Former catch-and-release state record holder gets dethroned … by his wife

Friendly competition among outdoorsy couples can come in many ways, shapes, and forms — who shot the biggest buck last year; who limited out first on doves; who cooked the better camp meal and, last but not least, who caught the bigger fish.

Recently, one couple — the Holts — got to experience this firsthand.

Couples who fish together stay together. But on Aug. 2, that theory got put to the test. Brandi and Jared Holt of Homedale were hucking bait into the Snake River late that night when Brandi’s rod tip suddenly bowed toward the water. 

As soon as she started cranking on the reel, she felt the unmistakable feeling of a large river monster fighting on the end of the line. Brandi managed to haul the giant flathead catfish aboard the boat where her husband, Jared, anxiously rolled out the tape measure.

You see, since Sept. 20, 2020, Jared Holt had held the catch-and-release state record for the same exact species Brandi was now putting next to the tape.

But the angling gods were smiling upon Brandi that night as the tape measure — stretched nose to tail — read 44 inches. Brandi Holt’s flathead catfish now stands as the official catch-and-release state record, dethroning her husband’s 42-inch cat. 

Flathead catfish can be found in the Snake River and associated reservoirs in southwest Idaho. They are typically found in the Snake River between C.J. Strike and Brownlee reservoirs, but their numbers are higher in the river sections closer to Brownlee Reservoir. 

They can also be found occasionally in lower reaches of tributaries like the Weiser and Payette rivers. While they are not as common as channel catfish, they can reach some surprising sizes, making them a great trophy opportunity. Idaho’s largest flathead catfish was caught in 1994 from Brownlee Reservoir, weighing in at 58.4 pounds and stretching to 48 inches.

— Idaho Department of Fish and Game