Rodney Akey with his record-setting catch. Photo courtesy of the Michigan DNR.

Breaks Michigan record set in 1943

The Department of Natural Resources confirmed the catch of a new state record flathead catfish. Rodney Akey of Niles, Mich., caught the fish on Tuesday, May 22, on the St. Joseph River in Berrien County at 8 p.m. It weighed 49.8 pounds and measured 45.7 inches. Akey was still-fishing from shore with an alewife when he landed the record fish. The record was verified by Scott Hanshue, a DNR fisheries biologist, at the DNR’s Plainwell office. The previous state record flathead catfish was caught by Elmer Rayner, of Hastings, Mich., on the Maple River in Ionia County on Aug. 6, 1943. That fish weighed in at 47.5 pounds and measured 44 inches.

“I’ve been fishing catfish on the St. Joseph River for the last 20 years, but it never crossed my mind that I would catch a state record,” said Akey. “And beating a nearly 70-year record—that’s a feat in itself!”

State records are recognized by weight only. To qualify for a state record, fish must exceed the current listed state record weight and identification must be verified by a DNR fisheries biologist. For more information about record-breaking fish caught in Michigan, visit www.michigan.gov/masterangler.