Look at the catfish dragged in: Havana fisherman hauls in record blue catfish in Georgia

Jim Henry
Tallahassee Democrat
Tim Trone of Havana with his Georgia state record blue catfish that weighed 110 pounds, 6 ounces.

As Tim Trone fished along the Chattahoochee River in Georgia last Saturday, he never envisioned what was on the end of his line.

Especially when the fish never fought, never pulled the line, never rolled.

“I reeled it up like a 100-pound log,” Trone said. “It was just a little bump. It took about three minutes to reel it in." 

Trone – who lives in Havana, 16 miles north of Tallahassee – is now the new record holder for the largest blue catfish ever caught in Georgia.

The fish weighed 110 pounds, 6 ounces to beat the previous record by more than 17 pounds, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

The previous record of 93 pounds was caught in 2017 on the Altamaha River in southeast Georgia. The current world-record blue catfish recognized by the International Game Fish Association is a 143-pounder caught in June 2011 on Kerr Lake, Virginia. 

Trone’s fish also officially measured out at 58 inches long and had a 42 inch girth.

Trone made his catch during the daytime Chatt Katt catfishing tournament on the Georgia-Alabama line, up river from Lake Eufaula.

He used a Santee rig with cut bream as bait and was fishing in 40- to 45-feet deep water. Trone had three fish in his boat – totaling around 15 pounds – when he hooked the new state record fish around 11:15 a.m. He had been on the water since 8 a.m. 

Tim Trone of Havana with his Georgia state record blue catfish that weighed 110 pounds, 6 ounces.

Trone said he didn't realize how big the fish was until it hit the surface and he saw its tail. 

"Georgia has such great fishing opportunities, and we love to hear about this kind of exciting news," Thom Litts, Chief of Fisheries for the Wildlife Resources Division, said in a news release.

"This is our first state record since last April, and I hope it encourages all anglers to get outdoors and Go Fish Georgia!"

Trone, who celebrated his 49th birthday Wednesday, has been fishing most of his life, and especially enjoys fishing for flathead. He moved to Florida from Illinois nearly 30 years ago. He spent Tuesday night cleaning the fish, promising it would not go to waste. 

Trone admitted Saturday's accomplishment was a surreal moment. 

“I am beside myself – it is amazing,” Trone said. 

Reach Jim Henry at jjhenry@tallahassee.com.

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