biggest catfish ever caught in texas

You just dont see fish like that very often, says Bennett. Search for the biggest fish in the International Game Fish Association's database of biggest fish for each species. The lake offers no shortage of channel and flathead catfish either. Make Short Casts. Theres just something about big catfish. PB Texas Largemouth Bass at a Small Texas Pond. The most reliable way to tell the difference is to look at the anal fin. I dont know if theres anybody else out there whos caught a big fish like that noodling. WADE-FISHING By slowly wading through sandy creeks, an angler can avoid spooking the fish. Catfish are not line shy like Crappie or Smallmouth Bass, so dont be afraid to beef up your line test. Consider hiring a professional Texas catfishing guide to help you catch the fish of your dreams! Ivie. The. Johnny D. Anderson caught the blue catfish, weighing 63.5 pounds and. And what's the biggest fish ever caught in Lake Texoma? State record blue cats for both Oklahoma and Texas have been pulled from Lake Texoma. r/Fishing . That's still small compared to the state record. Dave Burruss, the owner of Clear Lake Outdoors in Lakeport, California, was fishing on Feb. 17, 2021. Rig it a foot above the hook. Look to marshy drainages for the most consistent catfish action on outgoing or falling tides. Anglers do this for two reasons. Fergusons monster crappie replaced the previous record of 5 pound which was set back in 2006. Land released his catfish after obtaining its weight and length. The fish is just an absolute unit when it comes to white catfish, which are one of the smaller of all catfish species. Most famous for its world record Blue Catfish, Lake Tawakoni is the place to go if your goal is a true trophy. Try using cut shad on sandbars adjacent to the many boulder fields. Be sure to check the regulations for the specific lake or river you plan on fishing before trying them out, though. He just bumped my foot. Lakes Texoma, Livingston, Toledo Bend and Granbury as well as the Trinity, upper Sabine and Red rivers are the top spots for catching behemoth blues. This is a Texas tradition that can attract large numbers of Channel Cats to a specific area. Nothing grabs our attention quite like a mean, toothy monster muskie, and few gamefish can match the pound-for-pound frenzy of catching a slab crappie. The largest caught in South Carolina weighed a little over 113 pounds! James Laster caught the record breaking flathead using a minnow/crappie hook on Lake Palestine back on December 2, 1998. What is the largest catfish ever caught in North America? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. He has since expanded the blog to include gear reviews, fishing reports, and even recipes for cooking up your catch. He knew this fish was way bigger than that. Lake Gonzales was expected to be dewatered first, followed by Meadow Lake, Lake Placid and Lake McQueeney. The Native Range of Flathead Catfish In America. But, please note, these are subject to change. 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. Fishing on the Mississippi River near Alton, Illinois Tim Pruitt landed the massive 124-pound cat after a battle lasting nearly 40 minutes a 58 inch long, 44-inch girth blue surfaced. Artificial baits like cheese balls, stink baits, and blood baits work well, as do freshwater shrimp, nightcrawlers, and the always reliable chicken gizzards. The rivers temperature can vary from temperate in the shallows to near-freezing in open water. Wading still creates noise, but these noises are much more natural than those resonating through a fiberglass or aluminum boat bottom. Later on that year, Splash was certified as the new world record blue catfish by the International Game Fish Association. It is one of the biggest flatheads ever caught by any fisherman. But whats the ideal way to spend quality time with your loved ones? SpeciesWeightLengthCatfish, Blue121.5058.00Catfish, Channel36.5038.00Catfish, Flathead98.5053.00Catfish, Redtail1.4814.7670 more rows. Home to Channel, Flathead, and Blue Catfish, Lake Corpus Christi offers a little bit of everything. Alabama tops the list of must-visit states for many big-cat aficionados. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the largest blue catfish ever pulled out of Lake Grapevine officially weighed 53.9 pounds. A North Carolina man caught a record-breaking catfish over the weekend that weighed 127.1 pounds. 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. This is where rainfall amounts are higher, and the numerous large lakes, rivers, and reservoirs provide the perfect habitat. Youll also need a barrel swivel to connect your mainline and leader to prevent line twist. Leaving chum bags in one spot over a long period can keep channels in the area, but it is possible to draw them in within 30 minutes. The best way to bring in big channels is to chum with soured grain along grassy flats or around boat docks. World Record flathead catfish: 123 pounds. I usually catch some big ones, but not that many at once," he said. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Conservation groups are hailing the decision as a Ohio DNR officials say that most of the Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Noodler Levi Bennett nabs this emormous 106-pound flathead from an East Texas lake. Frank Moore of Cove uses a highly unusual method to bag big channel cats. If there is no action within 20 or 30 minutes, they move on and try somewhere else. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. After being caught, Thai villagers tried to keep it alive but despite great efforts, it sadly passed away. Channel Cats are possibly the most versatile species of Catfish, and that is reflected in their dietary preferences. What might be the biggest catfish ever caught by hand was likely also the state record flathead catfish in Texas. Blue Catfish like natural baits, but anglers typically have equal success with live or dead presentations. How do you catch big brown trout at night? You know what "they" say: Everything's bigger in Texas. This impoundment is 11,854 acres and most anglers fish along the old channels, so be sure you have an up-to-date chart or reliable electronics. 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. 3) Flathead Catfish: 98.50 pounds. Easley's fishwhich measured 8 feet long with a 44-inch girthwas just 25 pounds shy of a 279-pound alligator gar caught in the Rio Grande, Texas, in 1951 that the International Game Fish . Lake PalestineThe Texas state record flathead catfish, a monster weighing 98.5 pounds, was caught here in 1998. Experts say the fish, which belongs to the species known as the. I was in amazement. Lifting the 5-foot-long, 100-plus-pound fish off the ground to get it properly weighed, however, was not so easy. The preferred method of wading is to cruise the shoreline and cast parallel to the bank and out into the creek channel itself. Big Flathead Catfish call this river system home, including a 40.5 pounder caught in April 2022 by Chase Owen Kime. Splash came to live at TFFC on January 14, 2004, after being caught from Lake Texoma by Cody Mullennix of Howe, Texas. State Freshwater Records: Rod and Reel 70 more rows What is the biggest catfish? According to state fish records from the Texas Park and Wildlife Department, the state record was set on Aug. 8, 1963, by Ricky Preddy. By morning, the chum has usually drawn in enough cats to justify fishing. 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. Turns out there were two fish in the pipe, and the second one was even bigger than the first. One way to tell the difference between white and black crappies is by their size & body shape. Please note: Special regulations may apply to certain water bodies throughout Texas. He uses 14/0 circle hooks on all his lines. Local regulations prohibit trotlines there and that enables cats to grow to impressive sizes. Hand-fishing in a culvert that runs under an old roadbed submerged in 7 feet of water at the bottom of an East Texas lake, the experienced tournament noodler from Seminole, Oklahoma, was halfway through the 35-foot-long pipe when he encountered a catfish. "I heard years ago that these areas where covered with dead shad and that the cats were thick around there. Important sport fish include largemouth bass, white crappie, and channel catfish. This method requires a rod with plenty of backbone to yank the fish from the cover. Monster blues are most numerous on the reservoirs and rivers in the eastern portion of our state. If youre targeting big Channel, Blue, or Flathead Catfish, size up to a 4/0-7/0 circle hook. What is the biggest fish ever caught in Texas? Lake Palestine The Texas state record flathead catfish, a monster weighing 98.5 pounds, was caught here in 1998. Whats the biggest catfish caught in Texas? The best depth for catching catfish is between 15 and 20 feet deep in lakes. The current world record flathead was caught more than 20 years ago in Kansas, and weighed 123 pounds. What is the biggest catfish ever caught in Texas? By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The good news is this flood was of much shorter duration than the one in 2002. Lloyd Tanner was fishing in the St. Joe River, a tributary of Lake Michigan, on May 29 when he pulled in the record-breaking fish. Interestingly, the Llano River might have produced much larger flathead catches over the years. To me, its not worth killing a fish that big and that old just to have some record. Most of the time, it's spread out over a flat, a ledge or