Jeff Wilkins (left), with assistance from Will Haycraft, holds the new state record bigmouth buffalo he landed while fishing on Percy Priest Lake. Wilkins released the 62-pound fish the following afternoon back into the lake near the dam.
photo by TWRA Photo
A Mt. Juliet angler has etched his name into the Tennessee Fishing State Record Book as a result of his recent catch of a bigmouth buffalo on Percy Priest Lake.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has confirmed the record catch for Jeff Wilkins, who landed a 62 pound trophy right at dusk on March 31. The fish was 45 inches in length and was caught in the Seven Points area of the lake.
Wilkins was using a 7-foot rod with a Bass Pro Shops Xtreme reel with a 12-lb. test line. He was using a Rat-L-Trap for his lure. It took the angler about 35 minutes to reel in the fish. Wilkins, who was fishing for bass, had just landed a 6-lb. largemouth.
Wilkins thought he may be close to a record after he got the fish into his boat. He rented a large tub to keep the fish alive overnight. After going through the procedures to certify the fish as a new record, Wilkins released the fish back into the lake near Percy Priest Dam the following afternoon.
The new record surpasses the previous mark of 52 lbs., 2 oz. previously held since April 6, 2001 by Greg Megibben that also came on Priest.
The criteria to be considered for a state record fish along with the new record application and instructions, state records and fishing license information are in the 2010 TWRA Tennessee Fishing Guide. Information is also available on the TWRA Web site at www.tnwildlife.org by clicking on “Fishing” located on the left side of the home page.