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Wednesday, November 4, 2026Nov 4

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Catfish caught at Watts Bar may have set state record

Troy Powers caught this mammoth flathead catfish in Watts Bar Lake, which may have been a state record, but he released it.
Troy Powers caught this mammoth flathead catfish in Watts Bar Lake, which may have been a state record, but he released it. Troy Powers caught this mammoth flathead catfish in Watts Bar Lake, which may have been a state record, but he released it.

A huge flathead catfish caught recently on Watts Bar Lake, which state wildlife officials estimate weighed around 100 pounds, may have set a state record.

The fish, however, was released by Troy Powers, the young man who caught it after taking photos, so there is no way to confirm whether it was a record.

The state record was an 85-pound, 15-ounce flathead caught in 1993 by Larry Kaylor on the Hiwassee River.

Read more from our news partners at The Tennessean.