Family fishing trip leads to a WV state record catch

An impromptu fishing trip in Ravenswood, West Virginia, turned into a state record. Tyler Harmon said he and his father and son had been on the water for less than an hour on Aug. 28 when he reeled in a 72.75-pound blue catfish. Harmon set a personal goal of catching a fish over 50 pounds this summer, and said the catch “shattered” it. They initially couldn’t find someone to weigh it that day, so they stored the fish overnight—using an aerated stock tank from a friend with a tackle shop nearby. The next morning, a fish biologist measured the fish at 48.15 inches and confirmed the record. Harmon said he used a HellCat Rod by Catch The Fever, qualifying the catch for a $20,000 cash prize.