Caught on Trotline, This Blue Catfish Could've Been State Record

If caught by rod and reel, this humongous blue catfish would've beaten the Florida record by 50 pounds.

It's a good 50 pounds heavier than the current state record, but the huge 120-pound blue catfish caught by Florida angler Joel Singletary won't be an official record.

Like it matters when you haul in a fish of that size.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said because the behemoth was caught on a trotline it doesn't qualify for a state record, but that doesn't make the catch any less extraordinary or exciting.

The agency shared Singletary's catch Monday on Facebook:

This massive blue catfish is causing quite a splash, weighing over 1.7 times more than the current state record for this species (69.50 lbs.)! When Joel Singletary found this 120-pounder on his trotline, he wondered how he was going to get the fish on his boat. It wasn't long until his adrenaline kicked in, enabling him to pull the behemoth fish onboard. Joel caught this fish in the Choctawhatchee River. Since it was caught on a trotline, it does not qualify as a state record but remains an impressive catch.

While not a record, the catch earned Singletary a Florida Big Catch certificate. Learn about the program here. Check out more photos of the big catfish here by FWC's Rebekah Nelson.

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