Record-breaking 36-pound channel catfish caught in Allegheny River: "That just doesn't happen"

A 36-pound channel catfish was caught in the Allegheny River, setting a new state record.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission said the giant fish was caught by 44-year-old David Taylor Jr. of Munhall on the evening of Oct. 3. 

Taylor and his friend Alex Atkinson of Sewickley Township were fishing in the Tri-State Hawg Hunters tournament on the Allegheny River and had just set their lines below the Highland Park Lock and Dam near Sixmile Island around 8 p.m. when Atkinson told Taylor there was something tugging on his line. 

Taylor said he initially thought his catch was a blue catfish, and it wasn't until Sunday morning when the pair returned to the tournament weigh-in at the Southside Public Boat Launch that another angler suggested that his catch might actually be a very large channel catfish.

Taylor suspected he had a record-breaker on his hands, so he took it to a certified scale at Reddi Bait and Tackle in Bridgewater, where the fish weighed in at 36 pounds and 2 ounces. But since the scale couldn't produce a printout of the official weight, which is required for breaking a record in Pennsylvania, Taylor had to get the fish weighed somewhere else.

The Fish and Boat Commission said he arranged to meet Waterways Conservation Officer Abigail Luteri in Ford City, where a certified scale was also available. Though the fish seemed to be doing fine in the livewell, Taylor was concerned about it making the trip. 

"I told her that my biggest concern was the health of the fish, and if I felt I had to, I would pull over and release the fish, even if it cost me a chance at the state record," Taylor said in a press release from the Fish and Boat Commission. 

Fortunately, he said he had caught a tough fish, and it made it to Goodman's Bait and Tackle, where it once again weighed in at 36 pounds and 2 ounces, beating the previous state record set in Northampton County in 1991 by 9 ounces. While only weight is considered for record certification in Pennsylvania, the fish also measured 42 inches long with a girth of 26 inches.

After the weigh-in and in-person fish inspection, Taylor and Luteri went to a nearby access point on the Allegheny River and released the channel fish in good health. 

"Everything worked out in the end, and it feels incredible," Taylor said. "I want to thank my friend, Alex, the bait shops, and Officer Luteri for their help. Honestly, I've always dreamed of catching a state record, but I thought it would be a Flathead Catfish because we catch so many big ones out here in Pittsburgh. So, to catch a Channel Catfish that size? That just doesn't happen. It just goes to show, you never know what's on the other side of that hook. It could be just another fish, or it could be life changing. My advice to other anglers is to pay attention to your tackle and have confidence in your gear. Always make sure your line is strong and hooks are sharp for a moment like this."