Whats the biggest catfish ever caught in Texas? A ginormous hog that tipped the scale at 790 pounds is living carefree, and getting fed and watered down in his corral - for now. 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. 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. Consider hiring a professional Texas catfishing guide to help you catch the fish of your dreams! FLATHEADS Flatheads win the ugly award among Texas catfish. Lake Gonzales was expected to be dewatered first, followed by Meadow Lake, Lake Placid and Lake McQueeney. If there is no action within 20 or 30 minutes, they move on and try somewhere else. BLUE CATFISH C. D. Martindale caught the state-record blue catfish out of Lake Texoma in 1985. The record catfish weighed in at 130 lb. The fish pictured below are not the . His previous personal record for a hand caught catfish was 74 pounds. At lakes Buchanan, Amistad and Falcon are found "community chumming spots." How big is the largest catfish on record? 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. Try using cut shad on sandbars adjacent to the many boulder fields. The lake record Blue Catfish was caught by Gregory Pavur in March 2020, weighing in at 42.14 pounds. Steven Hill 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. Its a lifestyle. Another way to catch these cats is by drifting a chunk of cut bait on a freeline over these humps. 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. Whether its Waylon, Willie and legends of the past, or superstars in the making like Zach Bryan, our finger is always on the pulse of true country music. Moore has been using a custom-built rod originally built for snapper fishing around offshore platforms, but the 7-foot Ugly Stik flippin' rods have proved equally effective. Texas Lakes Are Drying Up Amid the Heat and Drought The New York Times. While not considered a game fish by state regulation, many Texans enjoy fishing for bluegill and other sunfish within the state. On a Channel Catfish it will be rounded with 2329 rays. Whaley from Santee-Cooper Reservoir, South Carolina in July of 1964. His catch weighed in at 131 pounds and was also caught in the Gulf of Mexico. Landon Evans shows off his 117-pound, 8-ounce blue. The sound waves travel from the bladder to a small inner-ear bone called an otolith that starts vibrating. Many anglers simply throw a coffee can's worth of chum overboard and begin fishing. From Texas to Tennessee, Appalachia to Bakersfield, Whiskey Riff is THE unapologetic voice of the country music fan. This complex system of "hearing" or vibration detection is 13 times more sensitive than that of a bass. Gerald Burleigh of Orangefield likes to fish these areas on Toledo Bend and on Lake Livingston. South and West Texas dont have quite as many opportunities, but there are still a few diamonds in the desert. 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. The latter, weighing a monumental 121.5 pounds, was also the world record for a time. Stacker compiled a list of the top 50 record-breaking fish caught in the U.S. by weight using data from Land Big Fish. By going fishing, of course. Big blues are generally solitary creatures, so do not expect to catch large numbers in one spot. Typically, Channel Catfish also have spots (especially when 10 pounds or smaller), whereas Blue Catfish tend to be spotless (although this is not always the case). Sometimes this rig will not sink quickly enough, so don't be afraid to modify it by pinching on a split shot as a weight. Catfish can be extremely finicky. Have you ever tried Catfish fishing in Texas? A catfish can hear a dropped tackle box or feet walking across a boat bottom with extreme accuracy. The anglers discovered a tattooed human forearm while gutting a shark they'd caught off the coast of Argentina. State Freshwater Records: Rod and Reel 70 more rows What is the biggest catfish? Rant with us. They hit live baits almost exclusively, preferring perch, suckers and carp to nasty, stinky prepared baits. The state-record blue catfish was caught in Lake Texoma, tipping the scales at 121.5 pounds. , Stocked trout waters are closed for taking fishbait and baitfish from March 1 to the opening day of trout season. The largest fish caught in Tennessee of either class was a 130-lb Blue Catfish caught on Ft. Loudoun Reservoir in 1976 by three fishermen using commercial gear. The largest catfish ever caught on record measures just over 9 feet. The giant lakes and reservoirs in Texas get a lot of the fishing attention, but dont overlook the smaller lakes and ponds. Catfishing in Texas is very popular with anglers finding good sized channel catfish, flatheads and blue cats. Just wore me out.. Splash is her name, and being the World-Record Blue Catfish is her fame. These cakes are usually put in a burlap sack weighted with rocks and then either tied off to a tree or sunk under a buoy where they are left to do their work overnight. Blue Catfish Blue catfish have deeply forked tail fins and blue-grey shimmering skin. Is Perch a game fish in Texas? What is the biggest catfish caught in the world? Length: 6.53 feet. And with monster Blue Catfish capable of breaking the 100 pound mark, theres the chance at a real trophy. 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 lake record Blue Catfish was caught by Gregory Pavur in March 2020, weighing in at 42.14 pounds. