lifetime. For a 17 year old angler, it was a dream catch and a moment that will be remembered for years to come.

On September 13, 2020, angler Julieth Castro Sanchez made fishing history by landing an incredible 70 pound, 8 ounce (32 kg) Pacific Cubera Snapper off the coast of Esterillos Oeste, Costa Rica. The massive fish earned her the IGFA Women’s 24 kg (50 lb) Line Class World Record, placing her name among the sport’s elite anglers.

Julieth was targeting fish using a 100g Williamson Jig when the giant cubera snapper suddenly struck. Known for their explosive power and aggressive fights, cubera snappers are among the most respected game fish in tropical waters. What followed was an intense battle as the powerful fish pulled hard beneath the surface, testing both her skill and determination.

After a thrilling 13 minute fight, Julieth successfully brought the giant snapper close enough for the crew to secure it. Once aboard, the fish weighed an astonishing 70.8 pounds, officially setting a new world record in its category. The remarkable catch remains one of the most impressive women's line class records in recent years and serves as an inspiration for anglers around the world. Her achievement proved that patience, skill, and determination can lead to unforgettable moments on the water.

Zachary Roper of Fayette County made fishing history on May 7 when he landed a giant redhorse sucker at Kanawha Falls. Fishing with a simple setup that included corn as bait and 15-pound test line, Roper hooked a fish that quickly proved to be much larger than the average redhorse sucker.

After successfully landing the fish, measurements revealed it weighed an impressive 6.46 pounds and stretched 25.42 inches long. The catch immediately drew attention because it exceeded the existing state record for the species. What made the achievement even more remarkable was that the previous record had only been established a short time earlier.

Roper’s catch officially surpassed the former state record redhorse sucker, which weighed 5.75 pounds and measured 24.57 inches. The giant fish now stands as the new benchmark for the species, giving Roper a permanent place in state fishing history and proving that sometimes the simplest bait can produce record breaking results.

A routine day on the water turned historic when James Milano of North Babylon, New York, hooked an enormous tautog while fishing aboard the charter boat No Limit near Delaware’s Indian River Inlet. Fishing over a wreck east of the inlet on May 6, Milano connected with a fish that quickly proved to be something special.

After a hard-fought battle, the giant tautog was brought aboard and measured an impressive 34 inches long. When officially weighed, the fish tipped the scales at 22 pounds, 14.4 ounces. The catch was later certified by Delaware fisheries officials at Hook ‘em and Cook ‘em Bait & Tackle, confirming it as the new Delaware state record for the species.

The massive tautog surpassed the previous Delaware state record by 1 pound, 6.7 ounces, making it one of the most impressive catches in recent state history. The fish now stands as Delaware’s largest officially recorded tautog, giving Milano a permanent place in the state’s fishing record books and proving that trophy fish still lurk around the wrecks off Indian River Inlet.

Georgia angler Caroline Langdale almost missed her fishing trip after extending a turkey hunting adventure in Wyoming. That unexpected change turned into the catch of a lifetime on May 30 while fishing Idaho’s legendary South Fork of the Snake River with veteran guide Ed Emory. Just hours into the trip, Langdale hooked what guides on the river call a “megalodon”, a giant brown trout rarely seen and even more rarely landed.

The day started with cold, wet weather and steady trout action. Langdale had already landed several quality fish when she connected with something much larger. The massive brown trout fought with incredible power, using its weight and experience to stay deep and avoid capture. Emory, who has guided on the South Fork for more than three decades, immediately recognized that this was no ordinary trout. After a tense battle, the giant fish was finally brought to the boat.

Measurements showed the brown trout stretched an incredible 30.5 inches long, making it large enough to qualify as a pending Idaho state record. Rather than keeping the fish, Langdale and Emory carefully released the giant trout back into the river. The catch instantly became one of the most talked about fishing stories of the year and a reminder of why the South Fork remains one of America’s premier trophy trout fisheries.

Marshall University student Lauren Noble was barely into her fishing trip on March 12 when she hooked the fish of a lifetime. Fishing a backwater slough off the Ohio River in West Virginia, Noble got a powerful strike on just her second cast of the day while using a red and black crankbait. At first, she thought she had hooked a bass or striper, but everything changed when the fish launched completely out of the water. It was a giant bowfin, also known as a mudfish.

The fish fought aggressively, diving deep and putting serious pressure on her tackle. With help from her boyfriend, Zachary Fields, who expertly netted the fish, Noble safely landed the massive catch. After taking photos, the couple began to suspect the bowfin might be large enough to challenge the state record. A quick consultation with fisheries experts confirmed their suspicions, and they immediately contacted the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources.

Official measurements showed the bowfin weighed an impressive 10.62 pounds, making it the new West Virginia state record by weight for the species. Although its length of 30.2 inches fell short of the state length record, the weight record was enough to secure Noble’s place in state fishing history. After certification, the healthy fish was released back into the Ohio River, ending an unforgettable day on the water.