Man catches record-breaking pumpkinseed sunfish in West Virginia

A West Virginia man caught a record-breaking pumpkinseed sunfish, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources announced. 

Robert Glover of Morgantown reeled in the record-setting fish in Cheat Lake in Monongalia County on Aug. 6, the agency said in a news release. The fish was 9.76 inches long and 0.75 pounds. The catch broke the previous record set on July 14 by Sierra Adamson of Beverly, who nabbed a 9.13-inch, 0.62-pound pumpkinseed sunfish from the Tygart Valley River in Randolph County, CBS affiliate WDTV reported.

Glover used a nightcrawler on a 6-pound test line, the news release said. District 1 fisheries biologist Dustin Smith certified the record. 

"The pumpkinseed state record category was established in 2024 along with redbreast, redear, black crappie and redhorse," Paul Johansen, chief of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources's Wildlife Resources section, said. "Until this year, a record pumpkinseed hadn't been caught. However, amazingly this is the third record set in the last month for this beautiful sunfish."  

Anyone 15 and older must have a West Virginia fishing license, which can be purchased online.