An eight-year-old state fishing record was broken Saturday in the Florida Panhandle by a Central Florida man and some strong fishing line.
Bill Stewart, 66, of Weeki Wachee reeled in a 69-pound, 8-ounce blue catfish on the Choctawhatchee River during a fishing tournament on May 30.
Using a circle hook, the head of a skipjack herring and 100-pound test, Stewart was able to land the fish that ending up being 49.5 inches in length, with a girth of 31.75 inches.
The fish's record status was verified by the FWC.
"Stewart's blue catfish is the fourth Florida Freshwater Fish Record set in 2015, following two shoal bass and a flier, all from the Florida Panhandle area. Just one more reason why Florida is the 'Fishing Capital of the World,'" said Tom Champeau, director of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management.
FWC shared video of the weigh in.
