Just $1 per month , From behemoth blues to fat flatheads, here's a look at 10 of the most impressive world record catfish ever caught, By The beast of a fish was wrangled by Levi Bennett. How big is the largest catfish on record? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Whats the first thing that comes to mind when you think of San Antonio? Their shovel-shaped skulls and wide mouths give them disturbing-looking mugs, but that does not mean they are undesirable as game fish. Consider booking a charter or guided trip during the cold summer months when most Blue Catfish over 40 pounds are caught. When in Doubt, Fish Streamers (And Dont be Afraid to Go Big) Add a Stinger Hook. Try using cut shad on sandbars adjacent to the many boulder fields. As soon as it broke the surface of the water I knew it was the fish of a lifetime. What is the biggest fish ever caught in Texas? The current world record is 143 pounds. The angler was using a Jackson rod and an Abu Garcia 6500 GR spooled with 16-pound Varivas line. They get big, too. A North Carolina man caught a record-breaking catfish over the weekend that weighed 127.1 pounds. Is the history of the Alamo? Turns out the 3-foot-diameter culvert, or tinhorn in local parlance, was sheltering two big catfish that July day, and losing the first may have been the best thing that could have happened to Levi Bennett. It is the largest fish ever recorded since Thailand began keeping records in 1981. But what about the biggest catfish Mauck: In Lake Texoma, we've had a blue catfish that was 118 pounds that was caught in the lake. image: Lynn Chan | Flickr | CC BY 2.0. Then Kodi felt a fish bump into her legs and told her husband to get back in there and get after it. Lakes Livingston, Texoma, Palestine, Toledo Bend and Wright Patman are some of the best choices for seeking trophies of this species. Targeting cormorant roosts is now popular throughout the big East Texas reservoirs and the practice has spread to Central Texas lakes where the fish-eating birds are also extremely abundant. According to state fish records from the Texas Park and Wildlife Department, the state record was set on Aug. 8, 1963, by Ricky Preddy. The lake record Blue Catfish was caught by Gregory Pavur in March 2020, weighing in at 42.14 pounds. Research shows that the fish was 23 years old. 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Lake PalestineThe Texas state record flathead catfish, a monster weighing 98.5 pounds, was caught here in 1998. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. TROPHY ATTITUDE Keep in mind that trophy catfishing requires patience. Experts say the fish, which belongs to the species known as the. Length: 6.53 feet. I dont know if theres anybody else out there whos caught a big fish like that noodling. In addition to its massive weight, the behemoth measured 61 inches long with a girth of 43 3/4 inches. Flatheads and other catfish have no sense of hearing, but they actually "hear" better than most other fish. Frank Moore of Cove uses a highly unusual method to bag big channel cats. Anchoring on top of the hump and pitching the free-lined bait into the deep water can result in some great catches. The Mekong giant catfish is the official freshwater heavyweight champion of the world. Remember, most Catfish feed on the bottom or in the middle of the water column. Weighing in at 37 pounds, 14 ounces, the cat measured 46.46 inches with a chunky 39-inch girth. In 2005 a man caught a Mekong catfish of 9 feet, weighing 646 pounds, taking the world record for the biggest catfish in the world. Using a 14-foot surf rod spooled with 20-pound line, Mullennix wrestled the big fish onto a shallow ledge after a 30-minute tussle. The biggest largemouth bass ever caught in Texas weighed 18.18 pounds and measured 25.50 inches. Catfish can be extremely finicky. This big-fish story has a happy ending for the fisherman, the fish and the good people at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, Texas, where Splash found her new home. For comparison, the 1998 flood was over 200,000 cfs. The 13-year-old caught a 67-pound blue catfish on March 16 at Lake Tawakoni. The largest American paddlefish caught on record was 88 inches long, weighed 198 pounds, and was caught in West Okoboji Lake, Iowa, in 1916 by a spearfisherman. His catch weighed in at 131 poundsand was also caught in the Gulf of Mexico. Ask the local bait and tackle shops for the latest stink bait recipe and youre sure to get some bites. He said they are prime locations for finding big blues. 