I was laid into it pretty good to try to get it up to the top of the water.”, Then Nichols’ attitude quickly changed when he started feeling the fish start to move a little more, “I told Robbie that I could still feel the fish, and I told him, ‘Bubba, whatever it is it’s a big, big fish,'” he said. When the record catfish rolled up behind the boat, the fishing buddies soon realized they had a big problem. When you do, his tail is going to come up because it’s lighter.’ I saw that tail come up, and about 18 inches stuck out the end of the net. He said, ‘Bubba, it won’t go. He used a chicken gizzard on a large circle hook and managed to land the beast using 40-pound fishing line. Authored By David Ranier, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. We were guessing 80 or 90 pounds.”. But the first decision was whether to go straight to the boat landing or plop that venison tenderloin onto the now-sizzling grill. When that fish finally floated up behind the boat, and the light was shining on it, that had to be the most impressive moment of my fishing history.”. “I told Robbie, ‘When you get him in the net, take the inner part of the hoop and push down on his head. Fish must be identified by Alabama Fisheries Section biologist or other certified fisheries biologist. Armstrong Creek, Wash. Co. Henry Merritt, Deer Park “And when he did, the fish just turned because he couldn’t get it in the net, and it went back down. John Nichols shattered the Alabama blue catfish record with a 120-pound, 4-ounce fish. Charles Patchen is 13-years-old and weighs just 90 pounds, so it was no surprise when the Alabama teen was worn out after reeling in a fish almost three-fourths his size. Nichols, along with friend Robbie Tierce, landed the monster cat and had it weighed on a certified scale Tuscaloosa Scale Co. Inc. with five witnesses present. The resulting lower supply and increased demand is leading to a record year for the state’s catfish farmers, who produce more than 100 million pounds of the white, flaky fish annually. “When we got there, he was sitting there waiting on us,” Nichols said. When the scales hit 120 pounds, 5 ounces, he started trying to figure out how to make sure it was certified as a state record. They pulled the boat out and spent 45 minutes in the parking lot, eating venison and reliving the catch. John Nichols said he considered releasing the fish into a friend’s 17-acre lake, but then he flipped through the phone book and found the number for Tuscaloosa Scale Company and called about 4:45 a.m. The previous record had been there a while.”. Fishing World Records. We couldn’t have been there 30 minutes when I looked at the rod. The company's filing status is listed as Exists and its File Number is 421-976. Use the search form above to find fishing world records for freshwater fish, saltwater fish, and more. This trip was unusual in more ways than the climax. He said, ‘I’ve been doing this about 30 years, and I’ve never laid my hands on a fish this big.’ I told him I was 36 years old, and I’d never seen a fish that big, either. Nichols, who lives in Tuscaloosa, caught the behemoth from Holt Reservoir on March 9, 2012. This record broke the previous blue catfish record of 121.5 lb caught from Lake Texoma, Texas. Then they tried deer scales at Nichols’ house, and it settled at 118 pounds. The DIY Designer: What kind of topcoat should I use and when. Fish must be identified by a Fisheries Section biologist or other certified fisheries biologist. Most Recent World Record Catfish. They decided to go ahead and idle to the boat landing with the grill hanging over the side of the boat. Sherril Harris, Sylacauga, Lake Martin, Tallapoosa Co. Alabama Record for Blue Catfish Shattered John Nichols shattered the Alabama blue catfish record with a 120-pound, 4-ounce fish. I went over and got a hold of it and tightened the line. The catfishing world exploded with chatter on June 18, 2011, with talk of a new world record blue catfish, much larger than the previous largest catfish ever caught. Frank Lambert Dickey, Chatom, Mud Creek, Tannehill Historical State Park, (a) World Record, Rod And Reel/ (b) Previous World Record, Rod and Reel / (c) Previous World Record, Any Method, Official Web Site of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, © 2021 Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 64 N. Union Street, Suite 468 - Montgomery, Alabama 36130, Physically Disabled Hunting and Fishing Trail. Fish must be caught in Alabama waters by legal means. Nichols, who lives in Tuscaloosa, caught the behemoth from Holt Reservoir on March 9, 2012. . Three or four minutes later I got the fish back up, and he tried it again. Nichols, who lives in Tuscaloosa, caught the behemoth from Holt Reservoir on March 9, 2012. Michael Houseknecht/Mobile, Chris S. Fuller, AthensBobby Lee Davis, Bessemer, Paddlefish  I knew it was a done deal if the net held up. Procedures For the Certification of Alabama State Record Freshwater