Maryland
Maryland fisherman shatters state record after reeling in massive rainbow trout: 'Feels good'
On Feb. 10, a Maryland resident headed out for a day of fishing and ended up breaking a state record.
Jean-Philippe Lartigue, 65, of Bethseda, went out to fish like he always does, but he never imagined he would reel in something as large as his record-setting rainbow trout, he told Fox News Digital.
The former fisheries biologist spent time “consulting with governments in Africa” before retiring and settling down in Maryland, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (Maryland DNR) wrote in a recent press release.
ANGLER HOPES 27-POUND SMALLMOUTH BUFFALO FISH SHATTERS TEXAS RECORD
Lartigue has been fishing since he was 10 years old and has had many years of practice, so when he finally felt the fish pull, he knew he was about to land something big along the Antietam Creek, he told Fox News Digital.
Jean-Philippe Lartigue has set the new record in the state of Maryland after catching a 17.44-pound rainbow trout on Feb. 10, along the Antietam Creek. (Jean-Philippe Lartigue )
He quickly found himself holding on to the pole very tight as the large fish began to fight, he said.
“Lartigue was fishing with a long, 12-foot crappie-style rod, spinning reel, eight-pound test monofilament line, a small split-shot weight and a No. 8 hook baited with a natural worm bait when he hooked the massive rainbow trout,” the Maryland DNR reported.
Lartigue was nervous that if he pulled too hard his line would break, so he battled the fish for nearly 30 minutes.
RECORD-BREAKING FISH: 10 HUGE CATCHES THAT MADE HEADLINES IN 2023
He was also in a rocky area and wanted to avoid the 8-pound line snagging on anything sharp and snapping, which could have cost him the record-breaking fish.
Lartigue knew he had caught something big, but it wasn’t until after the 30- minute long battle that he was able to get a good look at his massive catch. (Jean-Philippe Lartigue )
After a well-fought battle, Lartigue did not have a net with him, so he had to get in the water and catch it by hand.
Lartigue went back to his car and with the help of some other fishermen at the site, Lartigue contacted the Maryland DNR and find the nearest weighing station.
Lartigue made his way to Ernst’s Country Market in Clear Spring to weigh his fish on a certified scale which read 17.44 pounds, the Maryland DNR stated in its press release. The catch measured 32 inches.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
“We are extremely impressed by the weight of the fish, which bests the old record by over 3 pounds, a record that many of us in the department thought would never be broken,” Erik Zlokovitz, the recreational fisheries outreach coordinator, said in the release.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources confirmed Lartigue’s catch is a new record after surpassing the former record holder by over three pounds. (Jean-Philippe Lartigue /iStock)
The previous rainbow trout record in Maryland was set in 1987 with the fish weighing 14.2 pounds.
Lartique said he is grateful to the young fishermen who came alongside him and helped him make this and official record.
“They did everything for me and everything went well, very well. I would like to say thank you to all these people,” he told Fox News Digital.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Lartigue said he is thrilled about his catch and that breaking the state record “feels good.”
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
Maryland
Maryland confirms 5 new measles cases, bringing year’s total to 9 – WTOP News
The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”
Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.
“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.
The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.
Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.
Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.
It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.
The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.
“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
Maryland
Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning in October
Baltimore may be under an extreme heat alert, but residents can dream about autumn, as tickets are now on sale for the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in October.
This three-day celebration of home and garden takes place from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Expect hundreds of exhibitors, local makers, home improvement experts, family-friendly experiences and celebrity guests. The show offers everyone the chance to explore the very latest in home improvement, landscaping, outdoor living and decor, the chance to take part in hands-on experiences, and do some holiday shopping all under one roof.
This year’s show will have more than 300 exhibitors, including more than 100 crafters from around Maryland in the Makers Market. There will be unique exhibits, stage presentations and a special appearance by Chase Morrill, Ashley Morrill-Eldridge and Ryan Eldridge from Magnolia Network’s hit series “Maine Cabin Masters.” The three will have two Main Stage appearances, one on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.
“As temperatures start to drop and the holiday season comes into view, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show is a place to gather ideas, meet local experts and get inspired before the busy season begins,” said Dave Paul, show manager, in a statement. “Whether attendees are planning a home project, looking for outdoor living ideas or getting a head start on holiday shopping, the show brings together resources and experiences for every kind of homeowner, maker and DIY enthusiast.”
In addition to the Makers Market and stars of “Maine Cabin Masters”, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show will have a petting zoo, a Kids Market where attendees can shop from local children, and much more.
