Thread: Possible another state record

That would make the 3rd fish caught this yeart as a state record.

c/p

Genesee Township man lands possible state record fish

By Liz Shaw | Flint Journal

October 27, 2009, 6:02PM



GENESEE TOWNSHIP, Michigan — A Genesee Township man may have landed a new state fishing record. Deaunti Kemp, 28, caught what he believes is a 2-pound, 14-ounce bluegill in shallow water on Lake Nepessing in Lapeer County on Monday afternoon.
The current state record for a bluegill is 2 pounds 12 ounces, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Master Angler Program. Kemp’s fish will have to be verified by a DNR fisheries biologist before it can be officially listed as the new state record.
Fisheries biologist Joe Leonardi, who came out to inspect the fish, said it resembles a species of sunfish but an exact determination will have to be made. All three sunfish species in the state records are under two pounds.
The prize fish is already the rage at Cobb Bait and Tackle, 5123 N. Saginaw Street on the border of Genesee and Mt. Morris townships, where Kemp bought the leaf worms he used to hook the heavy fish.
“To be honest, right now it’s mostly fishing with minnows. That’s why it’s real surprising. But bluegill will bite anything. They’re not the sharpest knife in the drawer, that’s for sure,” joked Katrina Cobb, who co-owns the shop with husband James.
Kemp said she’s already planning to celebrate the shop’s ties to the record fish.
“We’re gonna have a big sign with Deaunti’s picture to put inthe front. I’m gonna get him a jacket made up too,” said Cobb, laughing. “I want everyone to know we’ve got the best bait right here.”
Kemp said he and a cousin had been out on the water less than two hours when he landed the fish around 4 p.m. It was only the second time he’d fished that particular lake, he said.
“We were catching small ones is all. My bobber kept dropping in and out from the top so I’m thinking it was one of those little ones again because he didn’t quite hit it. Then i set the hook and he did a nose dive trying to run straight to the bottom,” said Kemp.
“I noticed my line had tightened up real good and my pole bent over. I didn’t what it was yet but right then I knew for sure it was something big.”
The gill didn’t put up much of a fight, Kemp said.
“His mouth was big enough I could get my thumb in and get him by the lip like a bass,” said Kemp.
He was using 4-lb. test fire line on an Ugly Stik.
“That’s what I always use. You get a lot of action with them. They’re not too stiff,” said Kemp.
A local taxidermist has already offered to mount the fish after all the hoopla is done.
After that?
“I’m gonna keep the meat, batter it with cornmeal, seasoning salt and black pepper, and fry it up,” said Kemp

now thats one big fish

Nice fish record or not.

nice catch