The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recently confirmed a new state-record fish for bigmouth buffalo. This marks the first state-record fish caught in 2017 – and it was caught by an angler who held the previous state record for bigmouth buffalo from 2008.
The new record fish was caught by Roy Beasley of Madison Heights, Michigan, in the River Raisin (Monroe County) Saturday, May 13, at 11 a.m. Beasley was bowfishing. The fish weighed 27 pounds and measured 35.25 inches.
The record was verified by Todd Wills, a DNR fisheries research manager on Lake St. Clair.
Beasley held the previous state-record bigmouth buffalo – this one caught on the Detroit River – from August 2008. That fish weighed 24.74 pounds and measured 34.50 inches.
“More and more people are enjoying the sport of bowfishing and recognizing the thrill it can offer those who pursue it,” said Sara Thomas, the DNR’s Lake Erie Management Unit manager. “The river system in Southeast Michigan offers ample opportunity to catch rather large fish – a huge congrats to Mr. Beasley for having broken this record twice.”
The DNR reminds anglers who bowfish to properly dispose of all specimens they harvest.
State records are recognized by weight only. To qualify for a state record, fish must exceed the current listed state record weight and identification must be verified by a DNR fisheries biologist.
To view a current list of Michigan state fish records, visit michigan.gov/staterecordfish.
