I would like to congratulate my friend Dale Lowe Jr. on this 141 pound blue catfish caught during the Ice Bowl fishing tournament on Kerr Lake! This fish was just 2 pounds shy of the world record and is the largest fish to ever be weighed on certified scales and RELEASED ALIVE! Dale was accompanied by his son Chase Lowe and teammate Stephen Faircloth. The fish was kept alive, largely in part to our very own Austin Sartin. As the owner of NC Marine Fabrication, Austin had a tank on his boat that he custom built to the specs of the 143 pound world record (caught on Kerr Lake in 2011). The fish was kept in the tank for about 6 hours total, and was only taken out to be weighed and again to be released. Much care was taken in the handling of this fish, to ensure that he swam away strong and healthy. Click here to see a video of the fish being released! It was very exciting to be a part of this fish tale, and I am glad to be a part of a group of guys who is so adamant about the catch and release of these trophy fish. I truly believe this is why Kerr Lake continues to spit out record breaking fish, and I hope that we can preserve the fishery for our children and grandchildren to enjoy!
