Josh Hill, 22, of Dallas caught the smallmouth buffalo on March 29 on a self-tied fly and fly rod at the Pedernales River. It was certified at 20.89 pounds, 33 inches and had a girth of 24 inches.
Hill won the water body record and state record. He received certificates for those awards from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
“It’s an interesting story how I caught the fish,” Hill said. “I had just graduated from UT-Austin and had to do a thesis and did it on fly fishing and the white bass run. I found a professor there who had the record smallmouth buffalo (before this catch), Gibbs Milliken. But we actually went out fishing for the white bass for my thesis project. All of the sudden I hit something pretty big and was like, ‘this is not a white bass.’ I fought the fish for 45 minutes. I eventually landed it by working it into a shallow groove. After that, the professor and I went out and celebrated.”
Following is a list of recognition categories.
State Records for Public Waters
- Rod & Reel — recognition for catching the largest fish of a species from Texas public waters by rod & reel fishing.
- Fly Fishing — recognition for catching the largest fish of a species from Texas public waters by fly fishing methods using artificial lures.
- Unrestricted — recognition for catching the largest fish of a species from Texas public waters by any legal method other than rod & reel.
- Bow Fishing — recognition for catching the largest fish of a species from Texas public waters by bow fishing.
State Records for Private Waters
- Rod & Reel — recognition for catching the largest fish of a species from Texas private waters by rod & reel.
- Fly Fishing — recognition for catching the largest fish of a species from Texas private waters by fly fishing methods using artificial lures.
- Bow Fishing — recognition for catching the largest fish of a species from Texas private waters by bow fishing.
- Water Body Records — Records for individual locations (reservoirs, rivers, bays, etc.) are also maintained.
- All Tackle — recognition for catching the largest fish of a species from a particular Texas public water body using any legal method.
- Rod & Reel — recognition for catching the largest fish of a species from a particular Texas public water body by rod & reel.
- Fly Fishing — recognition for catching the largest fish of a species from a particular Texas public water body by fly fishing methods using artificial lures.
- Bow Fishing — recognition for catching the largest fish of a species from a particular Texas public water body by bow fishing.
- Big Fish Award — for catching a trophy class fish of selected species.
- Catch and Release Award — for the catch and live release of a trophy class fish of selected species.
There are also categories for the first fish caught by an angler of any age and for a catch that does not meet the requirements of other award programs but still deserves recognition.
Consideration for all state and water body records, except first fish awards, must include the fish’s weight on certified scales. Certified scales are scales (either electronic or spring-based) that have been certified as accurate by the Texas Department of Agriculture, the International Game Fish Association (which certifies handheld scales) or a commercial scales calibration company. Feed stores, fertilizer plants, and scales calibration companies are good sources.
Record fish must be weighed on certified scales within three days of the catch, although weights on non-certified scales will be considered providing the scales are certified within 30 days. Applications must be received within 60 days of the catch date and a notary witness is required for State Record applications.
For more information, contact Junior Angler Recognition Awards Program, Attn: Joedy Gray-IF, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin TX 78744, e-mail: joedy.gray@tpwd.state.tx.us or phone (512) 389-8037.
