40-year-old Kansas state fishing record broken

SHAWNEE (KSNT) – State wildlife officials say a new state fishing record has been set with a bow-angler from Parsons.

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) spokeswoman Nadia Marji said in a press release that Michal Starr Jr. broke the state fishing record for spotted gar earlier this year. Starr pulled in a 34.5-inch spotted gar weighing in at 7.98 pounds in late July at Big Hill Reservoir in Labette County.

Marji said the previous state fishing record for spotted gar was held by another bow-angler named Charles Harbert of Arma. His record spotted gar was caught at Chetopa Dam in 1983 and measured in at 33.5 inches and weighed 7.75 pounds.

New state fishing records are set if they meet the following conditions:

The fish is a species recognized on the current list of Kansas state record fish

The fish is caught by a licensed angler using legal means

The fish is identified by a Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks district fisheries biologist or regional fisheries supervisor

The fish is weighed on a certified scale prior to being frozen

The fish is photographed, in color, and a state record application is filled out

The mandatory 30-day waiting period has passed.

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