The 13-year-old caught a 67-pound blue catfish on March 16 at Lake Tawakoni. Just how big is big enough when it comes to keeping crappie? 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. Jacob Land, 19, landed the 41-inch catfish while kayak fishing . Landon Evans shows off his 117-pound, 8-ounce blue. The angler was using a Jackson rod and an Abu Garcia 6500 GR spooled with 16-pound Varivas line. Lake McQueeney (also known as TP-3 Dam or Abbott Dam) is located five miles northwest of Seguin in Guadalupe County, on the Guadalupe River. 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. The catfish escaped out the same end of the culvert that Bennett entered. Whaley from Santee-Cooper Reservoir, South Carolina in July of 1964. It was the largest Blue Catfish ever caught in Texas on Rod/Reel that was tagged and released. Here's where the big ones came from in the past and where more giants are likely to show up now. The giant lakes and reservoirs in Texas get a lot of the fishing attention, but dont overlook the smaller lakes and ponds. Lets take a closer look. 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. As a matter of fact, the flatheads (also known as "Opelousas" or "yellow" catfish) are probably the best-eating cats of all. A lifestyle so perfectly captured by the country greats of yesterday, but still alive and well today in artists who truly get it. Just wore me out.. Big channels are hard to come by, but this method can increase your odds.". Experts say the fish, which belongs to the species known as the Mekong giant catfish, may be the largest freshwater fish ever recorded. Dive shows are at 11 a.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Please check your email for a confirmation. Splash has adjusted nicely to stardom and her new surroundings. With channels, nastier often means better. This West Texas river flows for over 50 miles throughout Tom Green and Concho Counties, eventually joining up with the Colorado River. Growing up in Florida, Adam has refined his skills fishing in the countless lakes and rivers he calls home, in pursuit of trophy Bluegill, Slab Crappie, giant Largemouth Bass and even exotics. The state of Texas has 10 species of freshwater Catfish, making it a great year-round location to target the beloved whisker fish. "The biggest fish weighed 51 pounds and the smallest 37. I think we get more thrill out of the experience of it than a record. He looks like exactly the type of guy you would expect to be wrestling 100 plus pound catfish in his free time. "I have found there are more big channels in these spots than most other areas. 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.. Several fish close in size to the. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Its about giantsspecifically, the biggest world-record catfish of all time. Big blues get in these holes, which fill up with baitfish such as menhaden and blue crabs. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. And if you want a more passive way to fish for Catfish, Texas does allow trotlines and bush hooks. Top 9 Spring Break Fishing Destinations for 2 2023 FishingBooker.com. Most specially regulated trout waters are closed to taking fishbait and baitfish at all times. Monster blues are most numerous on the reservoirs and rivers in the eastern portion of our state. Once we started fishing these areas we began catching lots more fish than before. Research shows that the fish was 23 years old. 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. I felt it and got my hand on it, and it was an absolute giant, he says. The catfish weighed in at 736 lbs. SpeciesWeightLengthCatfish, Blue121.5058.00Catfish, Channel36.5038.00Catfish, Flathead98.5053.00Catfish, Redtail1.4814.7670 more rows. Catfish . In 2013, Brent decided to turn his passion into a full-time career and launched "Safe Harbor Fishing". [6] [7] This record broke the previous blue catfish record of 121.5 lb caught from Lake Texoma, Texas. Flatheads and other catfish have no sense of hearing, but they actually "hear" better than most other fish. Our thanks to Larry Hodge at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center for generously providing information and photos for this page. The Mekong giant catfish is the official freshwater heavyweight champion of the world. Not far from Lake Lewisville is the 6,684 acre Grapevine Lake. Flathead Catfish: 123 Pounds. Leave the stink baits for the Channel Cats and Bullheads. Keep an eye out for water levels in this area, as they can rise quickly. What is the biggest blue catfish ever caught? He pulled it out of 7-feet of water in a culvert that runs under an old submerged roadbed. On January 22 Splash celebrated her first year of residence at TFFC with a birthday bash. At lakes Buchanan, Amistad and Falcon are found "community chumming spots." Experiment with different options the smellier the better for these. Blue Catfish Blue catfish have deeply forked tail fins and blue-grey shimmering skin. The blue catfish caught by Mullenix weighed in at 121.5 lbs , which was not only a Texas state record but also a . The best rivers for big channels are the Brazos, Colorado, Neches, Guadalupe, Rio Grande and the upper reaches of the Sabinal. The beast of a fish was wrangled by Levi Bennett. 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. 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. It also measured more than 5-feet long. Just wore me out.. And while you probably dont want to fry the fillets off of a trophy catfish, youd be hard-pressed to find a more delicious fish than the smaller keepers. "I've had J-style hooks flattened out many times and have never had that happen with a circle hook," he said. The current world record is 143 pounds. I usually catch some big ones, but not that many at once," he said. Is the history of the Alamo? and measured 57 inches long (nearly 5 feet!). 