Camdenton angler catches state-record hybrid striped bass

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Statewide
Published Date
11/07/2016
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CAMDENTON, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that Mark McArtor of Camdenton became the most recent record-breaking angler in Missouri when he caught a hybrid striped bass on the Lake of the Ozarks.

The new “alternative method” record hybrid striped bass caught by McArtor on Oct. 31 weighed 9-pounds, 1-ounce with a length of 27 inches. McArtor caught the fish with a jug line in front of his house on the lake.

“My wife and I are thrilled to have caught a state record fish,” McArtor said. “I still can’t believe it!”

McArtor said he was using shad for bait trying to catch blue catfish when he caught the large hybrid striped bass.

“This wasn’t the first hybrid striped bass we caught,” he said. “We actually caught a pretty decent sized one last year, but it didn’t meet the qualifications for the Department’s master angler program.”

MDC staff verified the record-weight fish using a certified scale in Camdenton. This is the 15th state record fish caught this year by an angler.

“A state record fish can be caught any time of the year, but we normally do not receive many state record fish applications once summer is over, “said MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “But since the weather has been warmer this year a lot people are still fishing, which means a better chance of someone catching a state record fish.”

McArtor noted he hopes to catch more state record fish like this one with his wife.

“Catching another state record would be great, but really I am just happy with what the lake provides,” McArtor said.

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.

Conservation makes Missouri a great place to fish. For more information on state-record fish, visit the MDC website at http://on.mo.gov/2efq1vl