A veteran guide, Mike Frenette, was fishing out of Venice, Louisiana, with two visiting anglers on Feb. 19 when a slow day turned around in a hurry. After a late start due to fog and no fish by early afternoon, Frenette decided to run to a new spot rather than grind it out where they were.

At a shallow channel dropping into the Gulf, they found heavy current, schools of big mullet, and pelicans diving—signs of active fish. On the first cast, Jason Halfen, visiting from Boston, hooked a huge redfish on a 3/4-ounce Strike King Red Eyed Shad crankbait. His partner, Mike Enloe from Kansas, switched to the same lure after a few unproductive casts and quickly started hooking big reds as well.

Halfen fought his fish for at least 20 minutes on heavy spinning gear with 20-pound braid. When Frenette finally got it to the boat, he said he couldn’t lift it into the boat by himself. Once aboard, they measured the redfish at 48.25 inches long with a 34-inch girth.

Even though the fish had the look of a potential Louisiana record, they couldn’t legally keep it for an official weigh-in. Frenette said regulations require bull reds to be released unharmed, so they measured it and let it go. Based on length-and-girth estimates, Frenette believed it could have outweighed the current Louisiana record redfish of 61 pounds caught in 1992, but the fish was never officially weighed.

Why it matters

• A fish that may have exceeded the standing Louisiana record couldn’t be certified because it couldn’t be legally retained for an official weigh.
• The measurements (48.25 inches long, 34-inch girth) show how exceptional some bull reds can be in that fishery.
• The release requirement means trophy-class fish can survive to spawn and support the local redfish population.

What to do next

• Know the local rules before you fish—especially retention and release requirements for bull reds.
• If you land an unusually large fish you must release, document it carefully with clear photos and accurate length-and-girth measurements.

Source

Original reporting by www.outdoorlife.com: https://www.outdoorlife.com/fishing/potential-louisiana-record-redfish-released/