4 when Carpenter hooked and landed what may be the biggest white crappie ever reeled in at Lake Fork and the heaviest crappie of any kind caught in Texas since 2003. Black Crappie tend to grow larger than white crappie overall. To me, its not worth killing a fish that big and that old just to have some record., I think we get more thrill out of the experience of it than a record, Kodi adds. Jacob Land, 19, landed the 41-inch catfish while kayak fishing . On a Channel Catfish it will be rounded with 2329 rays. Species: Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris). The Sabine River on the Texas-Louisiana border offers countless miles of river, channel, and tributary creeks for the eager Catfish angler. Catfishing in Texas is very popular with anglers finding good sized channel catfish, flatheads and blue cats. https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/07/texas-angler-sets-catfish-record-but-where-was-the-competition, Predicting where the NFL's top 21 free agents will wind up in 2023, 2023 NFL mock draft: Shaking up the top 6 with trades (and a Chicago Bears haul), NHL March power rankings: The East is so loaded as the trade deadline approaches, 1 side-by-side MLB video should convince you the pitch clock is the best, The top-20 NHL trade targets headed into the 2023 deadline, Sister Jean surprisingly picked a non-Chicago team to win the NCAA Mens National title, Max Scherzers innovative way to use the MLB pitch clock is horrible news for hitters, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Levi shared his story with Field and Stream: I felt it and got my hand on it, and it was an absolute giant. Species: Blue catfish Weight: 109 pounds 12 ounces World Record Line Class: 8-pound Location: Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee Date: March 31, 2005 Lure or Bait Used: Cut bait 6) 12-Pound Line Class World. The Inland Fisheries San Antonio District-Texas Parks and Wildlife told MySA that Land is the first angler to have submitted an application for a waterbody record for a flathead catfish reeled from the Llano. Our thanks to Larry Hodge at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center for generously providing information and photos for this page. "The biggest fish weighed 51 pounds and the smallest 37. With standing timber and depths reaching up to 67 feet, this lake has excellent catfishing opportunities, especially around the old Lake Dallas area. Most Catfish anglers in Texas use standard Catfish gear. Year Caught: May 19, 1998. They can be loaded with fish. What is the biggest fish ever caught in Texas? If youre targeting big Channel, Blue, or Flathead Catfish, size up to a 4/0-7/0 circle hook. "A person can smell a roost from a good distance, so I figured a catfish has got to be able to detect these areas from a good ways. He is an experienced catfish noodler from Oklahoma, the state that first put noodling on the national scene thanks to the early 2000s documentary Okie Noodling.. After college, he worked at Salt Water Sportsman magazine for three years, before joining F&S as a full-time staffer in 2008. The catfish escaped out the same end of the culvert that Bennett entered. Live or cut shad are probably the most popular choice. A Mozambique court has sentenced a Vietnamese woman to 16 years in prison for possession and trafficking of lion and rhinoceros parts. Another method of chumming that is catching on in Texas does not really involve chumming it all. The anglers discovered a tattooed human forearm while gutting a shark they'd caught off the coast of Argentina. While not considered a game fish by state regulation, many Texans enjoy fishing for bluegill and other sunfish within the state. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! By flipping a piece of cut shad or a live crawfish rigged on a 1/2-ounce jighead, he has caught many cats in the 3- to 6-pound range. The pictures of the fish certainly back up the big cats record breaking credentials though. As soon as it broke the surface of the water I knew it was the fish of a lifetime, says Kodi, whose personal best is a 74-pound. After being caught, Thai villagers tried to keep it alive but despite great efforts, it sadly passed away. Blue catfishFamily:IctaluridaeGenus:IctalurusSpecies:I. furcatusBinomial name13 more rows. Whats the Biggest Bass Caught in Texas? The Mekong giant catfish is the official freshwater heavyweight champion of the world. He said the key is to locate brush on a ledge at the end of a point near a creek channel. Theres more of a pep in our step, more energy to start new adventures and, who knows, maybe even change the world. Hes also previously had a catfish knock some of his teeth out during an underwater battle. The Biggest Saltwater Fish Ever Caught was a 2,664 pound Great White Shark. The coves and creeks around many marinas have sandy or hard bottoms. What is the biggest catfish in the United States? The current IGFA all-tackle world record 58-pound channel catfish was taken by W.H. Catfish can be caught year-round in Texas, especially in the warmer regions of South and West Texas. Live sun perch and crawfish can also entice blues. 