NATCHEZ, Miss. (WJTV) – A Brandon man set a new state record in Mississippi for catching the largest blue catfish.
According to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP), Eugene Cronley caught the 131 pound fish on April 7, 2022, from the Mississippi River near Natchez. Cronley said it took him 40 minutes to land the fish.
The fish shattered the previous rod and reel record of 95 pounds caught by Dakota Hinson in 2009. The fish is also larger than the trophy record blue catfish of 101 pounds caught by the team of Freddie Parker and Brad Smith in 1997. Both of those fish were also caught from the Mississippi River near Natchez.
Cronley caught the fish with a rod and reel using skipjack herring as bait.
