Texas fisherman catches record-breaking blue catfish at lake
Ariana Garcia 1/27/24 – Chron.com – A skilled fisherman is being recognized by state officials for catching a record-breaking blue catfish on a Texas lake earlier this month. On Jan. 15, angler and fishing guide Ricardo Garza hooked the “behemoth” on Falcon Lake, an 84,000-acre reservoir on the Rio Grande located 40 miles southeast of Laredo, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). The massive catfish weighed 62 pounds and measured 45.5 inches long.
Garza’s catch set two state records, including the Water Body Record, and Water Body Catch and Release Record, according to TPWD. Garza was also bestowed a Big Fish Award—given to anglers for catching a trophy class fish of a qualifying species—and the Outstanding Angler Award. TPWD hands out the latter for a catch that does not meet the requirements of other award categories, but still deserves recognition.
Blue catfish are the largest freshwater sportfish in Texas, according to TPWD. The species is native to major rivers of the Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi River basins. Their range also extends south through Texas, Mexico, and into northern Guatemala. In the Lone Star State, blue catfish are absent from the northwestern portions of the state, including the Panhandle, but present elsewhere in larger rivers. Read more here