NEWS

Casper angler breaks own state record

Christopher Bobo of Casper broke his own state record for longnose sucker

6/23/2022 8:28:05 PM

Cheyenne - Once was cool but twice was even better for Christopher Bobo.

Bobo, 34, of Casper broke his own state record for longnose sucker when he landed a fish that weighed 2 pounds, 11.3 ounces from the North Platte River in early May. Bobo first broke the record in 2021, which was previously set in 1998, with a 2-pound, 4.5-ounce fish — also from the North Platte River. Bobo’s new record-fish was 19.5 inches long and had a girth of 9.25 inches. That was 1.5 inches longer than his first record-breaking fish.

Bobo said both fish were caught along the same stretch of the river, and both times he was fishing for trout using a worm.

“I took my son out and he caught a pretty nice-sized trout, and next thing you know my pole went off. I knew when I landed it I needed to head to the Game and Fish,” Bobo said.

There was one problem, however. Bobo caught the fish on a Sunday and had to wait until the next day when the regional office in Casper was open. To keep it until the next day, Bobo put the dead fish in a cooler with water. He took it to the Game and Fish office in Casper first thing Monday morning.

Bobo said breaking his own record felt a little like deja vu, but it still felt “pretty cool,” and more importantly, he was fishing with his son. Bobo also said it’s special to break his own record.

“It’s amazing to set one record, but to beat your own record is almost unheard of,” he said.

Longnose suckers are nongame fish native to Wyoming. Bobo is the first angler to break a Wyoming record this year.

“Catching a state-record fish of any species is quite an accomplishment, but to break your own state record is pretty special,” said Alan Osterland, Game and Fish chief of fisheries. “I would bet there will be more Bobo family outings to that same stretch of river to see what comes out of the water next.”

Rules for submitting a state-record fish and lists of the current Wyoming fish records can be found online.