Instead of a catfish, it was a longnose gar, a fish that dates to prehistoric times and can grow up to 6 feet long. Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff verified the species, and Kool Ice and Seafood Company in Cambridge certified the fish’s official weight. Confair’s catch surpassed the state’s previous record holder, Justin Kelly, who caught a 17-pound longnose gar in the Potomac River back in 2011.
Confair kept his catch alive for more than two days and released it back into the creek after the record was certified. “It deserves to live,” Confair said. “I’m hoping to set a bigger record. I know there are bigger ones, I’ve seen them.”
