Douglassville man catches the big one

A Douglassville man “caught the big one” when he wrestled in a record-setting catch of a longnose gar.

Joshua Terry told KTBS 3 News “he was running his trotlines on the Sulphur River earlier this month off Highway 8 in Cass County when he realized he’d snagged a rather large longnose gar.” Terry tells the Journal that he caught “it overcup off of Highway 8 before the bridge.”

Terry says that this isn’t the first large one he caught, “I actually caught one that was 2 and a half inches shorter last year but never got the record submitted.” This one, on the other hand, he had certified by the Texas Park and recreation.

Terry says that he “caught it on fresh cut shad I had caught in a throw net that morning on the first of August. It was on a trotline so he couldn’t really run but it still took me about 15 minutes to boat him by myself.”

Records aren’t something new to his family, says Terry, “just like my grandpa J.W Terry who has a record for blue catfish on the same river from 1997, I, being an avid fisherman (like him) is why I have always wanted to join that list.”

“The total length was 65 inches and weighed in at 31.38 pounds,” says Terry.

When asked if he is going to eat it our frame it, Terry says that in the past he has “cooked some of the smaller ones I’ve caught they are great when made into “gar balls” which is just like a salmon patty.” This one is special says Terry, “I plan on getting it mounted.”