Doniphan man catches 2 state record-worthy fish at Duck Creek Conservation Area

(KBSI) – A Doniphan man caught a new state record fish at Duck Creek Conservation Area on March 26.

Tyler Goodale of Doniphan caught the second state record fish of 2023 with an 11-ounce flier he caught March 26 from Duck Creek Conservation Area using the pole-and-line method. Goodale actually caught two record-worthy fliers that day, both identical in weight and length, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The previous Missouri record flier was a 10-ounce fish caught from a private pond in 1991.

Fliers are a species of conservation concern in Missouri. The largest populations are found at Duck Creek Conservation Area and nearby Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. Fliers prefer quiet, clear bodies of water with little current and considerable aquatic vegetation and mud bottom.

MDC staff verified the fishes’ weight using a certified scale in Wappapello.

This is the second state record Goodale has reeled in from Duck Creek Conservation Area. He caught a 5-pound, 4-ounce spotted sucker at Duck Creek in 2020. That fish is also the current world record.

Tap here to learn more about fliers from MDC’s online Field Guide.