SPLASH SWIMS OFF
Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center is ready to reopen Monday after winter
repairs, but it will do so without its record-setting blue catfish.

The education and conservation center recently published an obituary
announcing the Dec. 6 death of Splash, a 121.5-pound female catfish. When
she was caught in Lake Texoma in January 2004, Splash set state and world
records for a blue catfish. At the time of her death, Splash was still the
Texas state record blue catfish; a larger blue catfish was caught in the
Mississippi River this year. A life-sized replica of Splash is planned for
display in the center's record-fish area, and her skeleton is being
preserved for display.