Coosa River Record Walleye Finally Recognized

The Coosa River has a new mark for walleye, and it’s a 7-lb., 4-oz. fish caught 30 years ago.

On Feb. 5, 1989, Samuel Luster, of Powder Springs, was fishing with two friends at the Lock & Dam on the Coosa River upstream of Lake Weiss when he hooked the record walleye.

“We were fishing for crappie,” said Samuel, who is now 77 years old and turns 78 in April. “We used to fish there a lot. I was throwing a white Road Runner, and when that fish hit, I thought I had a stripe. I was fighting the fish, and one guy tried to go down the ladder to help, but it was too dangerous. Finally a guy in a boat got over to it at the bank and dipped it up in a net, and I walked down and got it.

This photo of Samuel Luster and his 7-lb., 4-oz. Coosa River walleye was on the Lock & Dam picture board for many years before it was given to Samuel.

“The owners of the Lock & Dam and everyone got real excited about the fish, and they called the game warden in Summerville,” Samuel said.

“I carried it to Calhoun (to the DNR Fisheries office) the next day, and that’s where they weighed it. I left there and didn’t hear anything else about it, and then at the end of the year they sent me a plaque saying I had the second biggest walleye ever caught in Georgia.”

The Lock & Dam, also known as Mayos Bar, is now operated by Rome-Floyd Parks & Recreation and includes camping, trails and has a store.

GON didn’t begin to compile and keep the Georgia Lake and River Records until the mid 1990s, and the Coosa River records weren’t published until the following decade. Samuel’s record walleye might have fallen through the cracks forever if not for his grandson Daquois Owens.

Daquois messaged GON through our Facebook page, and then he began the process of getting documentation and paperwork to us, along with photos of Samuel and the mount of the walleye.

When GON called Samuel to interview him about his record fish, sitting at his house was one the fishing buddies who was with him back in 1989 at the Lock & Dam when the walleye was caught. Willie Pennamon, of Powder Springs, was there 30 years ago when the fish was caught. Like all good fishing buddies, Willie was proud of “their” fish, telling this story to explain how fishing friends look at who catches a big one (mild language):

See all of Georgia’s official Lake and River Records here.

The Lock & Dam, also known as Mayo’s Bar, is now operated by Rome-Floyd Parks & Recreation and includes camping, nature trails and a store.