Broke State Record this Morning 83 Pounds

[DeerHunter01]

Paul:

Called me here about a hour ago and said there is a man at J.C Landing that just broke the Georgia State record Flathead Catfish with a 83 Pounder. There will be Pictures and further information to come on this as Jesup City managers are getting Photos and the story of the fish for the BOC. I am sure Paul will update you here soon on this fish.

BOC Staff

[teaysvalleyguy]

That is awesome, can't wait to see the pics.

[catsrking]

That's a dandy! Look forward to the photos.

[ohiohawghunter45067]

awesome i cant wait to see some pics.

[TDawgNOk]

Man, if Paul got it, then the bunny contest is in the BAG for him

[Little Mac]

I can't wait to see this, Man thats a big flatty.

[hear_kitty]

That is fantastic can't wait to see it CONGRATULATIONS!

[DeerHunter01]

The old State record was 67 pounds from the same area. this one kind of kicked its butt, No If Paul would of got it he would of been closing the Bunny contest and laughing at all of us !! He wish it was him.

From what I am understanding this guy who got the fish is a BOC Member, which is pretty cool.

I can't wait to here his story. It was caught on rod and reel too.

[NANNER]

Cant wait to get the story. Thx for posting Eric.

[Deltalover]

What would be reallynice, is to get the fisherman to join the B.O.C.! In any case, I look forward to seeing the pics and hearing the story!

[catseeman]

If his not a member and joins I would like to donate a star to him.

[Boss Hogg]

BOC members will one day hold all state records!

[martinman]

The Altamaha is a sweet river with a lot of nice flatties in it. I can't wait to see the pics and info on it.

There was a guy who caught a flattie in the 80lb range back a couple years ago from there on a limb line but never had it registered. It is good to hear that someone is actually going to have it recorded.

[777]

Now thats a big fish. Cant wait to see the pics and read the story.

[Drawout]

Must be niceeeeeeee Thats all i can say lol

[qball]

He must have waded to his fishing hole because the river is very low. Me and my little girl went today in some spots you can walk across.

[ka_c4_boom]

wow what a catch bet hes proud

[greg]

I will beleive it when it becomes official as I seem to remember something about certain people in that area stretching the rules :doubt:

[catfishjohn]

On another thread,he's a BOC member--Stumpknocker.

[janton311]

anyone know what the state record flathead is in Kansas??:big_smile:

[GaDNR]

Not that I doubt the new record but it would be nice if he got a voluntary polygraph to remove almost all doubt. His father -in-law, a polive officer, told me this was legit. Until proven wrong or serious questions arise I will accept it legit.

[Cattledogz]

Wow, what a fish. I too hope it is legit and hope the guy is a BOC member.
What I hope for most though is that the fish was/will be released unharmed to be caught another day!
Can't wait to hear the full true story and see the pics.

[copycat]

How awsome is that!! I wish we had flatheads up here.

[MRR]

Ican't even imangine hooking into a 83lb fish of anykind. I'd better have my butt tied to a tree or I'd probably be water sking accross the water. Be fun trying though.

[beeheck]

That's one of those your going to have to get a tow truck to lift it up for the picture. lol Can't wait to see this one.

[DeerHunter01]

Guys I just got a Picture of the Fish here it is !!

[samh]

That's one of those your going to have to get a tow truck to lift it up for the picture. lol Can't wait to see this one.

Looks like you were right, only they used a towmotor.

[shania]

The only think that I have to say is:
"WOW"
:worship: :worship: :worship: :worship: :worship:

Take it easy,
Bert:cool2: & Shaina:0010:

[catfishjohn]

nice fish,too bad it wasn't CPR'ed!!!

[DeerHunter01]

Here is the story about the Fish if you guys want to read it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The state-record for flathead catfish has been broken. On Thursday, June 22 Carl Sawyer of Screven pulled a monster catfish out of the Altamaha that weighed 83 pounds — smashing the previous record of 67-lbs., 8-ozs.

Carl and fishing buddy Ben Poppell of Jesup were camping on a sandbar and catfishing. Thursday evening they were fishing an “undisclosed area” near Jesup and had hit one hole before moving to set up on a hole 15 to 17 feet deep near a downed tree. Carl was fishing with an Ambassadeur 6000 spooled with 50-lb. braided Spider Wire. On the business end of the line he had hooked a hand-sized bluegill on a 7/0 Eagle Claw Circle C hook. The bait was held down by a 3-oz. bank sinker.

