Fisherman named George Washington reels in 60-pound catfish
"It became a massive fight," George Washington told ABC News.
An Oklahoma man reeled in a catfish so large it broke one of his scales and damaged two others.
George Washington, 35, caught the 60-pound Flathead catfish when he was out Sunday night at the East Cache Creek in Lawton, Oklahoma.
He felt his casting pole tug shortly after tossing it in the water with the bait around 10 p.m.
Washington, an experienced fisher who usually goes out four or five times a week, began to try and pull it before realizing the fish wasn't budging. And it was big.
After about 20 minutes of tugging, Washington said his arms felt like he had "been lifting weights all day."
"It became a massive fight," Washington told ABC News on Tuesday.
But finally, he managed to tire his catch out and reel it in.
Washington said the 60-pound fish, measuring 4 feet, 1 inch, was the biggest he's ever caught. When he tried to weigh it using three different scales, all of which maxed out at 50 pounds, the fish's size crushed them.
"Once all his weight dropped, one broke, one malfunctioned and one would not give an accurate read," he said.
Washington said he had to call wildlife rangers for a proper weighing.
Flathead catfish can reach a size of 3 to 4 feet and weigh more than 100 pounds, according to the Texas Park and Wildlife.
Washington said he filleted the fish after he caught it and froze it to enjoy later, filling up a five gallon bucket.
"You could feed five or six families," he added.
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