On February 10th, a Maryland man went fishing for a day and ended up breaking the state record.
Betheda resident Jean-Philippe Lartigue, 65, told Fox News Digital that he went fishing as usual, but never imagined he would catch a fish as big as the record-setting rainbow trout.
The former fisheries biologist spent time “consulting with African governments” before retiring and settling in Maryland, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (Maryland DNR) wrote in a recent press release.
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Lartigue has been fishing since he was 10 years old and had practiced for years, so when he finally felt the pull of a fish, he knew he was about to catch something big along Antietam Creek, he told Fox News Digital. told.
Jean-Philippe Lartigue set a new Maryland record on Feb. 10 when he caught a 17.44-pound rainbow trout along Antietam Creek. (Jean-Philippe Lartigue)
He said he quickly found himself gripping the rod tightly when the big fish started fighting.
“When Lartigue caught the giant rainbow, he used a long 12-foot crappie-style rod, a spinning reel, 8-pound test monofilament line, a small split-shot weight, and a No. 8 hook with a natural worm bait. and was fishing for trout,” the Maryland DNR reported.
Lartigue struggled with the fish for nearly 30 minutes, worried that the line would break if he pulled too hard.
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He was also in a rocky area and didn’t want his 8-pound line to get caught on anything sharp or breakable. That way, he could have lost his record-breaking fish.
Lartigue felt he had caught something big, but it wasn’t until after a long 30-minute fight that he got a good look at the giant prey. (Jean-Philippe Lartigue)
After a fierce battle, Lartigue had to go into the water and catch it by hand, as he did not have a net.
Lartigue returned to his car and, with the help of other fishermen at the scene, contacted the Maryland DNR and located the nearest weigh station.
Lartigue headed to Ernst’s Country Market in Clear Springs and weighed the fish at 17.44 pounds on a certified scale, according to a Maryland DNR press release. The catch was 32 inches.
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“We are very impressed with the weight of the fish, which beats the previous record by more than 3 pounds, a record that many in our department believe will never be broken. “This is a record,” said Recreational Fishing Outreach Coordinator Eric Zlokovitz. release.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources confirmed Lartigue’s catch was a new record, beating the previous record holder by more than 3 pounds. (Jean-Philippe Lartigue/iStock)
The previous record for rainbow trout in Maryland was set in 1987 when the fish weighed 14.2 pounds.
Lartique said he is grateful to the young fishermen who came with him and helped create this record and the official record.
“They did everything for me and everything went very well. I want to thank all these people,” he told FOX News Digital.
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Lartigue said he was excited about his catch and that it “feels good” to break the state record.
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