NATCHEZ — Chris Proby had pulled in catfish around 20 pounds from the Mississippi River before, but on Oct. 22, Proby was lucky enough to catch a new personal best that would make the 20 pounders look like minnows.

Proby was fishing from the bank near J.M. Jones Lumber Company when he hooked a massive fish that ended up being one of the fights of his life.

“It took 10 minutes to get it to the top of the water and another 10 minutes to get it to the bank,” he said. “I had a fight with that fish.”

One Proby and his cousin Leandrew Holmes got the fish close to the bank, they had to wade in the river to pull it all the way out, Proby said. The two anglers initially weighed the fish at approximately 60 pounds, but they found out the next day that the catfish weight approximately 70 pounds.

“That’s the biggest one I’ve caught so far,” Proby said.

Proby started fishing in the Miss-Lou at approximately 12 years old, and he enjoys fishing for bass, bream and white perch, along with his favorite — catfish.

“There’s nothing more exciting than when that rod bends down,” he said.

Proby is a member of the King Fisherman’s Bass Club and has been fishing the Miss-Lou for 30 years.

The catfish will eventually be a meal for Proby and his family, but he said he would have to wait to get enough people together to eat it all.

“We haven’t eaten it yet,” he said. “I’ll have to get a pretty good party going for that.”