FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources confirmed another inaugural state record for a fish species which was added to the lineup of state records in the Mountain State.
John Plott of Oak Hill, W.Va. caught the first state record for the redear sunfish back on June 6th while fishing at Fayette County’s Plum Orchard Lake. The fish set the inaugural record for weight at 1lb.-12 oz. It’s also the inaugural record for length at exactly 12-inches. Prior to last year, the record books simply recognized a bluegill record and did not further break down the specific species of sunfish.
MetroNews caught up with Plott as he was back at Plum Orchard Lake just a few days after the historic catch.
“When I pulled him in, I was thinking, ‘Man I ain’t never seen a bluegill or a sunfish as big as you!’ I knew he was something special,” laughed Plott in an interview for West Virginia Outdoors.
Listen to “John Plott — Record Redear Sunfish” on Spreaker.
The big fish was lurking along the edge of the numerous lilly pads around the banks of the lake. Plott was fishing from the bank and made a move to try and get on the outer edge of those pads by walking along a downed tree which was extended out into the water. As he balanced on the log with his ultra light pole, he was shocked when the big fish hit.
“When he hit and he was running back and forth I was thinking, oh boy. I had to mess with the drag a little bit because he was running back and forth and I never expected to catch such a big sunfish,” he explained. “He was going back and forth and man it was fun. I said, ‘Man, you’re a monster!'”
When he finally got the fish in hands and did a balance beam walk back to the shore he got a bucket filled up with water and deposited the fish. Then Plott hooked up a small aerator in hopes of keeping it for a live release. Although he was unable to make contact with the DNR on that day, he managed to keep the fish alive until the next day when he was able to have it officially measured and certified. He then was able to put the sunfish back into the waters of Plum Orchard.
“You know it doesn’t happen every day, catching a record fish. It’s an honor,” he said.