A South Carolina bow fisherman has been granted a world record after landing a nearly 85-pound blue catfish on Jan. 6 at Santee Cooper Lakes.
Stuart Vandyke also established a new state record, according to the Bowfishing Assn. of America.
Vandyke “arrowed” the massive catfish just weeks after his friend, David Ard, hauled in an 80-pound blue catfish at Santee Cooper to set the state and world record.
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Wrote Carolina Fish and Hunt: “Once [Vandyke’s] arrow pierced the fish, he knew it would be big enough to vie for the record. He and his friends wrestled it aboard, then called a friend with a certified scale.
“They weighed the fish and got it entered into the Bowfishing Assn. of America’s record book, ending Ard’s short-lived status as world record holder.”
Vandyke’s catfish weighed 84.8 pounds.
His state and world record are recognized by the Bowfishing Assn. of America. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources only recognizes bowfishing records for bowfin, carp, and longnose gar.
For comparison, the South Carolina rod-and-reel record for blue catfish stands at 113.8 pounds.
The rod-and-reel world record is listed at 143 pounds, for a 2011 catch at Virginia’s Kerr Lake.
–Image courtesy of the Bowfishing Assn. of America
