Ravenswood, W.Va. (WTAP) – What started as a spontaneous evening boat ride turned into a historic, record-breaking night on the water for a Ravenswood man and his family.
Tyler Harmon, his father, and his son headed out for a quick fishing trip along the Ohio River on Friday. Within an hour of hitting the water, he reeled in a massive 72.75-pound blue catfish, setting a new West Virginia state record.
“Just got that, that itch to go fishing,” Harmon said. “I asked my son, I was like hey, you want to go out on the boat for a little bit this evening? He got all excited and was ready to go.”
Harmon called his father on the way to the boat ramp to invite him along. Within 20 minutes of setting up at their spot, the record-breaking fish struck.
The state-record catfish measured 48.15 inches in length and boasted a 33.5-inch girth. While the physical catch is historic, Harmon said having three generations of his family in the boat to experience it together is the real prize.
“It was great,” Harmon said. “Having three generations on the boat. Watching my son and my dad react to the size of the fish. It’s just amazing.”
News of the massive catch is spreading rapidly online. Harmon’s personal Facebook post has already garnered hundreds of reactions and over 100 shares, quickly grabbing the attention of local fishing communities and regional tournament pages.
“It’s been amazing,” Harmon said. “The Facebook post has made it around as far as I can think of. My personal post has shared over 100 times and it’s hard to tell where it’s been seen at.”
State officials with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources have confirmed the record-breaking dimensions. For the Harmon family, it is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone they will carry with them forever.
The fish was released back into the water.
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