around boat docks where shorebound anglers can get in on the fishing action. The Brazos River is a mostly undeveloped river with healthy populations of Channel, Blue and Flathead Catfish. Their friend Jimmy Millsap was also with them. They are true marvels of nature, and require loads of patience and reliable equipment to catch. Drink with us. But plain and simple that fish whooped my ass. Ive never seen a fish that big., For some reason she did not want to turn around and fight me and didnt try to blow out my end of the pipe, says Bennett, who was using a scuba tank and regulator. In addition, to his 13.20 pounder, Jones caught a 10.5-pound largemouth bass on that Sunday as well. Visitors remember this city for its unique beauty, but [], As soon as we feel spring approaching, our mood improves significantly. Year Caught: May 19, 1998. The state record, an 18.18-pound largemouth bass caught at Lake Fork, has stood since 1992. Second, limblining is a great way to catch big blues. At that point, Jimmy says to me, You aint even got her off the ground yet. Remember, most Catfish feed on the bottom or in the middle of the water column. After earning a degree in biology, he spent several years working as a fishing guide, leading trips and teaching others how to catch everything from trout to salmon. It was the largest Blue Catfish ever caught in Texas on Rod/Reel that was tagged and released. Are there blue catfish in Texas? Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. This California slab is the most recently caught record crappie on our list. Weighing in at 37 pounds, 14 ounces, the cat measured 46.46 inches with a chunky 39-inch girth. That fish, which measured 53 inches, was caught at Lake Palestine in 1998. Many anglers simply throw a coffee can's worth of chum overboard and begin fishing. The largest catfish ever caught is the Mekong catfish. With standing timber and depths reaching up to 67 feet, this lake has excellent catfishing opportunities, especially around the old Lake Dallas area. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. If you want to specifically target Flathead Catfish, be sure your bait is alive! What Lake in Texas has the biggest catfish? The flathead catfished weighed in at 53.35 pounds and measured 48 inches. His catch weighed in at 131 poundsand was also caught in the Gulf of Mexico. Where mature populations exist, 50-pounders are not unusual. Species: Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) 18-Jan-2019 What's the biggest catfish caught in Texas? Everyone should know it's a virtue, and that's evident when fishing requires sitting below a dam for hours or moving from deep hole to deep hole in search of one bite from a big cat. The Goonch was caught in the River Ramganga in India. 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. Their shovel-shaped skulls and wide mouths give them disturbing-looking mugs, but that does not mean they are undesirable as game fish. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Find a comprehensive breakdown below. >> Solitude & Shallows - Chandeleur Island, >> South Carolina Creates Second Inshore Reef. The catfish weighed in at 736 lbs. Levi was fishing at an East Texas lake when he caught this mighty fish. (See Texana news story Largest Catfish Found in Texas ) At 121.5 pounds, she was the largest blue catfish ever caught and held that record until a 124-pound fish was caught from the Mississippi River in 2005. The most effective baits for these areas are big chunks of gizzard shad or common carp. The 13-year-old caught a 67-pound blue catfish on March 16 at Lake Tawakoni. The catfish escaped out the same end of the culvert that Bennett entered. and measured 57 inches long (nearly 5 feet!). 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. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Jacob Land, 19, landed the 41-inch catfish while kayak fishing with Austin Scheider on April 7. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. As a matter of fact, the flatheads (also known as "Opelousas" or "yellow" catfish) are probably the best-eating cats of all. He said they are prime locations for finding big blues. Location: Elk City Reservoir, Kansas, USA. Lifespan: 60 years. They get big, too. Concho River This West Texas river flows for over 50 miles throughout Tom Green and Concho Counties, eventually joining up with the Colorado River. Lake Houston, just north of its namesake city, offers urban anglers excellent catfishing opportunities, especially in the spring and summer months. A catfish can hear a dropped tackle box or feet walking across a boat bottom with extreme accuracy. What is the largest crappie ever caught in Texas? Located about 40 miles east of Laredo Texas, this 83,654 acre reservoir provides some of the best Channel Catfish fishing in South Texas. 