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. She thrashed a couple of times, but once I got my hands on her it was about over.. If youre fishing the swift currents of Texass many rivers, you may need as much as 5 ounces of lead to keep your bait down. Tagging studies and water sampling projects conducted by officials with the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge in Hackberry, Louisiana, have found the salt content in coastal waters during winter months to be compatible with blue cat survival. I usually catch some big ones, but not that many at once," he said. And that would be a hard point to counter, judging from the size of the catfish that anglers so often pull from Texas reservoirs and rivers. Lifting the 5-foot-long, 100-plus-pound fish off the ground to get it properly weighed, however, was not so easy. I was in amazement. What's the biggest fish ever caught? Most famous for its world record Blue Catfish, Lake Tawakoni is the place to go if your goal is a true trophy. Thanks to everyone on r/whatisthisfish, I can confirm that the second fish I've ever caught is a bluegill. However, the fish was thrown back in the water before it was weighed on an officially certified scale so it wont be showing up in the record books. The best catfishing in Texas takes place in the northern and eastern portions of the state. 8 oz. Visitors remember this city for its unique beauty, but [], As soon as we feel spring approaching, our mood improves significantly. 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 A 14-inch white crappie will be 1.4 pounds and 9.1 years old. Country music is the lifeblood of Whiskey Riff, and we pride ourselves on standing firmly in the corner of the independent artists, and those few in the mainstream still doing it the right way. To me, its not worth killing a fish that big and that old just to have some record. The. Lake PalestineThe Texas state record flathead catfish, a monster weighing 98.5 pounds, was caught here in 1998. Key zones to look for include freshwater mussel beds, logjams in 30 to 50 feet of water, and where large creeks meet the main body of a reservoir or a river. Lake Palestine hosts largemouth bass tournaments but also has excellent fishing for white bass, hybrid striped bass and catfish. The decided not to put the fish under more duress by throwing it in the boat and looking for an official scale, and instead got it back into the water quickly. SpeciesWeightLengthCatfish, Blue121.5058.00Catfish, Channel36.5038.00Catfish, Flathead98.5053.00Catfish, Redtail1.4814.7670 more rows. How do you get rid of Cuban frogs in Florida? At fourteen inches, the typical black crappie weighs 1.7 pounds and will be 14.3 years old. It does not store any personal data. Athens, TX - A North Texas man and his father reeled in three huge catfish on Lake Grapevine last week. What is the biggest catfish in the United States? The Goonch was caught in the River Ramganga in India. Anglers catch gar weighing as much as 150 pounds on limblines in South and East Texas, so take all necessary precautions. After looking over the weights, I've never wanted to catfish more. In recent years, waters like Wheeler, Wilson and Pickwick lakes on the Tennessee River have become world renowned for producing huge blue cats, including several exceeding 100 pounds. During late summer, well-informed anglers will target big blues near the thermocline in reservoirs. The state-record channel cat is a 36.5-pounder that was caught in the Pedernales River. The most reliable way to tell the difference is to look at the anal fin. After college, he worked at Salt Water Sportsman magazine for three years, before joining F&S as a full-time staffer in 2008. What is considered a large flounder? Remember, your bait selection and fishing location are the best way to target a specific type of Catfish. I looked down and probably a foot of her tail was still on the ground.. That fish, which measured 53 inches, was caught at Lake Palestine in 1998. Remember, most Catfish feed on the bottom or in the middle of the water column. Our friends at the International Game Fish Association were kind enough to open their record book and share the photos and catch details of these 10 all-tackle and line-class records. 2011 Mesquite Management, Inc. -- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fish/infish/hatchery/tffc/. Please check your email for a confirmation. if youre concerned about temperature drops in the water, be sure and bring an insulated swimming outfit, like a thermal , Know Where Youre Wading Scout Ahead. Here's where the big ones came from in the past and where more giants are likely to show up now. Experiment with different options the smellier the better for these. Adam Young owns and operates PanfishNation.com, a popular freshwater fishing blog for anglers of all backgrounds. Turns out there were two fish in the pipe, and the second one was even bigger than the first. He looks like exactly the type of guy you would expect to be wrestling 100 plus pound catfish in his free time. The all-tackle world record Eurasian catfish was caught July 4, 1997 by angler Shoji Matsuura from Lake Biwa in Shiga, Japan. When viewing a surface map it may seem as if they river ends where the bay begins, but things may look different when viewed from the perspective offered by a depthfinder or a detailed topographical chart. A Texas angler has learned that a 31-pound flathead catfish he caught in April is a new "waterbody" record for the Llano River. The biggest catfish in America is the blue catfish. Top-5 Largest Catfish Ever Caught In the US #1 - 143 pounds Where: Virginia - Buggs Island Lake (Kerr Reservoir) The 3,000-acre Fayette County Reservoir near La Grange is an overlooked but excellent choice. Hes also previously had a catfish knock some of his teeth out during an underwater battle. "I've had J-style hooks flattened out many times and have never had that happen with a circle hook," he said. Consider booking a charter or guided trip during the cold summer months when most Blue Catfish over 40 pounds are caught. For small Bullhead and Channel Catfish in the 110 pound range, I recommend a 1/0-3/0 circle hook. In addition, to his 13.20 pounder, Jones caught a 10.5-pound largemouth bass on that Sunday as well. This California slab is the most recently caught record crappie on our list. October 10, 2022 September 14, 2022 by Brent Pollock. