A man from West Virginia, in the United States, used a pink fishing rod he had purchased for his three-year-old daughter for $10 (about Rs 800) and managed to catch a channel catfish, setting a new state record. According to a statement from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR), John Tyler Rutherford of Wayne County, West Virginia, made headlines earlier this month after catching a record-breaking channel catfish.
The catfish, which measured 43.51 inches in length and weighed 46.70 pounds (21.1 kgs), was caught with his daughter’s pink fishing rod, which he had bought for only $9.99 (Rs 838.28 approximately). The WVDNR has verified the record and stated that John Tyler Rutherford’s catch exceeded the state records for channel catfish in terms of weight and length. On his father’s South Charleston farm, Rutherford reportedly caught the fish in a pond.
“I got my daughter a little $9.99 pink rod. She’s three and can reel them in, but she can’t cast it out. So, I cast it out for her, and I was holding the rod, and she was sitting on my lap,” John Tyler Rutherford described the incident during an interview with West Virginia Outdoors.
Reports state that John Tyler Rutherford went fishing with his daughter, using worms as bait. They had a simple day planned. They had no idea that a fish far bigger than they had anticipated would soon be attracted to the little pink rod.
As per the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the average channel catfish is around 22 inches long, with a maximum known length of 52 inches. Meanwhile, Rutherford’s record-breaking capture has sparked interest from both fishing fans and officials.
According to the WVDNR, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice said, “West Virginia’s incredible fishing opportunities continue to amaze and attract anglers from near and far and this record-breaking achievement showcases the world-class fishing adventures our state has to offer.”
John Tyler Rutherford’s catch was noteworthy because it not only broke the state record for channel catfish but also added to the number of new records that West Virginians had established this year for other fisheries, including tiger trout, redbreast sunfish, bowfin and black crappie.
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