Huge 95-pound flathead catfish caught in Oklahoma

A man caught a massive 95-pound flathead catfish in southern Oklahoma, breaking a local record, state wildlife officials announced Tuesday.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation said in a social media post that Bradly Courtright caught the fish in Pine Creek Reservoir with a trotline, a fishing tool commonly used to catch catfish. The department said it was the largest flathead ever caught in the lake.

“This fish is almost 20 pounds heavier than the rod and reel record, but 11 pounds less than the unrestricted division record – which was caught on trotline in 1977 in Wister Reservoir,” said the Department.

The post was filled with congratulatory comments and some social media users questioned the status of the giant fish. The department responded to curious commenters by telling them the flathead had been caught legally with a fishing license and had been eaten.

Courtright’s catch comes as another angler caught a “monster” catfish to him in England. A 34-year-old man from east London caught a 143lb catfish nicknamed Scar and it is believed to be the largest fish ever caught on a freshwater rod in the UK. However, unlike Courtright’s fish, this one was released back into the water.

In April, a Ohio teenager arrested a record 101-pound blue catfish and set a state record.