KENT COUNTY, Mich. – A Michigan man broke a state record by catching a massive fish.
Sedrick Neinhuis, an angler from Lowell, was spincasting on the Grand River in Kent County on April 22, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
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He caught a record-breaking gizzard shad weighing 4.45 pounds and measuring 20.3 inches in length.
The previous state record gizzard shad was caught in 1996 on Lake St. Clair. It was 4.12 pounds and 21 inches long.
Gizzard shads are native to Michigan and are named for the muscular organ filled with grit and stones that helps the fish break down food.
“We kind of knew the fish was there,” DNR fisheries biologist Matt Diana said. “Our mission this year was to get one close to 5 pounds. There are a lot of big ones out there, but it’s one of those fish people don’t ever report. I’m hoping next year we can get one even bigger.”
Diana verified the new state-record catch. Michigan’s state-record fish are recognized by weight only, and must have to exceed the current listed weight to qualify. They must also be weighed on a certified commercial scale annd be identified by a DNR fisheries biologist.
Click here to view a current list of Michigan state fish records by species.