All fish caught on rod and reel and released to fight another day. Including the largest catfish caught on film in North America weighing in at over 100 lbs. Currently found in Central and Eastern Europe, the wels catfish can grow to extraordinary sizes (over 9 feet) depending on the habitat it … Had the fish been caught on a rod and reel, it would have easily bested the current state record of 109-pounds. "My biggest before this was a 34-pound red snapper I caught deep-sea fishing," he said. Subscriber Services. Danny Brown, Big River Fisheries Biologist for the Missouri Conservation Department offers insight for modern record hunters. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Forget finicky flatheads and boorish blues. World’s Largest Mekong Catfish Caught ©Photo from Suthep Kristsanavarin. What was the biggest freshwater fish ever caught with a line and rod? It's commonly believed that the blue catfish represents the largest North American catfish species. On display at the same Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, Texas is a replica of a 122-pound flathead goliath, taken by illegal means from Lake Tyler in 1984. We know Game & Fish fans love fishing for catfish — whether it's for trophies and state records, or eaters. One surefire way to know for sure is to count the rays on the fish's anal fin. The largest Mekong cat ever caught weighed more than 600 pounds. in north america, it was a 124 pound blue cat by tim pruitt. The oldest record — a 55-pound channel catch in South Carolina, 1949 — is approaching 80 years old, Michigan's flathead record (70-0) was reportedly caught while ice fishing. OMAHA, Ga. (WTXL) — A Havana, Florida man has set a new record for the largest blue catfish ever caught in Georgia. Simplify breakfast or brunch for a crowd by making this savory venison chorizo quiche recipe. (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation image), The Virginia state record blue catfish is also a world record. The largest wels catfish ever recorded, also caught in the Po Delta, was 9.1 feet and weighed 297 pounds. On the morning of July 6, 2020, rumor began circulating of a potential North Carolina state record blue catfish. "Spent a few days there a few years back and on every spot we tried, we got bit by or caught a big fish. According to the fisherman, Dino Ferrari, the 280-pound fish took nearly an hour to reel in. Referencing Heckman's opening quote, you note use of the term "blue channel catfish." Other than sheer size, the other way to distinguish between a white catfish and a blue is to compare anal fin structure: white cats sport pronounced, rounded fins, while blues' fins appear more straight and squared off in the corners. The method by which that fish was caught is unclear. Michigan's flathead record (70-0) was reportedly caught while ice fishing; The IGFA world records for the four species were caught in the U.S. Categories Cute cat Images. The Arkansas River behemoth was one of the largest freshwater fish ever caught in North America, but it sparked little attention. The IGFA all-tackle world record was caught by W.H. Masullo de Aguiar's Piraiba was caught in 2009 and weighed 341 pounds 11 ounces (155 kilograms). The most widespread of all North American catfish species, the world record channel catfish is in many ways the most surprising of all. It is the largest catfish in North America and the third largest obligate freshwater fish in North America, behind the lake sturgeon and paddlefish. You be the judge. Interestingly, white and channel catfish grow at similar rates for their first four years, after which, channel cats experience relatively rapid growth. Posts about big catfish records are well-liked by readers. Most fishing rods feature both an action and a power rating, but what do those ratings mean and how do you use them to select the right rod for different scenarios? Flathead: 80-0, William Swanson, Loup Power Canal, 4/16/1988, Channel: 32-7, Scott Barrett, South Fork Reservoir, 6/27/2011, White (tie): 17-4, Corey Ryan, Lahontan Reservoir, 6/26/2008; Jose Mendoza, Humboldt River, 9/17/2005, Channel: 12-4.8, Dave Kellam, Connecticut River, 9/20/2014, White: 5-11, Zachary Cross, Big Cub Pond, 8/4/1996, Channel: 33-3, Howard Hudson, Lake Hopatcong, 1978, White: 14-4, Timothy Jasko, Dallenbach Pond, 2004, White: 10-5, Joe Silicato, New Croton Reservoir, 5/17/1998, Blue: 117-8, Landon Evans, Lake Gaston, 6/11/2016, Channel: 23-4, E.J. Lake Gaston has