Carl chunked the bait into the hole and set the bait-clicker on the reel. At about 9:30 p.m., after only a 10- or 15-minute wait, the reel began to click.

“When I pulled, he pulled back,” said Carl. “I told Ben that this was a big one. Thank God that he went toward a sandbar and not into the tree. He was out in open water away from any snags where I could play him.

“When I would get him close to the boat, he would make another run,” said Carl. “I had the drag as tight as it would go, and he was still taking it with him. There was nothing I could do. If I had used a bigger reel, I would have broken the line. It was fun. There wasn’t a lot of moving and fighting, it was just power, sheer power. He went where he wanted to go, and I would reel in line when he let me, and then he would pull it back out again. He went where he wanted to go until he wore himself out.”

Finally, after about 15 or 20 minutes, the huge fish played out and came to the side of the boat. It was Ben who put the 54-inch-long catfish in the boat.

“Ben got it in,” said Carl. “I brought the fish alongside the boat and he reached down and put both hands in the fish’s mouth and used his weight to flip it into the boat. As soon as he did, he said, ‘That’s an 80-pounder!’”

Carl and Ben immediately went looking for certified scales. They broke two 50-lb. scales before getting a weight of 83 pounds on a cotton scale.

The next morning the weight was verified on certified scales by WRD Fisheries technician Chad Sexton at 83 pounds even.

Heather Altman, executive director of the Wayne County Tourism Board, said the Board is going to pay to have the fish mounted so it can be put on display.

The day after the catch, Carl was back on the river fishing for flatheads.
“I don’t care about the record,” he said. “If is was broken tomorrow, it was still fun. I don’t care about all that. I am still a novice at this. I have only been fishing for flatheads four or five times. I probably just got lucky and hit a lucky hole, but you’ve got to go to catch them.”

Carl’s new state record follows by a month the disqualification of Gene Middleton, who held the previous state record for flathead catfish. Middleton entered the Wayne County Catfish Festival tournament May 20-21. With two fish totaling more than 80 pounds, he stood to win nearly $8,000 but could not pass a series of three polygraph and voice-stress tests administered by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department. His failure to clear the lie-detector test had cast a shadow of doubt over the state record.

[Flatheadhunter33]

That thing is a BEAST!!!! My congrats to him (whoever he is!).

[kccats]

Congrats to Carl! Way to go!

[Coyote1]

Saw The Pic, Read the Story, GLAD he is BOC;
OMG!!!:waaaht:
:worship: :worship: :worship: :worship:
CONGRATS!!
It's going on 0400 hrs and I still can't get to sleep!
LOL:lol: "yip-Yip-YIP-WooooooHoooooooo"
I see where this record will be mounted by the city for all to see so perhaps all is not lost. This time.
Just call me;
"One Awestruck [but even more hopeful] Coyote!"
[[[[[End of Message]]]]]

[laidbck111]

keep your kids out of that hole, thats one big fish.

[ryang]

Congrats Stumpknocker

[dgde4x4man]

What a sumo piggy! Nice catch hoss!

[borntocatfish]

records are meant to be broke GREAT JOB

[greg]

A very nice fish My congrats to Carl. Just so he knows that when I come down next year I will be breaking the world record :big_smile:

[TIM HAGAN]

Way to go Carl if youwould drop me a Pm with your number. Luke Clayton of the ACATS radio show and the Catfish now Magazine would love to talk with you. We would love to get your story out to catfuih lover everywhere.

[bmaultbay]

can't wait to see the pics. 83 pounds, what a fish.

[Gator]

Carl man that is one sweet fish.

[Cuda-Cada]

That sure is one monster flathead. Glad to see someone catch a new record to knock that cheater who had the previous record off the books.

[cherokee laker]

Her's another shot or two of the monster

[cherokee laker]

and another.................

[tatersalad]

nice to see another novice catter catching a hawg.

[777]

Congratulations Carl Thats a nice flathead.

[TeamCatHazzard]

That was one heck of a flathead! Nice fish....too bad it had to die though, Id a still thrown it back than have it die

[bkhollan]

that is just a monster.

[bluehunter]

Nice to see that. I know he was proud.

[Catfishhunter2U]

Great Catch
What

[Snappy]

Nice fish!! I have been trying to plan a trip down there. I think that fish just lit a fire. Good Job.

[NANNER]

Truly and Outstanding Catch, and Accomplishment. Hats off to that Great Fish for living that long, and hats off to the angler for pulling it off. The entire BOC community is proud of this moment.