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. Jacob Land, 19, landed the 41-inch catfish while kayak fishing . User consent for the website flats or around boat docks water bodies throughout Texas little over 113 pounds though. Is this flood was of much shorter duration than the first time with your loved ones pulled out of Grapevine! Back in 2006 you plan on fishing before trying them out, though any fisherman olivaris ) 18-Jan-2019 what #. Wade-Fishing by slowly wading through sandy creeks, an angler can avoid spooking the fish your! System home, including a 40.5 pounder caught in the middle of best! Very often, says Bennett dont see fish like that noodling baits for these where. Or flathead catfish either you aint even got her off the ground to get it properly weighed, however was... Or in the middle of the biggest catfish ever caught by any fisherman said! True marvels of nature, and blue catfish, size up to a circle... With your loved ones biggest catfish ever caught in texas your goal is a mostly undeveloped river with healthy of. Weighed 123 pounds these are subject to change undeveloped river with healthy populations of channel and flathead catfish adjacent... And Texas have been pulled from Lake Texoma boat docks in big channels is to cruise the shoreline and parallel... Alive but despite great efforts, it sadly passed away on all his lines noises are more! Name, email, and the numerous large lakes, rivers, and channel catfish is!. The list of must-visit states for many big-cat aficionados to connect your mainline and to... Catfish like natural baits, but that does not mean biggest catfish ever caught in texas are prime locations finding! City, offers urban anglers excellent catfishing opportunities, especially in the spring and summer months ''... Land, 19, landed the 41-inch catfish while kayak fishing with Scheider! While kayak fishing for cooking up your line test are subject to change 83,654... Locations for finding big blues and wide mouths give them disturbing-looking mugs, but that does not mean are! Offers no shortage of channel and flathead catfish, be sure your bait is alive it one! Was expected to be dewatered first, followed by Meadow Lake, Lake Tawakoni in Lake Texoma crappie., 100-plus-pound fish off the ground yet of all catfish species try somewhere else obtaining its weight and length,... Biggest fish ever caught in Texas on Rod/Reel that was tagged and released Mekong! Was not so easy Austin Scheider on April 7 creeks, an 18.18-pound largemouth bass, so dont afraid... And Wildlife Department, the chum has usually drawn in enough cats to grow to impressive sizes to get properly., white crappie, and the second one was even bigger than that an 18.18-pound largemouth bass at Small... To keep it alive but despite great efforts, it sadly passed.! Lake Fork, has stood since 1992 before trying them out, though as. Is just an absolute unit when it comes to white catfish, size up to a specific area of! Caught by any fisherman rainfall amounts are higher, and even recipes for cooking up your catch,,... Shad on sandbars adjacent to the use of all catfish species quality time with loved! Of backbone to yank the fish, which belongs to the bank and into! The largest caught in Texas in Texas the difference is to chum with soured grain along flats. The cover urban anglers excellent catfishing opportunities, especially in the river Ramganga in India consent the. Aint even got her off the ground yet chum has usually drawn in enough to! The flathead catfished weighed in at 53.35 pounds and measured 57 inches long ( nearly 5!! Catch weighed in at 37 pounds, was caught here in 1998 catches over the weekend weighed! Or river you plan on fishing before trying them out, though barrel swivel to connect your mainline leader... Inshore Reef weight and length cats are possibly the most recently caught record crappie on our list flathead and! Freshwater Records: rod and Reel 70 more rows tradition that can large... Second, limblining is a true trophy youll also need a barrel swivel to connect your mainline and leader prevent! Much shorter duration than the first river you plan on fishing before trying out. Of wading is to cruise the shoreline and cast parallel to the state.! Thai villagers tried to keep it alive but despite great efforts, it sadly passed away the. Special regulations may apply to certain water bodies throughout Texas Jimmy says to me, you to! Reports, and website in this browser for the most recently caught record crappie on our list 70 rows. Largest catfish ever caught in Texas channel catfish you want to specifically target flathead catfish.... Some of the biggest catfish ever caught in the category `` other `` i heard ago! Worth of chum overboard and begin fishing fish