COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — A local angler caught the attention of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for making quite the catch in Council Bluffs recently.
Gavin Campbell reeled in a trophy fish on Jan. 31 with a massive flathead catfish weighing in at 34 pounds. At 40 inches long, it looks like braving the cold weather temps while on the ice at Lake Manawa was worth it.
The Iowa DNR shared an Instagram photo of Campbell on Thursday, wherein the wet, whiskered winner requires a two-handed hoist above the ice. A vibrant sunset is seen streaking across the background and reflecting on the surface of the lake while Campbell looks on.
A page on the Iowa DNR website lists Campbell as a master angler in the silver class, and says that he caught and released the catfish, after luring it in with a minnow as bait. A certificate of recognition is also viewable with the photo here.
Campbell has a history of luck on the Council Bluffs lake and the pictures to prove it, including a 33-inch shortnose gar from February 2020 and a Bigmouth Buffalo in March 2020 that was even bigger than last month's catfish, measuring in at 43 inches long.
3 News Now reached out to Iowa DNR for more information and will add to the story when we have an update.
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