CLARKSVILLE, Va. (WNCN) — A Henderson, North Carolina woman now holds the Virginia state record after catching a Saugeye in Lake Gaston.
On May 29, Brittany Watkins landed a 6-pound, 8-ounce Saugeye from the Virginia portion of the lake, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. She used a crankbait to catch the fish.
Crankbait are made out of either hard plastic or wood and are designed to mimic a swimming baitfish, crawfish, or other prey, according to the Hooked In Fishing website.
The fish measured 25 ¼ inches with a girth of 14 ½ inches and was officially weighed at Bobcat’s Bait and Tackle in Clarksville, Virginia.
The Saugeye surpassed the previous record of 6 pounds, 0 ounces caught by Michael Miller in 2022 from the Staunton River.
Saugeye is a member of the perch family, according to the state agency. It is a hybrid created by crossing a female walleye with a male sauger. The fish were first stocked in Virginia in 2013.
