record-breaking catches in 2023.

[woodchip]

Fishermen across the country have set numerous record-breaking catches in 2023.

Notable catches include (1) a 11.4-pound burbot in Lake Michigan, (2) a 40.76-pound northern pike in Idaho, and (3) a 122-pound catfish in Tennessee.

Other records include (4) a 64.75-pound smallmouth buffalo in Kansas, (5) a 26-pound bigscale pomfret in North Carolina, (6) a near 12-pound tiger trout, (7) a 122 pound catfish, (8) a 21-pound, 48-inch long mahi mahi, (9) a 26-pound, 15.6-ounce almaco jack, and (10) a 283-pound alligator gar in Texas.

[Bottle_O_Moxie]

Woodchip, I had to look up what a Smallmouth Buffalo was - sounds like an interesting fish and large ones can be over 60 years old. 

A garfish that is close to 300 pounds must be able to break any tackle you can use.  Those things are brutes even if 40 pounds. 

The Pomfret seems to be a salt-water fish. 

Here is a link to the current Maine freshwater records for anyone interested:
https://www.mainesportsman.com/hunting-fishing-records/

[woodchip]

That was an interesting post, I used to fish in river below bath ironworks and the size of the Large Sturgeon  leeping out of water were every where some were as long as my 16' boat. they must be some big ones down there now.

[IceMan42569]

I looked at the link on Moxie's post to the Maine game and fish records.  It shows that the Walleye record is held by Nathan Lawler of Portland from 2009 on Messalonskee Lake.  He is my nephew and I remember seeing something about a year later that said his record was bested by a guy from Massachusetts on Long Pond nearby.  The interesting thing about this is that he was the first person to ever register a walleye in Maine for a record so he automatically had the state record.  I can't imagine that nobody has caught a larger one than his in the 14 years since. 

[eiderz]

UhOh, you said the W word.    Walter is not welcome in ME, the state removed them pretty successfully from the few waters they got into. Wish they would spend that effort on pike, and muskie in the St John watershed, instead of picking on walleye. But, I guess every species has folks that want to catch it.

[IceMan42569]

Yeah, he was bass fishing and never expected he would catch a walleye.  From what I've read, they were present in Messalonskee in the mid 1900's I imagine due to illegal stocking.