Cesar Rodriguez of Carthage, Mo. is the new Missouri state record-holder for hybrid-striped-bass after catching a 21-pound, 11-ounce fish at Lake of the Ozarks on May 19, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. Rodriguez used a pole and line.
Though the fish breaks the previous state record of a 20-pound, 8-ounce fish set in 1986 at the Lake of the Ozarks, Rodriguez wasn't that surprised when he reeled in the hybrid.
"It was just a normal day out fishing," Rodriguez said. "Last year I caught a 24-pound hybrid in Oklahoma, but I couldn't find a game warden to confirm it. So, this catch didn't come as a surprise that it was a record-breaker."
The fish's weight was verified on a certified scale at the department's Roaring River Hatchery near Cassville, Mo. The hybrid-striped-bass is the sixth state-record fish caught this year.
Rodriguez mounted his prize fish, and said he is planning to catch another that will top his even-larger Oklahoma catch.
Sports on 06/18/2019