Woah! 14-Year-Old Iowa Fisherman Catches Massive 68-Pound Catfish
It was a good weekend in Iowa to reel in some big fish. But one 8th-grader caught the ultimate prize.
Iowa resident Benjamin Strong had a successful fishing weekend after reeling in a massive flathead catfish weighing nearly 70 pounds. That's a lot of fish!
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Our news partners at Dakota News Now report that Benjamin chose his lucky spot by the Burlington Street Dam to cast a line in the Iowa River. The 14-year-old Iowa native says he normally fishes before school starts to avoid heat and crowds. Benjamin always believed there was a chance to capture a big fish. However, he never thought he would be one of the fortunate fishermen to catch something so large.
“The biggest flyhide before that was five pounds that I caught. I’ve seen videos and pictures of people catching big catfish, but like, I’ve never tried really hard to put that image of how big that would really look. So when I weighed it, I started freaking out and then it wasn’t until when I got home and did some searching that I realized how rare a fish is that big."
Benjamin did not have a net, but was wholly determined to reel this rare catfish to shore.
According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the largest flathead catfish caught in the state weighed 81 pounds. This record was set on June 1st, 1958, at Ellis Lake.
Who knew that dedication and patience would pay off so soon for this young fisherman! Congratulations, Benjamin!
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