An Anamosa man has set a state fishing record.
John Dirks caught a 43-pound smallmouth buffalo on the lower Wapsipinicon River.
The Iowa DNR says Dirks’ catch happened back in early December, but they waited to certify it as the new state record smallmouth buffalo until genetic tests were completed.
The fish was estimated to be nearly 70 years old.
Smallmouth buffalo are thought to hybridize at times with the other two native buffalo species in Iowa, black buffalo and bigmouth buffalo. Buffalo species can reach impressive ages of over 100 years, according to studies in Minnesota.
Learn more about Iowa state record fish on the DNR webpage at www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/
