Delaware’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Announces New State Record Blue Catfish catch

SEAFORD, DE – DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife has confirmed a new state record in the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament: a 43-inch, 47.75-pound blue catfish caught August 31, 2019 on the Nanticoke River by Colt Williamson of Harrington. Williamson caught the record catfish while fishing with his father, Rexx Williamson, battling the fish for 25 minutes.

The record catch was initially weighed by Taylored Tackle Shop in Seaford and later verified by Johnny Moore, a fisheries biologist with the Division of Fish & Wildlife. This new state record catfish is more than 11 pounds larger than the previous state record, a 36.32-pound blue catfish caught from the Nanticoke River in 2017 by Jordan Chelton, also of Harrington, and whose catch also was weighed by Taylored Tackle Shop in Seaford.

A list of all Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament state records is available at the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Records page.

More information on the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament and state record fish can be found in the 2019 Delaware Fishing Guide. The guide is also available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk in the Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, and from license agents throughout the state.