CLARKSVILLE, Va. (WNCN) — A North Carolina woman now holds the Virginia state record after catching a Saugeye in Lake Gaston.
On May 29, Brittany Watkins landed a 6-pound, 8-ounce Saugeye from the Virginia portion of the lake, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. She used a crankbait to catch the fish.
Crankbait are made out of either hard plastic or wood and are designed to mimic a swimming baitfish, crawfish, or other prey, according to the Hooked In Fishing website.
The fish measured 25-¼ inches with a girth of 14-½ inches and was officially weighed at Bobcat’s Bait and Tackle in Clarksville, Virginia.
The Saugeye surpassed the previous record of six pounds, zero ounces caught by Michael Miller in 2022 from the Staunton River.
Saugeye is a member of the perch family, according to the state agency. It is a hybrid created by crossing a female walleye with a male sauger. The fish were first stocked in Virginia in 2013.
