Anglers established six Class A records and three new Class B standards during the 2016 calendar year. Class A comprises of sport fishing methods while Class B is for other methods other than rod and reel.
The new records were certified by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
Two Class A records were set within two days of each other last March. Chase Rich caught a goldfish, which is a member of the carp family, on Douglas Reservoir. It weighed three pounds, five ounces. Also in East Tennessee, a 6-pound quillback carpsucker was caught on Boone Reservoir by Thomas “Cody” Hyder.
In April, two more records were set. Ronnie Leon Meade caught a 104-pound paddlefish on Cherokee Reservoir. A golden shiner was caught on Kentucky Lake (Bass Bay) by Joseph Wayne Dennie weighing 1 pound, 5 ounces.
In mid-June, Polk County High School sophomore John Morgan was fishing on a farm pond in the county. What began as a trip to remove a snapping turtle later would become a fishing trip that resulted in a new state record for a rainbow trout. He landed an 18 pound, 8 ounce trophy.
The final Class A record of the year came two days after Christmas. Barry L. Parker was fishing on Old Hickory Reservoir and caught a tilapia that weighed 6 pounds and 5.5 ounces.
The Class B records included a tilapia weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces taken on Old Hickory Reservoir by Steve Creekmore in November. Also taken by archery was a golden shiner weighing 11 ounces. It was taken last January by Billy Roberson on Kentucky Lake.
Two channel catfish weighing 18 pounds taken by different methods tied for a new Class B record. Billy Roberson had his second new Class B state record when he took his catfish with commercial gear early last March. John Burch used a limbline for his catch on Tims Ford Lake.
The Tennessee Fishing Guide includes the criteria that must be followed on how to be considered for a state record. The guide may be viewed on the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org in the “For Anglers” section and is available at TWRA regional offices and license agents.