24 Pound Monster Catfish Shot by SDSU Students is a World Record

When SDSU students Cody Sechser, 19, and Isaac Kipp, 18, took their bow and arrows to a section of Skunk Creek about 10 miles north of Hartford on the 9th of June, they didn't expect to break any records for channel catfish. In fact, they were on the hunt for carp. But when they came upon a monster cat they took the shot.

According to the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks:

"Cody Sechser and Isaac Kipp both were able to stick an arrow in this monster and therefore will both be the newest state record holders. This 24 lb 12 oz giant was shot out of a shallow section of Skunk Creek … there have been numerous hook and line records and this is our first archery record.”

The catfish's official measurements that will go in the record books were 24 pounds, 12 ounces, 38 ½ inches long and 20 ½ girth.

According to News@SDState, the official newspaper of South Dakota State University, after the cat was weighed, video was shot, and plenty of pictures were taken, the boys fried the beast in a skillet.

“For a solid two hours (after the catch), I thought I was dreaming. It didn’t even seem like it was real. To be honest, I didn’t even sleep that first night.” - Cody Sechser

And by the way, somewhere in the south, there is a man who held the channel catfish record for less than 2 weeks with a 23 pounder.