Last month, the angling community in southeast Oklahoma buzzed with excitement as Bradley Courtwright made headlines by reeling in a giant flathead catfish, tipping the scales at nearly 100 pounds. This record breaking catch occurred in Pine Creek Reservoir located in McCurtain County.
Utilizing a traditional fishing technique known as a trotline, Bradley Courtwright landed this monster fish. A trotline consists of a heavy fishing line, a hook and a weight that are all attached to either a float or overhanging branch.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation highlighted Courtwright’s achievement in a social media post, celebrating the catch as the largest flathead ever recorded in Pine Creek history. Surpassing the existing rod and reel record by nearly 20 pounds, Courtwright’s fish secured its spot in the record books.
Despite this remarkable achievement, Courtwright’s catch barely missed claiming the state’s unrestricted division record, falling short by only 11 pounds. This record was set in 1977, as another angler caught a 106-pound catfish using a trot line similar to the one Bradly Courtwright used.
According to one of Courtwright’s family members, this fish was kept and used to feed tons of hungry mouths.
