The Largest Fish EVER Caught in US Waters – State Fishing Records [Interactive Maps]

As anglers, we all dream of landing a trophy catch.

From the moment we learn how to fish, to the last time we ever throw a line in, hooking an absolute monster is the crowning achievement of this lifestyle.

Especially if you can prove it!

We’re no different at Bonfirebob, and so we decided to compile record-breaking information on a variety of fish species, so you have something to aspire to in your neck of the woods.

Monster Catches – Current US State Carp Records 2024

Carp is one of the most popular fish to hunt, as it’s considered an invasive species, stocks are plentiful, and they can reach impressive weights and sizes.

Here we have the heaviest carps ever hooked in US waters, organized by state, location, and the year caught.

And, of course, the one that beats them all, a 75 lbs beast snagged in Mississippi in 1963.

Simply hover over a state to find the current record on the map below.

If there’s no information listed, it’s likely because no records exist for that particular location – so perhaps you should get out there and change that.

Either way, records are made to be broken, and it’s definitely time for a new champ at the top.

Hold my beer.

Mi-WOW! Current US State Catfish Records 2024

If you like chasing the whiskers, then these records will be for you. Catfish have a cult following among anglers, which is also considered an invasive species with good stocks in the US.

Land yourself a beast, and you’ll have yourself an enviable trophy catch and a story you’ll dine out on for years to come.

You’ll find state records on the “big three” below. The most sought after and popular catfish species – channel catfish, blue catfish, and flathead catfish.

Biggest Channel Catfish Records in the U.S.

Arguably the most popular for whisker lovers, the channel catfish is the most numerous species, found extensively in the US and hunted by some eight million anglers each year.

As such, records are plentiful, and you’ll find an interactive map below with records by state for the “channel cat.”

Biggest Blue Catfish Records in the U.S.

The blue happens to be the largest of the catfish species, and they can reach weights of around 150 lbs, and live for up to 20 years.

Unfortunately, there is no map information available, but we do have the top seven blue catfish state records listed for you below.

Blue Catfish State Records

StateWeightLocationYearAngler
Virginia143 lbsBuggs Island Lake (Kerr Reservoir)2011Richard “Nick” Anderson
Missouri130 lbs 0 ozMissouri River2010Greg Bernal
Illinois124 lbs 4 ozMississippi River2005Tim Pruitt
Texas121 lbs 5 ozLake Texoma2004Cody Mullenix
Alabama120 lbs 4 ozHolt Reservoir2012John Paul
Arkansas116 lbs 12 ozMississippi River W. Memphis2001Charles Ashley Jr.
Tennessee112 lbs 0 ozCumberland River – Lock C1998Robert E. Lewis

Biggest Flathead Catfish Records in the U.S.

If you’re looking for a tasty catch, flatheads should be on your radar, although all three species are delicious if prepared correctly.

Like blues, flathead cats also regularly reach over 100 lbs and make excellent trophy fish.

Again, interactive map information is limited, so you’ll have to settle for the top seven state records for flathead catfish listed below.

Flathead Catfish State Records

StateWeightLocationYearAngler
Kansas123 lbs 0 ozElk City Reservoir1998Ken Paulie
Texas98 lbs 8 ozLake Palestine1998James Laster
Kentucky97 lbs 0 ozGreen River1956Esker Carroll
Tennessee85 lbs 15 ozHiwassee River1993Larry Kaylor
Georgia83 lbs 0 ozAltamaha River2010Jim Dieveney
Iowa81 lbs 0 ozLake Ellis1958Joe Baze
Alabama80 lbs 0 ozAlabama River near Selma1986Rick Conner
Arkansas80 lbs 0 ozArkansas River1989Wesley White
Nebraska80 lbs 0 ozLoup Power Canal – near Genoa1988William Swanson

Current US State Fishing Records 2024

In this map, we cover the heaviest species ever caught in each state, how much it weighed, the body of water it was hooked in, and the year it became a record breaker.

From paddle fish to sturgeon, alligator gar to even great white sharks, the largest fish landed in each state is here. Take a look and find out which species it is for your area.

Again, hover over the map to see all the information at your fingertips, and discover some seriously big fish in the process.

You might be surprised by what you see.

Summary

While some anglers enjoy telling seriously tall fishing tales, there’s no disputing official records when it comes to the largest beasts ever caught in the US.

And many haven’t changed for several decades – which surely means it’s time they did?

Let me know in the comments which record you would like to break and why, and I wish you the best of luck in adding your catch to these maps one day.

Unless I beat you to it!

Bob Hoffmann

The author of this post is Bob Hoffmann. Bob has spend most of his childhood fishing with his father and now share all his knowledge with other anglers. Feel free to leave a comment below.

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