BOB MAINDELLE: Kayaker lands pending file Belton Lake black crappie | Outdoor Sports

On March 27, Johnathon Griffith, age 33, was fishing from his kayak on Belton Lake.

The outing produced a person white bass and 4 crappie.

Amongst those crappie caught was a black crappie — Belton holds both equally white crappie and black crappie — which would eclipse the existing lake report of 1.04 kilos and 12.13 inches landed on May possibly 11, 2020.

Griffith chose to fish in the night below apparent skies. The large crappie bit ideal all-around sunset as he held his bait all-around 15 feet deep in excess of fish-holding protect previously mentioned a approximately 46-foot base.

Griffith explained the capture this way: “I was assisting an more mature child who was kayaking with his family members, demonstrating him the framework on the sonar and circling the construction, allowing for the minnow to sit just earlier mentioned it. When supporting him, I was basically distracted and skipped the bite. But the 11-foot All-Star rod bent double with enough flex to set the hook, and the fish was landed following a brief combat.”

On this night, Griffith had picked to bait up with a medium-sized reside minnow.

Griffith, an industrial mechanic who was born in Belton and moved to Killeen a few yrs back, was introduced to the activity of fishing by his grandfather, Frankie Pruett. Griffith fondly remembers roaming the banking institutions of Nolan Creek as a boy studying to fish.

Now, each Griffith’s wife, Stephanie, and his 3-12 months-previous son, Thomas, are all associated in angling.

The moment Griffith realized his catch experienced document-guide likely, he contacted me in my ability as an official Texas Parks and Wildlife Department weigh station. We determined that the fish would be a document if entered in the retained fish category.

We agreed to meet the adhering to afternoon to receive the necessary photographs, body weight and duration measurements. In the meantime, Griffith stored the fish in an ice bathtub to stay away from excess weight loss through dehydration.

Around 6 p.m. on March 28, Griffith arrived at my spot of organization. We took a photo of him holding the fish, we measured the fish with the mouth closed and tail lobes pinched collectively and photographed the fish on the ruler, and we weighed the fish on a certified scale, with a disinterested, unrelated 3rd-occasion current to witness the weighing.

The fish taped specifically 13 inches and weighed in at 1.375 lbs ., hence qualifying the fish as the pending lake file for that species in the held fish classification.

Griffith fishes from a Massive Fish 120 kayak geared up with a Garmin Striker 4 Furthermore Crystal clear-Vu sonar device and Scotty rod holders. The 11-foot All-Star rod was mated with an Optimus reel loaded with 6-pound exam Berkley monofilament. The live minnow was fished on a #4 Tru-Change crappie hook with a one particular-eighth ounce egg weight hooked up close to 24-inches earlier mentioned the hook.

After his record is reviewed and certified by TPWD, Griffith will acquire a certification in hard copy by mail attesting to the history position of the fish. TPWD is at present operating by way of a COVID-19 relevant backlog of history purposes. As I have described beforehand, TPWD now presents anglers publishing information with the adhering to automatic response:

“Thank you for calling the Angler Recognition Application of Texas Parks and Wildlife, your information has been received.  While we consider to answer requests for information promptly, we are at the moment going through a substantial volume of application submissions and application position requests.  

“Angler Recognition Award apps are remaining processed in the buy they were being been given. An email notification will be sent to you at the time your software commences the verification system.  Development on the backlog of awards will be claimed on the Fish Record and Awards webpage as a exclusive detect, we update this twice monthly. 

“The Angler Recognition Plan team will perform difficult to supply good quality information and facts and support to you regarding your inquiry or submission.  We enjoy your tolerance when the Angler Recognition Application is in this time of changeover.”