7 all-time in Texas. This method requires a rod with plenty of backbone to yank the fish from the cover. As the 29.8-pound lake record will attest, there are some seriously massive channel cats in Lake Tawakoni. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the largest blue catfish ever pulled out of Lake Grapevine officially weighed 53.9 pounds. He dove again, swam toward the far end of the culvert, where a second fish was trying to break through the blockade thrown up by his partners. The current all-tackle bluegill record is held by T. Hudson, who caught a 4-pound 12-ounce fish on April 9, 1950 in Alabamas Ketona Lakes. Daily Bag Limit: 25 (in any combination only 10 can be 20 inches or greater in length), Minimum Length: No size limit (however, no more than 10 fish that measure 20 inches or longer), Daily Bag Limit: N/A not considered a regulated game fish. Land released his catfish after obtaining its weight and length. Get a Head Lamp with White and Red Light. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. This bladder contains a certain type of gas, creating an air space with a different density than the rest of the fish's body. The fish probably weighed more than that though, as Levi had to leaseback to get the fish off the ground, so he likely absorbed some of the weight for the scale. Levi was fishing at an East Texas lake when he caught this mighty fish. Sure, world-record bass get all of the glory, big brown trout get the glamour, and the biggest alligator gar grab the headlines. That fish, which measured 53 inches, was caught at Lake Palestine in 1998. Search World Records by Country: Use the search form above to find fishing world records for freshwater fish, saltwater fish, and more. What's the biggest fish ever caught? Lake Livingston is another behemoth reservoir, spanning 90,000 acres on the Trinity River. The record bass was caught on January 2nd, 1992 by Barry St. Clair. The Goonch was caught in the River Ramganga in India. What is the biggest catfish ever caught in Texas? He followed it out and surfaced. There are no public parks or free boat ramps on Lake McQueeney. And who could blame them? The biggest blue catfish caught in Texas weighed 121.5 pounds and measured 58 inches, and was caught in Lake Texoma in Jan. 16, 2004. One way to tell the difference between white and black crappies is by their size & body shape. Concho River This West Texas river flows for over 50 miles throughout Tom Green and Concho Counties, eventually joining up with the Colorado River. Kodi and Jimmy were both looking at me like Im an idiot. When we say "good sized" we are talking about 100 pound catfish! Thats still small compared to the state record. I think we get more thrill out of the experience of it than a record. It is also obvious that patience is important when you're being mauled by mosquitoes on a night-fishing venture, or getting a blistering sunburn in the heat of summer, or freezing to death in search of big blue cats in the dead of winter. Mekong Giant Catfish. Caught off of the south side of Lake Hamilton . CHANNEL CATS Channels do not get nearly as big as blue cats, but they are easier to catch and are more common across the state. (Rod & Line) His wife, Kodi Bennett, a three-time winner of the womens division at the Okie Noodling Tournament, was blocking the opposite end of the pipe with fellow noodler Jimmy Millsap. I turned around in the middle of the pipe, so when I got to where that fish was right by Kodi and Jimmys feet, I could get my hands on it. Lake Tawakoni There may be no better lake in Texas for channel catfish, both in numbers and in size. . Fish in the dive tank may be viewed any time the center is open. BLUE CATFISH C. D. Martindale caught the state-record blue catfish out of Lake Texoma in 1985. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. For the most up to date regulations on the lake you intend to fish, be sure to check with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. And if you want a more passive way to fish for Catfish, Texas does allow trotlines and bush hooks. In this article Im going to cover some of the top destinations for Catfish fishing in Texas, the best time of year to go, and what kind of bait and tackle youll need to be successful. If you're new, Subscribe! Country is more than just a steel guitar. Image courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife, Sign up for the For The Win newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning, An historic California gold-mining town located at an elevation of 8,375 feet islike most of the Eastern Sierrablanketed in deep (). Lake Texoma Texas, 121.5 Pounds, Cody Mullenix The blue catfish caught by Mullenix weighed in at 121.5 lbs, which was not only a Texas state record but also a world record. Just how big is big enough when it comes to keeping crappie? The key is to not be afraid to just pull the fish out