A man from Tennessee broke the blue catfish state record for a second time.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) confirmed that Micka Burkhart, of Big Rock, Tennessee, beat his own record with a catfish that weighed at 122 pounds and three ounces.
Burkhart caught the record-breaking catfish from the Barkley Reservoir in Stewart County, and it measured 57.5 inches in length and 42.5 inches in girth, according to a press release issued on Thursday, July 13.
FISHERMAN IN GEORGIA REELS IN 27-POUND LONGNOSE GAR, MAY BE LARGEST IN LAKE ALLATOONA HISTORY
The TWRA explained that Burkhart caught his latest record breaker on Wednesday, June 28, but the certification and official record process was officially completed on Tuesday, July 11.
Fox News Digital reached out to Burkhart for comment.
Burkhart’s current record catfish outweighed the 118-pound blue catfish he caught from the Barkley Reservoir in September 2022 by four pounds and three ounces, according to the TWRA.
Both of Burkhart’s record catfish were reportedly released.
Blue catfish are a coastal and inland fish that can be found in many states throughout New England, the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries.
The NOAA reports that blue catfish have a lifespan that’s typically between nine and 10 years, but some have lived up to 25 years.
WYOMING ANGLER BREAKS TIGER TROUT STATE RECORD WITH 31-INCH CATCH: 'MOST EXCITING DAY OF MY LIFE'
On average, blue catfish are less than two feet in length, though some can grow to five feet, according to the NOAA.
In terms of appearance, blue catfish are silvery-blue in color with a white belly, and they have smooth skin that lacks scales, according to the NOAA.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
The species can also be identified by their flat dorsal fins, deeply forked tails and four pairs of black whisker-like barbels around their mouths.
Blue catfish have become a popular game fish because the species has been shown to be "strong," "savvy" and "a good challenge," according to the NOAA.
The world’s largest blue catfish caught on record weighed 143 pounds. It was reeled in from Kerr Lake, a reservoir in between North Carolina and Virginia, in 2011, according to records kept by the International Game Fish Association, a nonprofit organization that maintains angling records.
