Fishing record set by West Virginia angler who used 3-year-old daughter’s $10 pink rod

A man in Wayne County, West Virginia, caught a state record channel catfish in the pond on his father’s farm in South Charleston using an unexpected rod.

John Tyler Rutherford reeled in a 43.51-inch-long, 46.70-pound channel catfish, according to a press release from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR).

Rutherford reportedly reeled in the big fish in July 21 by using his daughter’s fishing rod and worms as bait.

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“I got my daughter a little $9.99 pink rod… she’s 3 and she 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,” he told West Virginia Outdoors.

The common length for channel catfish is 22 inches with the longest maximum reported length being 52 inches, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

“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,” Governor Jim Justice said in the WVDNR’s release.

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The last West Virginia record for the channel catfish was set in the year 2022 for length, and in 2023 for weight.

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Rutherford’s catch topped them both.

WVDNR Director Brett McMillion congratulated Rutherford for his outstanding catch.

“This remarkable achievement highlights the superior quality of West Virginia’s fisheries and the dedication of our team in maintaining and enhancing these aquatic resources,” McMillion said in the release.

The state also set new records for tiger trout, redbreast sunfish, bowfin, redear sunfish and black crappie caught this year.

Fox News Digital reached out to the WVDNR and Rutherford for comment.

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