Record-breaking blue catfish caught near Natchez

A new state record was set for blue catfish when a 131-pounder was caught in the Mississippi River near Natchez.

Eugene Cronley caught the monster catfish on Apr. 7 with a rod and reel using skipjack herring as bait.  He said it took about 40 minutes to reel it in.

“It is truly a fish of a lifetime,” Cronley told MDWFP.

The previous rod and reel record was 95 pounds, caught by Dakota Hinson in 2009.  The previous trophy record blue catfish was 101 pounds caught by Freddie Parker and Brad Smith in 1997.