Man from Wayne County Catches State & World Record Breaking Fish

(Williamsville) Congratulations to Devlin Rich of Wayne County for catching a new state record spotted gar and after further review, it’s a world record fish.

The man from Williamsville was fishing with a pole-and-line at Wappapello Lake on February 25th when he reeled in the 10-pound and 9-ounce gar.

This fish beat the current spotted gar world record of 9-pounds and 12-ounces set back in 1994.

Spotted gar is rather common and widely distributed in the Bootheel lowlands of southeastern Missouri.

Gar are generally associated with warm, sluggish backwaters.

They frequently rise to the water’s surface, opening and closing their jaws with a loud snap, then sinking below.

This behavior allows them to swallow air into their swim bladder, which allows it to function much like a lung.

This adaptation helps them survive in still or slow waters with relatively low oxygen levels.

Missouri Department of Conservation staff verified Rich’s record-breaking catch on a certified scale in Williamsville.

This is the second state record caught in 2021 and both records belong to residents of the listening area.

A Jefferson County woman caught a state record yellow perch back in early March.