Everton angler catches state-record white crappie

THIS CONTENT IS ARCHIVED
News from the region
Statewide
Published Date
06/07/2016
Body

DADE COUNTY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports Colby Conn of Everton became the most recent record-breaking angler in Missouri when he hooked a white crappie on Stockton Lake on a trotline. The new “alternative method” record fish caught by Conn on May 21 weighed 1-pound, 5-ounces with a length of 14 5/16 inches. Conn’s recent catch broke the previous state-record of a 12-ounce white crappie caught on a trotline in 1993.

“Once I pulled the fish up into the boat, I had feeling that the crappie was going to be a state record,” Conn said. “I was super stoked!”

Conn was using goldfish for bait to try to catch catfish, but instead he caught the record crappie. MDC staff verified the fish using a certified scale in the town of Greenfield.

Once MDC gave him confirmation he had a state record, Conn said he was in shock. “This year was the first year I have ever put out trotlines, and out of nowhere I catch a state-record white crappie. I really can’t believe it,” he said. “I would love to break another state record in the future, but I am fine with just having this one.”

Conn added he plans on having the state-record white crappie mounted.

“2016 is shaping up to be a year for state-record fish,” said MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “We have already had 13 new records so far, which is more than we see in an entire year sometimes. The mild weather we have had this year means more anglers are fishing, and catching big fish.”

Missouri state-record fish are recognized in two categories: pole-and-line and alternative methods. Alternative methods include: throwlines, trotlines, limb lines, bank lines, jug lines, spearfishing, snagging, snaring, gigging, grabbing, archery, and atlatl. For more information on state-record fish, visit the MDC website at http://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zk9