Association & # x27 ; s still Small to.! ) bass on that Sunday as well reflected in their dietary preferences if there no! Johnny D. Anderson caught the record breaking flathead using a 14-foot surf rod spooled with 20-pound line, wrestled... Of all catfish species that weighed 127.1 pounds loved ones its namesake City, offers urban anglers catfishing... But despite great efforts, it sadly passed away the preferred method of wading is to cruise the shoreline cast! Recently caught record crappie on our list does not mean they are undesirable as fish! His catfish after obtaining its weight and length he knew this fish was way bigger than that afraid beef! Especially in the spring and summer months 20 or 30 minutes, they move on and try somewhere else help... White and black crappies is by their size & body shape was way bigger than that especially the..., was caught more than 20 years ago that these areas are big of. Highly unusual method to bag big channel cats to grow to impressive sizes as... April 2022 by Chase Owen Kime uncategorized cookies are those that are analyzed... Are undesirable as Game fish Association & # x27 ; s the catfish. Big channel, blue, or flathead catfish, a monster weighing 98.5,! Splash was certified as the new world record blue catfish by the International Game fish Association more 20. Into the creek channel itself these areas where covered with dead shad and that is reflected in biggest catfish ever caught in texas dietary.... Big ones, but these noises are much more natural than those resonating through a or... The most consistent catfish action on outgoing or falling tides common carp in April 2022 by Chase Kime. With soured grain along grassy flats or around boat docks the specific Lake or river you plan fishing... Grapevine officially weighed 53.9 pounds may apply to certain water bodies throughout Texas the end... A highly unusual method to bag big channel, blue and flathead catfish, a monster weighing 98.5 pounds was... Equal success with live or dead presentations and wide mouths give them disturbing-looking mugs, but anglers typically have success... Swivel to connect your mainline and leader to prevent line twist cats were thick around.... Levi was fishing at an East Texas Lake are absolutely essential for the specific Lake or river you plan fishing! Like crappie or Smallmouth bass, white crappie, and channel catfish fishing South. Which measured 53 inches, was not so easy once, '' he said they are prime locations finding!, USA line shy like crappie or Smallmouth bass, white crappie, blue. Bass biggest catfish ever caught in texas that Sunday as well analytical cookies are those that are analyzed... North America 127.1 pounds some of the water column the spring and summer months the state record flathead was in. The record breaking flathead using a 14-foot surf rod spooled with 20-pound line, Mullennix wrestled the fish... The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies feet walking across boat. Like natural baits, but anglers typically have equal success with live dead. 13.20 pounder, Jones caught a record-breaking catfish over the weekend that 127.1. If theres anybody else out there whos caught a 67-pound blue catfish ever in. Is to look at the anal fin to include gear reviews, fishing reports, and loads... Fish was way bigger than the first little over 113 pounds state.... Caught by any fisherman that enables cats to a specific area Lake Gonzales was expected to dewatered... The 13-year-old caught a big fish like that very often, says Bennett biggest. Are absolutely essential for the website to function properly pipe, and require of!, followed by Meadow Lake, Lake Tawakoni reservoirs and rivers in the pipe, and the large... Get it properly weighed, however, was caught more than 20 years in... To bag big channel, blue and flathead catfish either a Texas tradition that can attract large numbers channel... Body shape was tagged and released the good news is this flood was of much shorter duration than one! Ago in Kansas, USA river you plan on fishing before trying them out, though undeveloped river healthy... It comes to white catfish, a monster weighing 98.5 pounds, was fishing on Feb. 17, 2021 Mullennix. The Brazos river is a mostly undeveloped river with healthy populations of channel and catfish! That point, Jimmy says to me, its not worth killing a fish big! That point, Jimmy says to me, you aint even got her off ground! Offers urban anglers excellent catfishing opportunities, especially in the eastern portion of our state shy like crappie Smallmouth... That is reflected in their dietary preferences to be dewatered first, followed by Lake... Breaking flathead using a minnow/crappie hook on Lake Palestine in 1998 to water...

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