Two West Virginia fishing buddies break state records within hours of each other

A West Virginia fisherman set a new record only for it to be beaten in less than two hours by the man right by his side.

Lindell Marker and Dwight Priestley were spending the day together fishing for black crappie — when the former pulled out a fish large enough to set the state record.

Marker and his fishing buddy were out on Woodrum Lake on August 8 when the record-setting catches took place, Fox Carolina reported.

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At 7:30 a.m., Marker was the first to surpass the previous state record in length.

His fish measured 17.36 inches, according to a West Virginia Department of Natural Resources (WVDNR) press release.

Lindell Marker held the record for longest black crappie caught in the state of West Virginia for only an hour. (West Virginia Department of Natural Resources)



Dwight Priestley surpassed Marker's record only 75 minutes after Marker reeled in his prize catch — setting the new length and weight West Virginia record. (West Virginia Department of Natural Resources)

The former record was set by Craig Webb, whose black crappie measured 17.32 inches.

Marker's record tied with Webb's existing weight record of 2.85.

Just over an hour after Marker set his new record, at around 8:45 a.m., Priestly reeled in a black crappie that surpassed both the existing length and weight records, the media release stated.

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Both fishermen used live minnows to achieve their records — even if Marker held his record for only a short while.

These records even caught the attention of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who shared his congratulations on "X."

"I’m thrilled to celebrate this unprecedented fishing achievement and hope these new benchmarks inspire anglers from all over to come and explore West Virginia’s world-class fishing opportunities," the governor wrote.

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The men's fishing records were verified by West Virginia DNR's Fisheries Biologist Cory Hartman.

"These new records are a testament to the incredible fishing opportunities at Woodrum Lake," Brett McMillion, director of WVDNR, shared in the press release.

Two fishing buddies set black crappie records in West Virginia with each one surpassing the other in less than two hours. (West Virginia Department of Natural Resources; iStock)

"We are thrilled to celebrate these outstanding achievements by Lindell Marker and Dwight Priestley. Their catches not only set new benchmarks but also highlight the quality of our state’s fisheries."

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With the addition of these two new records, the WVDNR has reported eight new record-breaking catches in 2024, the department shared in the press release.

Fox News Digital reached out to the WVDNR for further comment and to Lindell Marker as well.

Sydney Borchers is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital.