Fishing is second nature for Jeremiah Mefford. He’s been going out on the water for most of his life, and when he’s not working as a firefighter, Mefford is leading guided fishing tours on Keystone Lake in Oklahoma.
He’s also helped snag three of the world record paddlefish, with the latest one caught by 18-year-old Grant Rader and weighing in at 164 pounds Tuesday.
“Unofficially, I’ve had two others,” Mefford said.
One of those unofficial paddlefish was caught on Valentine’s Day 2020. Because of certain markings on the paddlefish, which appears to be a black spot above her lateral line, Mefford believes this was the same fish that now holds the latest world record.