OKLAHOMA, USA — A world and state record has been broken after an angler caught a 151.9 pound paddlefish in Oklahoma.
On Thursday (July 23) morning, Cory Watters and his 9-year-old son, Stetson caught the almost 6-foot long fish at Keystone Lake in Northeast Oklahoma.
ODWC fisheries staff met the angler at Keystone Lake and took measurements of the fish.
It weighed 151.9 pounds and was just shy of 6 feet in total length.
Fisheries staff noticed the fish was banded on its lower jaw, but the band wasn't from ODWC.
After a phone call, staff learned the fish was banded by Oklahoma State University researchers on Jan. 4, 1997, in the Salt Creek area of Keystone Lake.
Back when it was banded, the fish was about 2 years old, weighed about 7 pounds and was just over 2 feet long.
The new world-record paddlefish was released and observed afterward using Garmin Livescope sonar, and staff said the fish swam off well.
