Lake Seminole Flathead Catfish Record Set

Tim Trone with the new Lake Seminole record flathead catfish. Tim caught the 53-lb., 11.2-oz. flathead during an M&J Catfish War Tournament on April 8, 2023.

A new lake record flathead catfish was caught during a tournament at Lake Seminole last weekend. Tim Trone was fishing with his son Chase when he hooked up with a big flathead that ended up taking big-fish honors weighing 53.70 pounds (53-lbs., 11.2-ozs.). Tim is no stranger to massive, record-breaking catfish. He is the Georgia state-record holder for blue catfish with an 111-lb. beast caught during a 2020 tournament on Lake Eufaula.

111-Pound Blue Catfish Shatters Georgia State Record

Tim and Chase won big-fish honors with the lake-record flathead and placed second in the tournament with a total of 94.40 pounds. The tournament was won by a team that had 101.10 pounds, anchored by a 38.45-lb. catfish.

“We were running a Santee rig with cut bait, fishing a swift little funnel,” Tim said. “Gar were tearing the bait up, so I told my son Chase we may only get gar bites, but we will get bites. We were fishing the edge of some really thick structure. I had caught three turtles earlier, and when the big one hit, I told him this wasn’t a turtle. I had my son reel up all the rods and pull anchor in case we needed to chase it down. Then another boat rounded the corner—Jaush and Matt Gillis, other competitors. They got to see us net the fish.”

Tim said Lake Seminole has been improving for catfish.

“With all the guys at M&J, we have been practicing CPR, and it’s really showing. Twenty-pound fish are regularly being caught, more 30s are being caught on a regular basis, and 40s are coming on more and more. Seminole is becoming a catfish hot spot.”

Tim’s record flathead was released back into Lake Seminole after the tournament weigh-in.

Tim Trone and his tournament partner, his son Chase, placed second in the Seminole M&J tournament with 94.40 pounds that included the 53.70-lb. flathead. “My son Chase is great to fish with,” Tim said. “He acts like an adult on tournament days, and my daughter Layla usually comes. They enjoy fishing as much as any adult.”

Lake Seminole Record Fish

See all of GON’s official Georgia Lake & River Records

Requirements For Record Fish

• Fish must be caught legally by rod and reel in a manner consistent with state game and fish regulations.

• Catch must be weighed on accurate Georgia DOA certified scales with at least two witnesses present, who must be willing to provide their names and phone numbers so they can be contacted to verify the weighing of the fish.

• Witnesses to the weighing must be at least 18 years old, and they must not be members of the angler’s immediate family nor have a close personal relationship with the angler.

• Catch must be positively identified by qualified DNR personnel.

GON’s records are compiled and maintained by GON, to be awarded at GON’s discretion. Additional steps may be required for record consideration.