State record catfish is taken

HARRISBURG - A 47-pound flathead catfish from the Ohio River picked the wrong midnight snack and as a result has been named by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as the new state record for the species. Angler Vic Zendron of West Sunbury was fishing for big flatheads using a live bluegill and 12-lb test line around 3 a.m. on September 3 when he hooked the record fish. After 30 minutes of give and take, with the giant fish dictating most of the battle, Zendron was able to tire the fish enough to get it boatside. The fish was too big to net and Zendron initially intended to release it anyhow - until a witness to the catch suggested the cat might be a new record. In fact, Zendron’s flathead easily broke the record of 43 lb. 9 oz. held by Pittsburgh angler Seymore Albramovitz since 1985. Albramovitz caught his fish in the Allegheny River. The new record fish was likely hatched about the time the former record was set - or at least shortly thereafter. Either way, it may not take another 21 years for the new record to be broken. The number of anglers targeting large flathead catfish has grown in recent years and biologists report handling flathead catfish of potential record size. For tips and techniques for catching flathead catfish, check the Commission’s Web site at www.fishandboat.com for the article “Patterns for Flathead and Channel Catfish,” originally published in Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Magazine.