WARNER ROBINS, Ga. -- Tom Head, 76, almost had to scratch his head after hooking a huge catfish on the Ocmulgee River near Warner Robins.
Head pulled in a 103-lbs catfish earlier this week. The fish was more than 57 inches long and greater than 41 inches in girth. The head itself was almost 16 inches wide, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division. Head used a live bream on a tuna hook when this flathead was caught.
A representative for the DNR said Head used a method called “jug fishing” to reel in the big catch. But because a jug line is not considered sport tackle, the fish is not eligible for state record status, even though it beats the current state record by 20 pounds, the representative said. Bush hooks, trot lines, jugs, baskets, and nets, while popular methods of fishing, are not considered sporting tackle, said the DNR.
Flathead catfish are a non-native fish to the Ocmulgee River. The Ocmulgee River flows from the Piedmont region of Georgia below Lake Jackson to Macon, then winds southeast through the upper coastal plain where it joins the Altamaha River east of Lumber City. It is considered a great river for canoeing and fishing.