Fish Fish must be caught in Alabama waters by legal means. North Carolina Channel Catfish World Record Blue Catfish The following list of state record fish is according to the Alabama Department of Natural Resources. Tierce wanted to eat. It barely had a kink in it. That's what happened to Samantha, Ala., resident John Nichols, who reeled in a 120-pound blue catfish last month at Holt Reservoir, setting a new Alabama blue cat record. Search for the biggest fish in the International Game Fish Association's database of biggest fish for each species. Enter the email you're signed up with or sign in here. I told Robbie that I could feel a fish on it, but I thought it was wrapped around some trash. “The basic story on a fish that large is that it has to be a very old catfish,” Nick Nichols said. Alabama Catfish Records. You could barely see that spool on that spinning reel move. Then the fish comes up close to the boat again. It was 57 in long and 45 in around. After being weighed on certified scales, this fish beat the previous record by more than 14 pounds and measured 46.75 inches long with a 37.75 inch girth. Nichols had a notary public and five witnesses signed up and the record fish application filled out. It’s a very notable state record fish. Blue: 120-4, John Paul Nichols, Holt Reservoir, 3/9/2012; Channel: 40-0, Donald R. Cox, Inland Lake, 6/17/1967; Flathead: 80-0, Rick Conner, Alabama River, 6/22/1986; White: 10-5, Roy Britton, Chambers Co. Public Lake, 4/3/1981 She researched + found out they are worth $2, so she started selling them and she’s giving all the proceeds to the local society, which she picked because her family has four rescue dogs. 6AM's growing network of modern local media brands is redefining how communities engage, communicate, and connect with their cities. The record catfish weighed in at 130 lb. Procedures For the Certification of Alabama State Record Freshwater Fish, Shelley Meadows/Mentone The fish had died early that morning, so Nichols iced it down and took off. Jay Haffner, District III biologist with Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, was called by a friend, and Haffner responded almost immediately and set up a rendezvous to verify the species. Here are the largest channel catfish ever recorded from every state in America: State. He used a chicken gizzard on a large circle hook and managed to land the beast using 40-pound fishing line. It grew the state record, an 80-pounder caught in 1980 near Selma, and consistently delivers a … William D. Webb, B'ham The boat stays ready to go.”. While walking with her grandfather near a golf course, Elise discovered an orange ball that was hit out of bounds. “We always compromise on everything we do,” Nichols said. Procedures for the Certification of Alabama State Record Freshwater Fish. I’ve already tried it.'”. Alabama: 80 lbs: Rick Conner: Alabama River: 1986: Alaska: N/A: N/A: N/A: N/A: … What the dawn revealed was a state record blue catfish that weighed 120 pounds, 5 ounces and eclipsed the 111-pounder caught at Wheeler Reservoir on July 5, 1996, by William P. McKinley of Elkmont. It floated up right at the back of the boat. 40 lbs. Already a subscriber? All rights reserved. Just enter your email below to
 become a member. Official Web Site of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources © 2021 Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources 64 N. Union Street, Suite 468 - Montgomery, Alabama … I said, ‘Man, that rod sure does look funny.’ He said, ‘I think you’ve got a fish.’ I decided that before we started cooking, I’d just check it. , but as they started to accumulate by the hundreds, Elise needed to, , so she started selling them and she’s giving all the proceeds to the local society, which she picked because. The previous angling world record, 124 lb, was caught by Tim Pruitt on May 22, 2005, in the Mississippi River. It was barely taking line out. The fish weighed 45 pounds, 9 ounces. I laid the rod down and grabbed one side of the net, and we slid it over the side into the bottom of the boat. Application must be submitted on official. Blue Catfish Nothing says record more than a 120-pound, 4-ounce blue catfish. Tierce went into action by clearing everything out of Nichols’ way and grabbing the landing net. 6. Year. The fire had really gotten good with all this going on, so we were grilling that tenderloin, still in awe of that whale in the bottom of the boat.”. Weighing must be witnessed by two people. “We go over there and kick back and take it in. I don’t think that fish even knew that it was hung. “It was pretty much what we do every weekend,” Nichols said. . He used a chicken gizzard on a large circle hook and managed to land the beast using 40-pound fishing line. No duplication of photos or content is allowed without expressed written consent of Santee Cooper Cats or it's agents. Keep up the amazing work. It’s just unbelievable. With the bait inaccessible, they decided to do a little bass fishing before anchoring the boat downstream in a small cove with a little eddy water. Alabama. Fish must be weighed on certified scales. The current state record for blue catfish stands at 99 pounds, 4 ounces. He said, ‘Bubba, it won’t go in the net.’ I told him, ‘You have got to get that fish in the net.’ The fish went down again, and usually that second time, it’s over with. Weight. Armed with the best catfish rigs for rivers and some know-how, anglers catfish fishing in Alabama will be filling their ice chests in no time. “I got the grill started, and we just laid back,” Nichols said. What the dawn revealed was a state record blue catfish that weighed 120 pounds, 5 ounces and eclipsed the 111-pounder caught at Wheeler Reservoir on July 5, 1996, by William P. McKinley of Elkmont. In desperation, Nichols devised a plan to ram both hands in the fish’s mouth to haul it in, but the fish changed the plan. Charlton gave directions to the company, and Nichols headed that way with his wife in tow. Catfish Fishing In Alabama Rivers. The record red drum (redfish) was caught by Al Mead of Theodore on July 19, 2013 during the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. “That’s the reason we restricted the harvest [one fish 34 inches or larger per day] on large catfish several years ago. © 6AM City LLC 2021. There are 4 companies in the Alabama Catfish, Inc corporate family. Fish must be weighed on certified scales. Elise for president — 2060. Charlton zeroed his equipment with a 120-quart cooler on the scales and weighed the monster. John Nichols shattered the Alabama blue catfish record with a 120-pound, 4-ounce fish. Nichols wanted to go. Michael White Jr. of Ecletic earned bragging rights for the record-sized fish. John Nichols and his fishing buddy, Robbie Tierce, were kicking back on Holt Reservoir near Tuscaloosa, Ala., looking for some rest and relaxation after a week of work. A Phenix City, Alabama, fisherman caught a 63-pound blue catfish last weekend on Goat Rock Lake along the Chattahoochee River just above Columbus. The 5-minute read that will give you the inside scoop into what's happening in your city. John Nichols - "It's just unbelievable. Nichols caught a massive 120 pound, 4 ounce blue cat on Holt Reservoir on March 9, 2012. I told Robbie that he has got to get that fish in the net. However, what were planned as several hours of diversion and catching enough catfish for a fish fry turned into an adrenaline-filled night that lasted until after dawn. The new world record blue catfish was caught Saturday night June 18th, 2011 at John H. Kerr-Buggs Island Lake near Clarksville Virginia. John Nichols with his Alabama Record Blue Catfish John Nichols shattered the Alabama blue catfish record with a 120-pound, 4-ounce fish. She’s in second grade and she’s raised $1,000 for the Humane Educational Society. (now protected, Procedures for the Certification of Alabama State Record Freshwater Fish. An Alabama teen is the new Florida state record-holder for catching the biggest flathead catfish. Fish must be caught in Alabama waters by legal means. Read our full Editorial Ethics Policy here. It didn’t cut up or show out. After finishing the meal, they decided to weigh the fish. Lake. Delivered via email, daily. “Then that fish floated up beside the boat,” Nichols said. Fish must be … Elise for president — 2060. From Cattle to Catfish. Keep up the amazing work. 5. The Alabama River, especially Jones Bluff and Millers Ferry, ranks at the top of the list. For Travis Wilson, 2011 Alabama Catfish Farmer of the Year, it meant keeping the family farm through tough times in the 1980s. State-by-state catfish records in the U.S. 2017 records are bold-faced. The Registered Agent on file for this company is Phelps, Scott M and is located at 1550 Mcfarland Blvd North 3rd Fl, … As darkness descended on the 3,296-acre impoundment, Tierce opened a pack of chicken gizzards to use for bait because both grocery stores he stopped at were sold out of chicken livers. Alabama Catfish, LLC is an Alabama Domestic Limited-Liability Company filed On June 27, 2008. Alabama Catfish, Inc is located in Uniontown, AL, United States and is part of the Seafood Processing Industry. “When he saw that fish, he about fell out. “We had never fished that area a whole lot. Source: IGFA World Records Database The record for the largest flathead catfish belongs to Ken Paulie, who landed his big flathead over 20 years ago. The bait went to the bottom on spinning gear with 40-pound test line. They went to Nichols’ folks’ house and weighed it on bathroom scales at 116 pounds. “So we decided to cook. The previous Alabama record for … But about 20 yards behind the boat, he comes up again. He used a chicken gizzard on a large circle hook and managed to land the beast using 40-pound fishing line. River systems with consistently flowing water produce the state’s best big flathead catfish fishing. 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