Record Fish Caught On Connecticut River In Glastonbury

GLASTONBURY, CT — A Cromwell teen recently caught a state record bowfin on the Connecticut River in Glastonbury.

Officials from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection made the announcement over the weekend. The record has changed hands several times this season, they said, but the 9.0-pound bowfin landed by 16-year-old Jack Dugay currently sits at the top of the standings.

Jack used a rubber worm to land the big fish.

Jack's dad, Brian, said Jack "has been hopelessly addicted to fishing since I put a rod and reel in his hands at the age of 3."

Jack's angling bucket list is to, well, put "one of every fish" in his bucket, Brian said. The Bowfin has been on his radar for a while now, but has always eluded him.

(CT DEEP)

"Evidently, they are an invasive species that are still pretty rare in our part of the country," Brian said.

Brian, Jack and his friend Gavin were on the Dugays' bass boat and spent about six hours fishing the river.

"We got a few nibbles, but nobody caught a thing until just before sunset, when Jack tossed a rubber worm into some weeds," Brian said. "That's when he hooked into what he thought was a log ... until it started fighting.

"He fought the fish for for what seemed like an hour. It was closer to a few minutes.When we finally netted him and got him in the boat, Jack realized what it was and was so excited, he was still shaking hours later."

That's Jack's fish tale and the 9 pound, 29.5-inch state record Bowfin is in the books.