An Augusta angler just caught the biggest gizzard shad ever recorded in Missouri state history.
Brian Rehmeier of Augusta, Missouri caught a gizzard shad large enough to make the record book while fishing for catfish bait. In fact, Rehmeier was snagging Asian carp when he hooked the big shad.
"I was trying to catch Asian carp when I snagged the gizzard shad," he said. "I knew the shad I caught was pretty big, but never thought it would be a state record."
Rehmeier was fishing on Bigelow Creek just off the Missouri River. His shad weighed 2-pounds, 10-ounces and measured 17.9-inches long. The fish beat the previous record gizzard shad weight of 2-pounds, 6-ounces caught in 2017.
Rehmeier with his record gizzard shad and his two children, Jack and Emma. Facebook
Rather than cut the shad up into catfish bait, Rehmeier decided to check the state fishing records.
"I was pretty surprised to learn the fish I snagged would now be the new state record," he said. "It's not the coolest state-record fish, but I'll take it!"
While not a glamorous fishing record, Rehmeier agreed that it's still pretty great to be in the record book for such an unusual and incidental catch.
Missouri fishing records are registered in one of two categories: standard rod-and-line and "alternative" method. Rehmeier's fish will be confirmed in the alternative methods category. This category includes throwlines, trotlines, limb lines, bank lines, jug lines, spearfishing, snagging, snaring, gigging, grabbing, archery, and atlatl.
We have to wonder if any fish have ever been registered as being caught with the use of an atlatl!
Missouri Department of Conservation Specialist Andrew Branson praised the state's fishing season this year, saying "2019 is shaping up to be a year for state-record fish," he exclaimed. "The gorgeous weather we are beginning to have this year means more anglers are fishing and catching big fish."
Rehmeier indicated that he is planning on having his unusual record mounted.
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