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KENTUCKY LAKE, Ky. – Paula Smith is not a stranger to reeling in gigantic fish, but with a few days left in the year…she struck gold.

Smith, from Waverly, Kentucky, was fishing on Kentucky Lake Sunday when she broke out of a recent slump by reeling in an 88 pound blue catfish.

She told the Tennessean her previous personal best was an 82-pounder. It reportedly took around 10 minutes to get the fish in the boat.

Instead of going through with the massive task of cleaning and cooking the big fish, she promptly released it back into the water.