'It bent the net.' Man reels in record channel catfish from farm pond in North Carolina

A North Carolina dad and his son's day of fishing at a nearby farm pond has turned into a record-setting catch.

However, the father had to return to the pond, a week later, to recapture the winning fish after he and his son threw the catfish back into the pond!

Justin Hall told the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission while he and his son were fishing in a farm pond near his Reidsville home, they reeled in the 27 lb. 7 oz. channel catfish.

Hall said he has been fishing this pond for years, but rarely caught channel catfish from it, until May. According to Hall, his 13-year-old son caught, what he estimates to have been, a 25+ pounder and they threw it back in the water.

Until he told a friend about their catch, Hall said he was unaware of what the state's record channel catfish

"I told a friend about my son's catch, and he told me it might have been big enough to beat the state record."

A week later, using bread dough as bait and his Big Cat Fever Casting Rod and Zebco Big Cat XT reel, Hall said he went back and got the record-breaker.

"My wife went down to the waterline to bring it in with the net - and it bent the net."

The 27 lb, 7 oz fish measured 36 1/4 inches long and 24 7/8 inches in girth.

For a list of all freshwater fish state records in North Carolina or more information on the State Record Fish Program, visit the Commission's State Record Fish program webpage.

The NC Wildlife Commission says to qualify for an N.C. Freshwater Fish State Record, anglers must catch the fish by rod and reel or cane pole. The fish must be weighed on a scale certified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and witnessed by at least one observer. It must be identified by a fisheries biologist from the Commission and the angler must submit an application with a full, side-view photo of the fish for record certification.