'God's Creative and Unexpected Surprises': Florida Woman Ties 40-Year Fishing Record

Aimee Herd : Oct 24, 2022
Breaking Christian News

"Fishing has always been a deep passion for me. I see God's handiwork in all of it." -Cathy Sanders

[Breaking Christian News] It took forty years, but Christian fishing enthusiast, Cathy Sanders tied the Georgia Saltwater Game Fish record for Florida Pompano, this month. (Image: Courtesy-Cathy and Andy Sanders)

Sanders, of Palm Coast, Florida, was surf fishing on October 9th, on St. Simons Island, as she volunteered with the Kids Can Fish Foundation. She landed a 1-pound, 7.68-ounce Florida Pompano, just shy of breaking the record of 1-pound 7-ounces, held by Laura Cheek from 1982.

A press release explained that "under the rules of the Georgia Saltwater Game Fish Records Program, Sanders' catch qualified as a tie because it weighed more than the current record, but did not exceed the record by more than 4 ounces."

"It took 40 years to tie this record; I was 7-years-old when the first record was set, and probably playing with my goldfish during that time!" said Sanders.

"God's creative natural and unexpected surprises are always exciting to watch unfold," she added.

Sanders has been fishing since the age of ten. The dedicated angler is also the founder of Fishin' Girl, LLC, which "exists to provide a fun, safe surf-fishing community for women through educational training and membership and to provide safer environments for females while fishing," according to the website. 

"I love fishing and I love the beach, so [surf fishing] is the best of two worlds together," Sanders told Breaking Christian News. "All my worries go away when I fish. Most importantly, I see God's hand in such a special way when I'm near the ocean."

A press release noted when Sanders made the record-tying catch: ...She was surf fishing with a 12-foot Okuma Rockaway rod and Okuma Rockaway 6000 reel. As bait, she used Fishbites EZ Crab (Electric Chicken) with Sinker Guys glass beads and salted shrimp on 20-pound high visibility monofilament. Her terminal rig was a 2/0 circle hook on a double drop rig with 3-ounce Guy Sputnik sinker.

Sanders is the first recipient of a newly designed state record certificate, which now features an image of the record-setting species, a gold-color embossed state seal, and signatures from the governor, commissioner of DNR, and director of DNR's Coastal Resources Division, which administers the Georgia Saltwater Game Fish Records Program. Sanders' name has been added to the list of current and past record holders maintained at CoastalGaDNR.org/SaltwaterRecords and will be listed in the 2023 Georgia Sport Fishing Regulation Guide.

"Fishing has always been a deep passion for me," said Cathy. "I see God's handiwork in all of it."  Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here