A routine family fishing outing near Ravenswood on the Ohio River produced an extraordinary catch that has been verified as a new West Virginia state record.
Family evening turned record-setting
Tyler Harmon, fishing with his father, Rodney, and his 4-year-old son, Walker, said the trio had headed out late in the day with modest expectations: find something small his son could reel in. Instead, one of the rods bent under the weight of what proved to be a monumental blue catfish.
The fish, later weighed at 72.75 pounds, was fought for roughly 20 minutes as Harmon worked to keep the line clear of submerged brush and the boat’s anchor line. The family had been fishing behind their 18-foot aluminum boat with four catfish rods, in a stretch of river Harmon knew for submerged trees and brush in water about 25 to 30 feet deep.
The struggle and the landing
The catch followed an episode that nearly ended the trip early: a passing barge created a wake that pulled the boat’s anchor loose and set the Harmons adrift. Around that time, one rod began to drag line.
“It just started stripping drag,” Harmon said. “I was like, ‘We’re not stuck on anything. That’s a fish.’”
Rodney Harmon initially thought the line was snagged. As the line continued to pull upriver, Tyler recognized it was an unmistakable fight. He spent the next 20 minutes managing a 40-pound test line, trying to avoid submerged hazards while keeping the fish from wrapping around the boat or anchor line. When the fish first surfaced, young Walker apparently mistook the massive catfish for a shark.
When the fish finally came alongside the boat, Rodney grabbed a landing net, but the catfish proved so heavy it bent the aluminum handle. Working together, the family eventually hoisted the fish on board and realized the full scale of the catch — a fish far larger than anything they'd expected when they left the dock that evening.
Why this matters to anglers in West Virginia
Blue catfish are known to grow large in big rivers, and the Ohio River has produced notable specimens before. A catch of this size carries significance for recreational anglers, the local fishing community and for state records. The landing highlights how routine outings on familiar stretches of river can yield exceptional results, especially where submerged structure provides habitat for large fish.
- Gear used: four catfish rods, 40-pound test line, 18-foot aluminum boat.
- Conditions: late-day trip, water depth roughly 25–30 feet, submerged trees and brush present.
- Factors during catch: passing barge woke the river and shifted the boat, creating added challenges.
A shared effort
The landing emphasized the teamwork of a family trip. Tyler handled much of the fight, Rodney prepared the net and young Walker provided the excitement that turned a quiet evening into a memory the family will likely recount for years.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Species | Blue catfish |
| Weight | 72.75 pounds |
| Location (general) | Ohio River, near Ravenswood, W.Va. |
| Boat | 18-foot aluminum boat |
| Line strength | 40-pound test |
Local reaction and implications
Catch-and-land stories like this tend to resonate with West Virginia anglers because they combine family recreation, the state’s waterways and the possibility of a record. For many recreational fishers, the story illustrates how preparation, local knowledge of structure and a bit of luck can converge in one unforgettable moment. It also underscores the importance of safety; the passing barge that loosened the anchor could have complicated the fight further.
For residents who fish the Ohio River, the Harmons’ experience may prompt anglers to reexamine popular stretches, gear choices and boat handling when large commercial traffic is present.
The catch has been verified as the new state record. For Tyler, Rodney and young Walker, what began as a simple goal — find a small catfish for the boy to land — ended with a state-record blue catfish and a story that will likely become part of family lore.
Colton Ferris is the state correspondent at WE NEWS.