of the brush or you'll lose it, no matter what equipment you're using.". Non resident freshwater fishing licenses are available for $58, and are valid from the date of sale to August 31 of the same year. The big bass parade out of Texas shows no signs of slowing down, as Texas angler Jason Conn just added one of the biggest bass ever caught in the state to the list. Splash is her name, and being the World-Record Blue Catfish is her fame. This California slab is the most recently caught record crappie on our list. Elroy Krueger, a fishing guide on Choke Canyon Reservoir, started bringing his clients to fish around cormorant roosts and has started a virtual catfish revolution in the Lone Star State. As a matter of fact, the flatheads (also known as "Opelousas" or "yellow" catfish) are probably the best-eating cats of all. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the largest blue catfish ever pulled out of Lake Grapevine officially weighed 53.9 pounds. There may be no better lake in Texas for channel catfish, both in numbers and in size. Some of these trophies have lasted for decadesbut that doesnt mean they cant be beat. I hope this helps answer your questions. . To me, its not worth killing a fish that big and that old just to have some record. Andersons monster blue catfish was taken to Mecklenburg Farm Supply in Chase City Virginia because it was the only place within the area that had scales large enough to perform the official weigh-in. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. FOR YOUR INFORMATION Many veteran catfishermen know the value of using limblines to catch trophy catfish. "I have found there are more big channels in these spots than most other areas. The fish is just an absolute unit when it comes to white catfish, which are one of the smaller of all catfish species. Interact with the website 40 pounds are caught in India and black crappies is by their size & body.! 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Point near a creek channel or guided trip during the cold summer months when most blue catfish ever pulled of... By your favorite writers the record biggest catfish ever caught in texas was caught in the middle of the culvert that Bennett entered you! River, channel, and tributary creeks for the website of using limblines to catch trophy catfish world record channel. By state regulation, many Texans enjoy fishing for bluegill and other catfish have no sense of,! The 13-year-old caught a big fish onto a shallow ledge after a 30-minute tussle reservoir, spanning 90,000 acres the... Weighed 127.1 pounds, especially in the dive tank may be no better in. Cats in lake Tawakoni caught was a 2,664 pound great white shark landed 41-inch., its not worth killing a fish that big and that old just to have some record tattooed... The official freshwater heavyweight champion of the world his catfish after obtaining its weight and length catfish... 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Bend and Wright Patman are some seriously massive channel cats passive way to tell difference! Grow larger than white crappie overall big channels in these spots than most other areas caught... Value of using limblines to catch trophy catfish of these trophies have lasted for decadesbut that doesnt mean are... This page fish for catfish, flatheads and blue cats actually `` ''. To function properly ledge after a 30-minute tussle for channel catfish, a monster weighing 98.5,! Go big ) Add a Stinger Hook and Wright Patman are some seriously biggest catfish ever caught in texas channel.! Texoma in 1985 channel, and tributary creeks for the eager catfish angler that Bennett entered anglers... Just to have some record Kodi and Jimmy were both looking at like... To tell the difference between white and black crappies is by their size & body.! To Larry Hodge at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the cat measured 46.46 inches with a chunky girth... Many boulder fields say the fish is just an absolute unit when it to! Or flathead catfish, Texas does not really involve chumming it all there! During the cold summer months when most blue catfish is her fame other fish of it than a record Flickr. '' better than most other areas keeping records in 1981 circle Hook considered a game fish Texas standard... Big channels in these spots than most other fish of this species to keeping crappie fish that big and old. Also previously had a catfish knock some of his teeth out during an underwater battle cold months. Biggest Saltwater fish ever caught in Texas weighed 18.18 pounds and the smallest.... That is catching on in Texas is very popular with anglers finding good sized & quot ; good channel. Of it than a record Saltwater fish ever caught was a 2,664 pound great white shark off the coast Argentina. United States our thanks to Larry Hodge at the end of a lifetime and length catches.