A New Bowfishing Record

Bowfisherman becomes 11th angler to break a state record in 2016

Posted by Lucas Bond

Photo courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation

Congratulations to Jonathon Randall on breaking the state record by shooting an 11-pound, 2-ounce river carpsucker with his bow and arrow.

CONCEPTION JUNCTION, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that Jonathon Randall of Conception Junction became the most recent record-breaking fisherman in Missouri when he shot a river carpsucker with his bow and arrow on Smithville Lake.

The new “alternative method” record river carpsucker shot by Randall on April 23 weighed 11-pounds, 2-ounces with a length of 25 1/2 inches and a girth of 20 1/2 inches. Randall shot the fish in about 2 feet of water. MDC staff verified the record-weight fish using a certified scale in Gladstone. 

“As soon as I pulled the fish out of the water I knew it was bigger than the river carpsucker I shot last year,” said Randall. “I just couldn’t believe how big it was.”

Randall broke his previous state record set in 2015 with this fish by almost two pounds. This fish was also certified by the Bowfishing Association of America as a world record for the largest river carpsucker ever taken by bowfishing.

“I really just can’t believe it! I shot this fish literally about 20-yards from last year’s state-record river carpsucker,” he said. “I’m still in shock that this happened. I have a new state-record fish, but also I now have a world record. It’s really unbelievable.”

According to MDC Randall’s fish is the 11th state-record fish this year. Anglers are on track to break more records this year than ever.

“2016 is shaping up to be a year for state-record fish,” said MDC Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson. “The most state-record fish caught in a year was 19 and we are definitely on track to break that this year. Conservation makes Missouri a great place to fish and it shows with all the big fish anglers are catching this year.”

Missouri state-record fish are recognized in two categories: pole-and-line and alternative methods. Alternative methods include: throwlines, trotlines, limb lines, bank lines, jug lines, spearfishing, snagging, snaring, gigging, grabbing, archery, and atlatl.

Conservation makes Missouri a great place to fish. For more information on state-record fish, visit the MDC website at http://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/state-record-fish.