Bryant Rackers of Bonnots Mill became the most recent record-breaking angler in Missouri when he snagged a blue sucker on the Osage River, according to a news release from the Missouri Department of Conservation.
The new "alternative method" record fish snagged by Rackers on April 21 weighed 9 pounds, 1 ounce with a length of 30 inches. Rackers' recent catch broke the previous state record of 7 pounds, 6 ounces, caught in 1980.
"I knew I snagged a couple pretty nice fish during that day, but I didn't think anything about it until I weighed the larger blue sucker, and after checking online I realized that I had a new state record fish," Rackers said in the news release.
MDC staff verified the blue sucker's weight by weighing it on a certified scale in Jefferson City.
Once MDC staff confirmed the fish was a new state record, Rackers said he was very excited.
"I can't believe I finally hold a state record in Missouri for catching the largest fish," he said. "This hopefully won't be the last time you see my name because I'm going after other state records now."
Rackers said he plans to have the state-record blue sucker mounted.