Nice fish. I wonder how old it is.

Blues live 9-10 on average according to biologists but can live to 25 years

Kudos to this family for keeping the fish alive and releasing it back into the river. This fish might be someone else's record in the very near future.

To all the people criticizing the fact that it was caught on a jug, all I can say is that jug lining and trot lining have their place. I don't care for either one now, but I know several fisherman that got their start running juglines and trotlines when they were a kid, including myself. Last season I took a neighbors 10 year old fishing and I made up a few jugs just so he could have that experience. We caught several fish that day on rods while we watched the jugs. He'll never forget watching the jug go down and then bringing the fish to the boat by hand. He was so stoked that he talks about it to this day. I explained to him that we wouldn't be leaving the jugs for very long and why. I also explained to him why we were releasing the fish (it was about 17 pounds and I generally don't keep anything over about 10 pounds). He's convinced that this year, he's going to catch that very same fish on a rod and reel. And, if he does, you can bet that fish will be going back into the water, regardless if I'm with him or not.

As with any type of fishing, it's all about what you do with it. My biggest problem with both of these types of fishing is the fact that there are a lot of people who aren't responsible with their own actions when they do it. Inevitably, they'll abandon a trotline because they don't want to have to do the work to retrieve it. Or, a jug liner will lose a jug to a big fish because they weren't checking them on a timely basis or they didn't weigh them down properly. A big fish can tow an improperly weighted jug for miles and then that fish is subject to a long, slow demise.

Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do about a certain percentage of people out there who just don't care, but there are plenty of people out there who do and they should be able to enjoy whatever type of fishing they want. There's a reason we have rules and regulations concerning all these different types of fishing. I say that to also address the fact that, no matter what I think or believe, people have a right to do what they want within the confines of the law. I don't keep anything over 10 pounds but if a person legally catches a 50 pound fish and wants to keep it, they have that right. And it's not my right to condemn them for it. You do you and I'll mind my own business. Now, if I see you doing something illegal, then it becomes my business.

What it all boils down to, to me, is this....It's all about the kids to start with. There's no quicker way to a hook a kid on fishing than to let them experience their first big fish on a jugline. It gives you the right opportunity to teach them about proper conservation and the ethics behind it all. This 15 year old girl that caught the Ohio record did exactly what her dad taught her....to respect the fish, keep it alive at all cost, and to release it back into the water. Well done dad!

^ very well said, Geno.

I have zero interest in jug line fishing but it's perfectly legal to do so, and kudos to them for returning the fish alive to be caught another day.

There are folks who fish with a rod and line who take ALL the fish out, even the big monster ones, and also use illegal bait. It looks to me like the family were jug lining responsibly and doing in the right way, regularly monitoring the lines and labelling them as well.

If it's legal and they are fishing responsibly who then kudos to them. That young lady will remember that day for the rest of her life.