A Putnam County angler caught a state record freshwater drum on April 24 in Mason County, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has confirmed.
John Gibson of Poca, West Virginia, caught the 27.88-pound, 35.59-inch freshwater drum on the Kanawha River, breaking the previous record for weight, which was 27 pounds held by Charles Mickel Lott since 1989.
Bill Dawkins maintains the record for length with a 37-inch freshwater drum caught in the Little Kanawha River in 1954.
The freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens, is a fish endemic to North and Central America. The freshwater drum prefers clear water, such as that found in the lower Kanawha.
Anglers who believe they may have caught a state record fish should check the current records in the fishing regulations at wvdnr.gov. Procedures for reporting a record catch also are included in the regulations.