Woman Catches Monster Northern Pike Tying Decades Old Record

Woman Catches ‘Monster’ Northern Pike, Tying Decades Old Record

A Connecticut woman caught one for the record books. She reeled in a gigantic Northern Pike, tying a decades old record and having a story to tell her grandchildren one day.

Leslie Slater made her impressive catch in Colebrook’s West Branch Reservoir. The Northern Pike weighed 29 pounds and was 46 inches in length, according to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Slater had been on a kayak fishing trip with her family. Slater was waiting for a bite when she felt a heavy tug on her pole.

“It pulled hard right to the bottom. It almost broke my pole in half,” Slater said. “Then with all of the dead weight, I thought that I had lost the fish and snagged the bottom.”

Slater couldn’t believe the size of the fish when she managed to pull it into her boat.

“Never in my life did I expect to see a freshwater fish of that size come out of Connecticut, the adrenaline rush pulling in a fish that size was awesome,” Slater said. “I still can’t believe I pulled it into my kayak without flipping over or having my toes bitten off.”

Slater measured the Northern Pike at a local deli.

Initially, Slater planned to capture and release the fish back into the wild, but it had died. Slater had difficulty finding a certified scale to weigh the fish. In addition to the coronavirus pandemic, Tropical Storm Isaias had caused local power outages.

A local biologist assisted Slater in finding a deli to measure the fish for Slater. Slater’s catch tied a 40-year-old record set in 1980, according to Connecticut Fish and Wildlife. Her accomplishment will be recognized at the annual Trophy Fish Award Ceremony in the spring.

“My favorite part of that fishing adventure, besides catching, was that my husband and kids were there to share the experience. That catch will forever be a positive memory of 2020 for me and my family!” she exclaimed.

[H/T: Fox News]