Ohio catfish record? New Richmond 15-year-old catches monster while jug fishing

A 15-year-old new Richmond girl may have landed the biggest blue catfish ever caught in Ohio.

Jaylynn Parker, a New Richmond High School sophomore, caught the 101.11-pound fish on the Ohio River on Monday, her family said.

"I’ve been going fishing with my dad, Chuck Parker ever since I was a little kid and it has always been one of my favorite things to do," Jaylynn said. "The last few years we started jugging on the Ohio River when it occasionally floods and we have had a lot of success in doing this."

Jugging or floatline fishing is when you attach a baited hook to a large float, like a milk jug, and wait for the fish to take the bait. The fish can be landed by pulling in the jug or float.

Jaylynn said her dad and their family friend, Jeff Sams, helped her pull in the fish since it weighed nearly as much as her. In a statement, she thanked them both for supporting her.

It was a two-person job to lift the leviathan back into the river. Sams and Jaylynn leaped into the river to celebrate after releasing the catfish.

"I am excited to see where my fishing adventures lead, and I hope to catch a bigger one soon!" Jaylynn said.

She is still waiting for confirmation from the state that her fish, which measured 56 inches long and 39 inches around, is the biggest ever caught in Ohio.

The Ohio record for a blue catfish is currently 96 pounds held by Chris Rolph of Williamsburg who caught the 54 1/2-inch fish in the Ohio River on June 11, 2009. The world record is a 143-pound blue catfish measuring almost 57 inches taken from a Virginia lake in 2011.

The Enquirer reached out to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. At 10 a.m., the agency had not replied to requests for comment.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio catfish record? 15-year-old catches monster while jug fishing