Holy Crappie! Fishing Buddies Break State Record Minutes Apart

There are good days on the water and then there are record-breaking crappie ones.

Lindell Marker (left) and Dwight Priestley (right) holding their record-breaking catches;Photo byWest Virginia Department of Natural Resources

There’s something heartwarming about two fellas fishing together for black crappie, breaking a state record, and then doing it again not 2 hours later. That’s exactly what Lindell Marker and Dwight Priestley did.

On August 8 at 7:30 a.m., Marker caught a 17.36-inch black crappie at Woodrum Lake, breaking Craig Webb’s 17.32-inch state record. Marker’s fish tied the existing weight of 2.85 pounds.

Just 75 minutes later, Priestly landed a 17.76-inch, 3.15-pound black crappie, breaking the very newly set state record. Both of the fish were caught using live minnows, and both records were confirmed and certified by WVDNR Fisheries Biologist Cory Hartman.

Craig Webb with the former West Virginia state record black crappie catch. He set the record in June of this year;Photo byWest Virginia Department of Natural Resources

“These new records are a testament to the incredible fishing opportunities at Woodrum Lake,” said WVDNR Director Brett McMillion. “We are thrilled to celebrate these outstanding achievements by Lindell Marker and Dwight Priestley. Their catches not only set new benchmarks but also highlight the quality of our state’s fisheries,” said WVDNR Director Brett McMillion.

Governor Jim Justice shared his excitement for the newly broken records and wanted to highlight the incredible recreational opportunities the state has.

“I’m thrilled to celebrate this unprecedented fishing achievement and hope these new benchmarks inspire anglers from all over to come and explore West Virginia’s world-class fishing opportunities,” said Gov. Justice.

So far, in 2024, eight fishing records have been broken in West Virginia.