The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has certified a new state record for the biggest flathead catfish.

According to the PFBC, angler Michael Wherley of Fayetteville, Franklin County reeled in a huge catfish from the Susquehanna River on May 14. Wherley was aboard a 16-foot bass boat on a section of the river known as Lake Aldred, near Conestoga in Lancaster County.

Around 10 a.m., Wherley and his friend Walter “Tommy” Clark wsaw that three of their four rods had hooked fish simultaneously. The first two were 30 pounds and 45 pounds, according to Wherley, with the latter breaking the net when they tried to bring it into the boat.

The final fish was reeled in after a 30 minute battle, at the end of which Wherley handed off the rod and grabbed the fish by the mouth with both hands to pull it aboard. They kept the animal alive by placing it into a large plastic tote filled with water and an aerator, and had it taken to a nearby Columbia bait and Tackle where it was measured with a certified scale.

With certification from a PFBC waterways conservation officer, Wherley’s catfish was recorded as weighing 66 pounds, 6 ounces, beating the previous record of 56 pounds, 3 ounces by over 10 pounds. Wherley’s fish measured 50.25 inches long with a girth of 35 inches.

After certification and confirmation that the previous record was exceeded by more than two ounces, the fish was released back into the river.

“This is just incredible, and I’m really glad we were able to release the fish back into the river,” Wherley said to the PFBC. “My previous personal best flathead was 44 pounds last year. I know I’ve had bigger ones on the line, but they got off before I could get them on the boat. I’ll enjoy this record as long as it lasts, but I’m sure it will probably be broken in a year or two, if not sooner. I’m a hundred-percent certain there are even bigger fish out there.”