Tickets are available online and at the door. Prices are as follows:
Online:
- Adults: $8
- Senior Citizens (60+): $6
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- 4-Pack Online: $30 for four tickets, valid for one admission each and one day only
At the door:
- Adults: $10
- Senior Citizens (60+): $8
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- Friday & Saturday: $4 after 4 p.m. at the door only
Special Offers:
- Active and retired military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers receive free admission all weekend, along with one guest, with valid ID at the box office.
- Attendees who show a CharmPass app, Light RailLink ticket or eligible transit pass at the box office receive free admission any day of the show. One admission is available per pass.
The Maryland State Fairgrounds is located at 2200 York Road in Lutherville-Timonium.
Related
Maryland
Maryland police arrest alleged bank robber wielding stolen cat: ‘Tried to use her as an accessory’
Law enforcement agencies are accustomed to dealing with cat burglars – but now a Maryland police department is saying it grappled with a cat-wielding bank robber.
The Prince George’s county police department said its officers arrested a man suspected of stealing a cat and then taking the animal with him to a PNC bank branch in the local community of Beltsville to rob the establishment on Monday morning.
“The cat was returned” after the suspect was arrested, the police department said in a statement to the Guardian on Tuesday. The agency said no injuries were reported, and it declined to name the suspect or release additional details, saying the case – bound for a spot in the annals of bizarre reported US crimes – remained under investigation.
Nonetheless, a social media post from rescue shelter Beltsville Community Cats provided more information.
A Beltsville Community Cats Facebook page post on Monday identified the cat at the center of the alleged botched caper as Magnolia, a three-and-a-half-month-old tuxedo kitten. The shelter recounted how the suspect first snatched Magnolia from her “adoption habitat” at Beltsville’s Pet Supplies Plus store, took her across the parking lot to a PNC branch, and “tried to use her as an accessory in [an] attempted robbery”.
“He asked the bank manager to hold the kitten while he wrote a note, then handed the note to a teller demanding all the cash,” the post continued. “Thankfully, the robbery was unsuccessful, the suspect was arrested, and Magnolia was found safe and sound in the bank manager’s office, where the two had bonded over their shared ordeal.”
Pet Supplies Plus store employees told the NBC affiliate in nearby Washington DC that Magnolia’s cat napper had come in daily for about two weeks and focused on the kitten each time.
Finally, on Monday, he managed to use a key to open a cat adoption area and whisked Magnolia away, store employees said to the outlet, WRC.
Store manager Aaron Kurkowski told WRC that Magnolia’s thief “came in and saw none of my team was nearby the front – and he just went right to her and ran right on out”.
According to WRC, Stephanie Stullich of Beltsville Community Cats then received a call from a pet store employee who alerted her to Magnolia’s plight.
That prompted Stullich to run over to the store, where she said to WRC that she “immediately saw all of these police cars and … thought, ‘Wow, that’s a heck of a response for a stolen cat’.”
“But then I realized they all were going down to the bank,” Stullich recalled to WRC. “They came back out a few minutes later and said, ‘Yes, there is a cat inside the bank.’”
Two days before her catnapping, Magnolia was the subject of a Beltsville Community Cats Facebook post inviting people to see her at Pet Supplies Plus and consider adopting her.
Magnolia as of Monday was still waiting to be adopted, Beltsville Community Cats said in its post detailing the bank robbery.
The non-profit organization offered members of the public the opportunity to apply to adopt Magnolia by emailing rescue@beltsvillecats.net.
Beltsville Community Cats’ post also joked that Magnolia’s “brief ‘life of crime’ is behind her” – except for undoubtedly “stealing” hearts, treats, toys and cuddles wherever her forever home may be.
-
Milwaukee, WI5 minutes ago
MPS students repair bikes for free through WI Bike Federation program
-
Atlanta, GA11 minutes agoWorld Cup isn’t over: Best places to watch the final matches in Atlanta
-
Minneapolis, MN17 minutes agoFederal lawsuit raises questions about culture at prior job of Minneapolis mayor’s nominee for fire chief
-
Indianapolis, IN23 minutes agoSee ‘The Odyssey’ as Nolan intended at one Indiana IMAX theater
-
Pittsburg, PA29 minutes ago2 arrested following Downtown Pittsburgh drug bust, police say
-
Augusta, GA35 minutes ago
Augusta, GA Weather Forecast
-
Washington, D.C41 minutes agoCalls grow for Green to recall Hawaii National Guard from DC | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
-
Cleveland, OH47 minutes ago19 First Alert Days: Smoke in the air today; severe storms possible Saturday