Tennessee angler catches 118-pound catfish, which breaks state record pending verification

What began as a Saturday fishing date with his wife on the Cumberland River in Stewart County ended with Micka Burkhart snagging a 118-pound "monster" catfish.

The fish breaks the state record but is pending official verification, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said. It weighed in at 118 pounds, 7 ounces and measured 54 inches long with a 41-inch girth. Burkhart released it back into the river afterward.

"Now, this is a big blue!" TWRA said in a Facebook post.

The previous record was set when Robert E. Lewis caught a 112-pound catfish in the Cumberland River on June 7, 1998, TWRA spokesperson Barry Cross said.

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Burkhart said he and his wife, Amarie, first realized something unusual was happening around 12:30 p.m. Saturday when he caught the fish using skipjack as bait and a 30-pound test line.

"The rollercoaster ride was on from there," he said.

He said it took 45 minutes and a few extra sets of hands to get the fish into the net, then another 20 minutes to get it on board. Burkhart, who often fishes for catfish and competes in bass tournaments, said he has caught big fish before — but not like this.

"We were just in shock," Burkhart said. "I've seen fish like that on TV, but never had one just laying there in the bottom of my boat."

Burkhart was born in Germany to a military family and also served in the Army and National Guard. He now works as a government contractor and lives in Big Rock, Tennessee. But his love for fishing, which he learned from his dad, has stuck with him for most of his life.

"I've been fishing since I could walk," he said.

He said his dad called and texted everyone he knows after he heard the story about his son's big catch.

"He is very proud," Burkhart said.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee man catches state-record 118-pound catfish