(WANE) – After 32 years, Indiana’s record for catching the biggest burbot was broken twice in two weeks by men fishing on Lake Michigan.

Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources first said Scott Skafar caught two burbots on Dec. 30, both of which broke a record that had been held since 1990. One of the fish weighed in at 10.2 pounds.

That record was broken again Jan. 10, DNR said, when Phillip Duracz caught a burbot weighing 11.4 pounds. Duracz also holds the record for catching the biggest lake whitefish in Indiana.

Scott Skafar of Valparaiso caught two burbots on Lake Michigan in Porter County Dec. 30.
On Jan. 10, Phillip Duracz caught a new state record burbot weighing 11.4 pounds. (Department of Natural Resources)

“The recent warm weather coupled with light winds has provided excellent opportunities for anglers to fish Lake Michigan at a time they are usually unable to safely access the lake,” said Lake Michigan fisheries research biologist Ben Dickinson.

Cold water temperatures from November to April bring burbot closer to the shore to feed in Lake Michigan, DNR explained.