72-Pound Catfish Caught In Oklahoma

ODWC / Facebook

Two Oklahoma fishermen are going to have plenty of fish fry after catching a monster catfish weighing north of 70 pounds last week in Choctaw County, Oklahoma.

Hazyn Harmon and Drew Meals were fishing at Hugo Lake when they caught a giant flathead catfish measuring 51 inches in length and weighing in at 72 pounds.  According to a Facebook post from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Harmon and Meals were using a trotline when they caught it.

https://www.facebook.com/OkWildlifeDept/photos/a.262353923814227/3003153266400932/?type=3&theater

Flathead catfish are widely dispersed throughout the United States and common sizes range from 10 to 20 pounds. As ambush predators they tend to hide in cover and engulf unsuspecting fish which is why many anglers who target this species will fish with live bait. Their large mouth allows them to eat fairly large prey for their size.

While flathead catfish aren’t considered rare, they can be difficult to catch for a number of reasons…especially if they weigh more than 50 pounds. If you’re trying to catch a big flathead trophy, they tend to be elusive and put up a massive fight by burrowing deep into the mud when hooked.

The biggest flathead catfish on record was caught in Kansas back in 1998 and weighed 123 pounds.

Many people will argue that the smaller flatheads generally taste better than the bigger giants that have been around longer, but most people can agree that no matter the size, if you deep fry it with a dash of hot sauce it’s going to be delicious.

In case you’re craving fried catfish now, watch this video below for a tasty tutorial on how to cook your own.