A catfish that was released into the Minnesota River in May as part of a contest was caught by a southern Minnesota woman.

Tina Miller of Franklin won the $1,000 prize for catching "Big D" as part of New Ulm’s Capital for a Day celebration. Miller caught him Saturday with a 6-inch sucker minnow while fishing on the river between Franklin and Fairfax.

The flathead catfish was 35 pounds two months ago, but he lost about five pounds in his swim upstream. Big D was caught about 30 miles from where he was captured and tagged for the event in New Ulm.

Tom Conroy of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says officials were a little surprised the fish was caught so soon.

You’re wondering what happened to Big D? He’s back in the river. Miller says she’s a catch-and-release angler.