West Virginia man’s state crappie record lasts mere minutes before fishing buddy steals his thunder
Lindell Marker, left, and Dwight Priestley were fishing together on Aug. 8 and both caught state-record black crappie, setting records for length and weight. (West Virginia Division of Natural Resources)
ROMANCE, W.Va. - It was a short-lived achievement for one West Virginia angler this month. He can thank his fishing buddy on the same boat for trumping his newly crowned title minutes apart.
The fishing duo consisted of Lindell Marker, a resident of Sod, and Dwight Priestley, who lives in Alum Creek. The two were out on Woodrum Lake in Romance near South Charleston on Aug. 8 using live minnows to capture not one but two record-breaking crappies.
Just after the sun came up, Marker caught a 17.36-inch black crappie, surpassing the previous length record of 17.32 inches – ironically, also reeled in at the same lake. His catch tied the existing weight record of 2.85 pounds, state officials said.
About an hour later, Priestley managed to catch a 17.76-inch, 3.15-pound black crappie that surpassed Marker’s short-held record and set new records for length and weight.
12-YEAR-OLD REELS IN RECORD-BREAKING FISH FROM NORTHWESTERN MONTANA RESERVOIR
Both fish were certified by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Fisheries (WVDNR).
"These new records are a testament to the incredible fishing opportunities at Woodrum Lake," WVDNR Director Brett McMillion said. "We are thrilled to celebrate these outstanding achievements by Lindell Marker and Dwight Priestley.
The fishermen's catches not only set new benchmarks but also highlighted the quality of the state’s fisheries, McMillion adds.
"I’m thrilled to celebrate this unprecedented fishing achievement and hope these new benchmarks inspire anglers from all over to come and explore West Virginia’s world-class fishing opportunities," Gov. Jim Justice said in a written statement.
With the two latest crappie records, the WVDNR has reported eight record-breaking fish so far in 2024.