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. "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. A North Carolina man caught a record-breaking catfish over the weekend that weighed 127.1 pounds. The record for the largest Goonch ever caught belongs to Jakub Vgner, the host of National Geographic's "Fish Warrior." Vgner's Goonch was 165 pounds 5 ounces (75 kilograms) and over 5 feet (1.57 meters) long. Conn was fishing on Lake OH Ivie on Monday Feb. 13, 2023 when the big fish bit. In fact, sometimes these smaller unknown water bodies receive significantly less fishing pressure and can yield big and plentiful catches. Sign up to receive exclusive discounts from Whiskey Riff Shop and breaking news. Monster blues are most numerous on the reservoirs and rivers in the eastern portion of our state. 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. In Texas, its easy to get confused between Blue and Channel Catfish, so its important to know how to tell the difference between them. What is the . Home to Channel, Flathead, and Blue Catfish, Lake Corpus Christi offers a little bit of everything. At that point, Jimmy says to me, You aint even got her off the ground yet, Bennett recalls. And who could blame them? 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. Anglers do this for two reasons. Are there blue catfish in Texas? The record bass was caught on January 2nd, 1992 by Barry St. Clair. If you want to specifically target Flathead Catfish, be sure your bait is alive! Flathead Catfish: Texas, Gulf . They are true marvels of nature, and require loads of patience and reliable equipment to catch. Live sun perch and crawfish can also entice blues. But, please note, these are subject to change. 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. Once they caught the fish fully off the ground, the scale read 106-pounds. In August 2019, the GBRA announced that Lake Gonzales, Meadow Lake, Lake Placid and Lake McQueeney would be drained due to concerns over aging dams. Cody Mullenix of Howe Texas caught the fish on January 16th, 2004 which became known as "Splash" while fishing at the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge on Lake Texoma. What is the biggest catfish ever caught in Texas? This is where rainfall amounts are higher, and the numerous large lakes, rivers, and reservoirs provide the perfect habitat. With a bit of luck, some stout tackle, and a hook baited with a hunk of Spam (just keep reading), the next world-record catfish could belong to you. The scale went to 94, then 95, and when it hit 97 I just about dropped it, I was so stinking excited. Just $1 per month , Levi Bennet wrestled this monster flathead from an East Texas lake; it's one of the biggest ever caught by any fisherman, By Let's look at the three major Texas species and the most productive methods for bagging the biggest and best of them all. FOR YOUR INFORMATION Many veteran catfishermen know the value of using limblines to catch trophy catfish. At these, all the regulars (and those visitors who've been clued in) know the baited holes' locations and gladly contribute toward keeping the fish coming. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. pr_tile = pr_tile + 1; Everything is big in Texas, and that includes our catfish. The coves and creeks around many marinas have sandy or hard bottoms. What is the largest crappie ever caught in Texas? For comparison, the 1998 flood was over 200,000 cfs. Species: Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris). Second, limblining is a great way to catch big blues. Lets take a closer look. Near Wichita Falls, Lake Arrowhead has historically been considered the areas best crappie fishery. but during the summer, try cheeseballs on the shallow flats in 48 feet of water. And trust me, with a state record Blue Catfish weighing in at 112.5 pounds, Texas knows how to grow BIG Cats! Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Get a Head Lamp with White and Red Light. Paddlefish 164 lbs. The Guadalupe, in particular, is seeing flow reduced in several spots west of Canyon Lake. 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. The catfish weighed in at 736 lbs. And what's the biggest fish ever caught in Lake Texoma? "I have found there are more big channels in these spots than most other areas. Find a comprehensive breakdown below. And once I began to fish it, I found that to be true.". This method requires a rod with plenty of backbone to yank the fish from the cover. Later on that year, Splash was certified as the new world record blue catfish by the International Game Fish Association. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission certified the state record flathead catfish weighing 69.9 pounds, measuring 48.5 inches long, 38.25 inches in circumference. By angler Shoji Matsuura from Lake Biwa in Shiga, Japan Texas.! 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