already produced at least a few fish over 100-pounds, including the 117-pound 8-ounce North Carolina state record, caught by a 15 year old angler in June 2016. (Contributed by Zeb Hogan) In the flathead catfish world, there's probably nothing more conventional than fishing with... Give a Gift   Summer is for loading up on channel cats. The world’s largest catfish isn’t the whopper that some guy at the bait shop says he caught last week in Minnesota… the biggest catfish ever recorded was caught in Northern Thailand in May, 2005. Currently, at least sixteen states list a white catfish record. in africa, they have strange catfish like the suckermouth, but south america is where its at. (Contributed by Zeb Hogan) Whaley from Santee-Cooper Reservoir, South Carolina in July of 1964. © 2021 Outdoor Sportsman Group. As with blues versus channel cats, differentiating between white, blue and channels can be tricky. It's easier than you think — and will put more big bass in your boat. Moreover, because white cats rarely exceed ten pounds, they garner far less coverage or angling attention than their larger brethren. According to the Georgia … Bowden, City Lake in Rocky Mount, 9/1/1970, Flathead: 78-0, Brian Newberger, Cape Fear River, 9/17/2005, White: 13-0, Jerry Wayne Bentley, Lake James, 5/21/1990, Channel: 42-1, Tina Willis, Moon Lake, 7/25/2009, Blue: 96-0, Chris Rolph, Ohio River, 6/11/2009, Channel: 37.65, Gus Gronowski, LaDue Reservoir, 8/15/1992, Flathead: 76.5, Richard Affolter, Clendening Lake, 7/28/1979, Blue: 98-0, Billy Nabors, Texoma, 11/11/2004, Channel: 35-15, Gary Doak Jr., Taft Lake, 9/11/2005, Flathead: 78-8, Richard Williams, El Reno City Reservoir, 5/11/2010, Channel: 36-8, Boone Haddock, McKay Reservoir, 1980, Flathead: 42-0, Joshua Kralicek, Snake River, 1994, White: 15-0, Wayne Welch, Tualatin River, 1989, Channel: 35-2.5, Austin Roth III, Lehigh Canal, 1991, Flathead: 48-6, James Shabrach, Blue Marsh Spillway, 2006, White: 16-12, L. Angell, Tiogue Lake, 8/1994, *Channel: 58-0, W.H. It's conceivable that catfish like this could easily continue growing for another decade or two.". You don't have to go stinky with catfish baits. Increase a lure’s effectiveness by pairing it with the ideal reel speed. in the world, it was a 646 pound giant, but it was caught in a net, not on a rod & reel. The overlooked white catfish world record — as certified by the IGFA — is an impressive 19-pounds 5-ounces (pictured), despite the fact that California recognizes a 22-pounder as its state record. A photograph purportedly showing a 736-pound catch adds to the collection of urban legends about monstrously large catfish. With help from his father and stepbrother, Anderson eventually wrestled the gargantuan blue, which boasted a 57-inch length and massive 47-inch girth, into his pontoon. The In-Fisherman crew head to Lake Erie to catch smallmouth bass. The article also notes: "Later Groves caught a 19 and a 55 pounder," but makes no mention that the latter may have been a channel catfish. ... Next Post Next Biggest Catfish Ever Caught In North America. Beyond Buggs Island, Gaston and America's big rivers, the 'where,' 'when' and 'how big' of the next record blue catfish remains anyone's guess. Leave a Reply Cancel reply. The current 143-pound record blue bit high school football coach Nick Anderson's bait while fishing Virginia's Kerr (Buggs Island) Reservoir in June 2011. The IGFA world records for the four species were caught in the U.S. This giant cat surprised crappie angler James Laster, while fishing Lake Palestine in December 1998. Monster Cats DVD teaser. OK, fair warning, I’m not if sure the following video is real. But even once anglers overcome the difficult dilemma of how to put a bait into these tricky spots, they're still faced with the nearly impossible task of extracting the fish from tangled cover. Easton FMJ Arrows Offer Bowhunters More Penetration, Baitfish for Bass: Search, Suspend or Sink Crankbaits, Mud Hole MHX Rod Building Kits: Field-Tested, Southwestern Venison Chorizo Quiche Recipe, Great Catfish Baits That Won't Stink Up the Place, How to Catch Suspended Catfish in Late Summer with Proven Tactics, Action and Power Ratings- How to Choose the Right Bass Rod, Hunting Elk with the Ruger Hawkeye Long Range Hunter in 6.5 PRC, Understanding Reel Retrieve Ratios and How it Affects Lure Presentations, Catch More Bass on a Jerkbait in the Cooler Months. At least seven catfish records have been set so far this year (Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, New York, South Carolina and Wyoming). Any time a new state record fish is caught, there’s a newsworthy story. The Mudger family comes from a long line of expert fisherman. Plan your next fishing and boating adventure here. The In-Fisherman staff reveals some of the hottest action of the winter season, as they show how to ice 20-pound channel catfish. North American Record Catfish North American Record Catfish World Record Catfish The Largest Ever Caught ... record catfish the largest ever caught alton resident catches 736 pound catfish in mississippi 7 largest catfish ever caught org 10 biggest catfish world records of all time. "Over the years I've had on the line twelve giant fish that either spooled me or that simply could not be landed. However, while the IGFA recognizes California as the home of the world white catfish record (19 pounds, 5 ounces; 2005), California's official state record (22-0, 1994) is heavier, Indiana and Kentucky share the same record for blue catfish (104-0), Blue: 120-4, John Paul Nichols, Holt Reservoir, 3/9/2012, Channel: 40-0, Donald R. Cox, Inland Lake, 6/17/1967, Flathead: 80-0, Rick Conner, Alabama River, 6/22/1986, White: 10-5, Roy Britton, Chambers Co. Public Lake, 4/3/1981, Flathead: 76-8.64, Eddie Wilcoxson, Bartlett Lake, 4/13/2013, Blue: 116-12, Charles Ashley Jr., Mississippi River, 8/3/2001, Channel: 38-0, Joe Holleman, Lake Ouachita, 6/3/1989, Flathead: 80-0, Wesley White, Arkansas River, 10/28/1989, Blue: 113-5, Steve Oudomsouk, San Vicente Reservoir, 7/24/2008, Channel: 53-8, Randall Gilgert Jr., San Joaquin River, 9/22/2008, Flathead: 72-14, Billy Joe Potter, Colorado River, 4/22/2003, **White: 22-0, James Robinson, Land Park pond, 3/21/1994, Blue: 24-7.7, Charlie Black, Pueblo Reservoir, 2016, Channel: 43-6, Jessica Walton, Aurora Reservoir, 2010, Channel: 29-6, Appleton Barrows, Mashapaug Lake, 2004, White: 12-12, John Shatas, Connecticut River, 1999, Blue: 69.5 pounds, William Stewart III, Choctawhatchee River, 5/30/2015, Channel: 44.5, Joe Purvis, Lake Bluff, 5/19/1985, Flathead: 63.8, Charles Patchen, Chattahoochee River, 5/15/2016, White: 18.88, Jim Miller, Withlacoochee River, 9/21/1991, Blue: 80-4, Earnest Timpson, Lake Walter F. George, 2/2/2010, Channel: 44-12, Bobby Smithwick, Altamaha River, 5/18/1972, Flathead: 83-0 (tie), Carl Sawyer, Altamaha River, 6/22/2006; Jim Dieveney, Altamaha River, 7/11/2010, White: 8-10, James Sanders, Savannah River, 6/10/1996, Channel: 43-13, Dayton Miyamura, Lake Wilson, 3/24/1974, Channel: 31-0, Kenny Decker, Mann Lake, 8/25/2001, Flathead: 58-8, J. Newberry/K.McCormick, Brownlee Reservoir, 8/23/1994, Blue: 124-0, Mississippi River, 5/21/2005, Flathead: 81-6.4, Sangchris Lake, 8/29/2015, Blue: 104-0, Bruce Midkiff, Ohio River, 1999 (also Kentucky record), Channel: 37-8, Randy Jones, Vanderburgh County, 1980, Flathead: 79-8, Glen Simpson, White River, 1966, White: 9.72, Melissa Grimes, Wabash County pond, 1985, Blue: 101-0, Mike Rush, Missouri River, 6/8/2004, Channel: 38-2, Dustin Curtis, Missouri River, 6/11/2005, Flathead: 81-0, Joe Baze, Ellis Lake, 6/7/1958, Blue: 102.8, Robert Stanley, Missouri River, 8/11/2012, Channel: 36.5, Rick Barnow, Mined Land, Cherokee Co., 6/3/2003, *Flathead: 123-0, Ken Paulie, Elk City Reservoir, 5/15/1998, Blue: 104-0, Bruce Midkiff, Ohio River, 1999 (also Indiana record), Channel: 32-0, Kyle Estep, Ohio River, 5/26/2004, Flathead: 97-0, Esker Carroll, Green River, 6/6/1956, White: 5.27, Ethen Vest, Guist Creek Lane, 10/11/2016, Blue: 114-0, Lawson Boyte, Mississippi River, 3/2014, Channel: 30.31, Harold Clubb, Minor's Canal, 8/1977, Flathead: 95-0, Roland Lasseigne, Wax Lake, 7/2007, Channel: 27.92, Steven Trent Abell, Upper Potomac River, 7/5/2004, Channel: 26-8, Dana Dodge, Ashfield Lake, 1989, White: 9-3, Michael Payne, Baddacook Pond, 1987, Flathead: 52-0, Barron Lake (ice fishing), 2014, Channel: 38-0, Mississippi River, 2/16/1975, Blue: 95-0, Dakota Hinson, Mississippi River, 3/16/2009, Channel: 51-12, Tom Edwards, Lake Tom Bailey, 5/31/1997, Flathead: 77.7, Matt Bingham, Mississippi River, 4/21/2012, Blue: 130-0, Greg Bernal, Missouri River, 7/20/2010, Channel: 34-10, Gerald Siebenmorgen, Lake Jacomo, 10/12/1976, Flathead: 77-8, Scott Brown, Montrose Lake, 4/28/2003, Channel: 34.8, Dan Davenport, Fort Peck Reservoir, 7/26/2013, Blue: 100-8, Raynold Promes, Missouri River, 11/29/1970. 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