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Fisherman Breaks Illinois Walleye Record That Stood For Just 2 Months

PECATONICA, Ill. (CBS) -- Just two months after a teenage boy from Rockford broke the record for the biggest walleye in Illinois, the record has been broken again.

As WBBM Newsradio's Lisa Fielding reports, Nick Tassoni, 15, of Rockford, broke the record on Jan. 7 when he caught a walleye weighing in at 14 pounds, 12 ounces from the Pecatonica River . The record had stood ever since 1961, when Fred Goselin caught a 14.0 pound walleye in the Kankakee River.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Lisa Fielding reports

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But the Rockford Auburn High School student has been broken just two months later, when Jim Zimmerman, 52, of Beloit, Wis., caught a walleye that weighed in at 15.08 pounds on the Pecatonica River about 20 miles south of the state line. The record was verified by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Monday afternoon, the Associated Press reported.

Zimmerman said when he pulled the fish into his boat, he pretty much knew he had a record on his hands.

Conservation groups say they wouldn't be surprised if someone pulls another record-breaker from the river this week.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS Radio and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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