A Cañon City man fishing in Lake Pueblo State Park has caught a new state record flathead catfish, by weight.

Fishing from a boat with his family on Father’s Day, June 18, Michael Flock landed a flathead that weighed in at 30 pounds, 9.6 ounces and measured 38 ⅝ inches long.

What Did He Catch it On?

According to Flock:

I put on a really large Rapala clown lure, with a 2-inch red head and 7 inches of white body. I cast it out there and let it troll with the boat. It dove real deep. I thought I was snagged because we were so close to the bank. I yelled to my mom to put it in reverse. That’s when my drag took off and I knew I wasn’t snagged. Using a lure that big, I couldn’t imagine what it was.

Flock said the fish put up a terrific fight.

The Old Record

Flock’s catch erases the previous record set on January 19, 2015, by Tony Chavez of La Junta, who caught a 27-pound flathead catfish below John Martin Reservoir, about 20 miles west of Lamar off U.S. Highway 50. That fish weighed more than double the state’s previous record flathead catfish, caught in 2011. Chavez said he used chicken liver as bait for his catch. The world record for flathead catfish is more than 120 pounds.

How to Be Considered For a State Record

To be considered, a fish must be weighed on a state-certified scale and a weight receipt must be signed by a witness. Then the fish, before being frozen, gutted or altered in any way, must be examined and identified by a Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologist or district wildlife manager before an application is submitted. The biologist or wildlife manager will fill out and return the application form​ to the Sportfish Program Manager in Denver.

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