43-Pound Flathead Catfish Caught In Schuylkill Near Spring City

SPRING CITY, PA — The tranquil waters of the Schuylkill River are home to more than you may imagine.

That was proven true on one recent August night when a local angler reeled in a 43-pound flathead catfish, a catch which is just five pounds short of the Pennsylvania state record.

The fisherman, Collegeville native Eric Glickman, said that he hooked the flathead on his boat while he was on the river near Spring City.

"It gave me a great fight on my small boat," Glickman said. "(We went) back and forth fighting for a good 15 minutes."

Glickman said that he didn't have his net at the time, and that he had to haul the massive fish on board himself.

The state record flathead catfish of 48 pounds and six ounces was caught by James R. Sharbrach Jr., of Boyertown, in the Blue Marsh Spillway in Berks County in 2006. An image of his catch can be seen here.

Huge flatheads are not uncommon in the Schuylkill near Spring City and Phoenixville, but 43 pounds is obviously much more significant than the average catch.

Flathead catfish are not native to the Schuylkill River and are considered an invasive species by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Image courtesy Eric Glickman