Record-breaking fish was caught in a Kansas farm pond, officials say. Is that allowed?
A record-breaking fish was caught in a Kansas farm pond this year, and not everyone thinks that should count.
Angler Tami Sanderson, of Goodland, reeled in the yellow perch using a minnow as bait in February, according to a June 29 post from Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks.
The fish, weighing 1.46 pounds and measuring 13.66 inches, recently became an official record breaker.
Sanderson was fishing at a Sherman County farm pond — and that detail had some surprised this was allowed. Others thought the fish should not be considered a state record because of where it was caught.
“I have an issue with Farm ponds or ponds in general being allowed to claim record fish,” one person commented. “Because you could grow those fish to whatever size to claim a record. Also fishing in a pond is like shooting fish in the barrel.”
“All records should have to be from public water or have 2 categories,” said another.
“I agree,” a Facebook user replied. “We all can’t fish in farm ponds where the fish are raised for a select few.”
Not only is this allowed, this also isn’t the first time a record-breaking fish was reeled in from a Kansas farm pond.
Sanderson is the seventh angler with a current record caught at a farm pond, according to state fish records. Other record fish caught from farm ponds include a bullhead catfish, green sunfish and smallmouth buffalo.
In Kansas, the official application for a potential state record fish requires the following:
A Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks fisheries biologist or supervisor must identify and witness the fish
A “sharp, color photo” of the fish must be sent in
The fish must have been weighed before being frozen
It must be a species recognized on the state record list
In some cases, officials may require a tissue sample
Sanderson’s yellow perch broke a record that stood for 22 years, officials said. The previous record perch, caught in Coffey County in 2000, weighed 1.06 pounds and measured 14 inches.
Sherman County is in the northwest corner of Kansas.
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