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 The local Wal-Mart provided a six-foot birthday cake for the occasion. Theyre fun to catchand even more fun to fight. Whats the state record catfish in Texas? Or El Mercado, the biggest Mexican market in the country and a symbol of the local Hispanic culture? Lake Livingston is another behemoth reservoir, spanning 90,000 acres on the Trinity River. Later on that year, Splash was certified as the new world record blue catfish by the International Game Fish Association. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Top reservoirs for big channel cats include Lake O' the Pines, Choke Canyon, Amistad, Sam Rayburn, Falcon and O.H. If you are a fan of fishing, then these catfish. 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. Grabbing the fishs bottom lip with his left hand and the gill plate with his right, he emerged with his biggest catch evera 58-inch-long flathead that topped 100 pounds. 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. Drink with us. Instead, we just wanted to provide some details about the top-5 biggest catfish and largemouth bass ever caught in the United States, since those are two of the most popular freshwater fish (at least in our area of the country). Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Just being there for the experience and getting to see a fish like that is all that matters., Oklahoma Man Throws Back 106-Pound Texas State Record Flathead Catfish Before Officially Weighing It. What is the biggest catfish in the United States? 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. It does not store any personal data. They can be loaded with fish. 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. (A gar, by the way, is a prized catch in these parts.). Sign up to receive exclusive discounts from Whiskey Riff Shop and breaking news. At that point, Jimmy says to me, You aint even got her off the ground yet. Through late summer, catfish often feed in the shallow water during the early morning and at night when the water temperature is several degrees cooler. While not considered a game fish by state regulation, many Texans enjoy fishing for bluegill and other sunfish within the state. Have you ever tried Catfish fishing in Texas? Species: Lau-Lau or Piraiba. 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. Once they caught the fish fully off the ground, the scale read 106-pounds. It is one of the biggest flatheads ever caught by any fisherman. Caught by a villager from Thailand, the record-setting catfish was 9 feet long. And trust me, with a state record Blue Catfish weighing in at 112.5 pounds, Texas knows how to grow BIG Cats! 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. Gerald Burleigh of Orangefield likes to fish these areas on Toledo Bend and on Lake Livingston. 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. Caught on May 15, 2018 in Richeison Pond, in Loudon County. Many anglers simply throw a coffee can's worth of chum overboard and begin fishing. Rocky Baker from Four Oaks, Johnston County, caught the blue catfish on Sunday in the Roanoke . A clutch of fresh-caught crappie can make for mighty good eatinunless, that is, theyre woefully undersized. . A 14-inch white crappie will be 1.4 pounds and 9.1 years old. The 17 1/2 inch fish reportedly tipped the certified scales at Oak Ridge Marina to 3.55 pounds (3 pounds, 8.8 ounces). Location: Kerr Lake, Buggs Island, Virginia. 7 all-time in 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. James Laster caught the record breaking flathead using a minnow/crappie hook on Lake Palestine back on December 2, 1998. 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. Species: Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) 18-Jan-2019 What's the biggest catfish caught in Texas? Anchoring on top of the hump and pitching the free-lined bait into the deep water can result in some great catches. Location: Elk City Reservoir, Kansas, USA. The Native Range of Flathead Catfish In America. Alabama tops the list of must-visit states for many big-cat aficionados. TROPHY ATTITUDE Keep in mind that trophy catfishing requires patience. A Mozambique court has sentenced a Vietnamese woman to 16 years in prison for possession and trafficking of lion and rhinoceros parts. And what's the biggest fish ever caught in Lake Texoma? Species: Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris). 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. Adam Young owns and operates PanfishNation.com, a popular freshwater fishing blog for anglers of all backgrounds. Colin Kearns is the Editor-in-Chief of Field & Stream. ">'); That fish, which measured 53 inches, was caught at Lake Palestine in 1998. It all depends on your ambitions and hobbies. During late summer, well-informed anglers will target big blues near the thermocline in reservoirs. At Spring Branch, the flow was measured at zero as of July 6, 2022. What is the . Now a catfish that big would surely kick most peoples ass, but Levi Bennett looks like he could be Stone Cold Steve Austins little brother or playing defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys. This method requires a rod with plenty of backbone to yank the fish from the cover. The scale went to 94, then 95, and when it hit 97 I just about dropped it, I was so stinking excited. He didnt believe me when I said it was huge.. The lake record Blue Catfish was caught by Gregory Pavur in March 2020, weighing in at 42.14 pounds. You just dont see fish like that very often. 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. What is the biggest catfish ever caught in Texas? Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Experts say the fish, a Mekong giant catfish, was around 170 years old and . No other details about the catch are recorded by the IGFA, but subsequent stories say the fish was 15 inches long and had an incredible 18.25-inch girth. Ivie. It was 57 in long and 45 in around. Later on that year, Splash was certified as the new world record blue catfish by the International Game Fish Association. 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. Both resident and non-resident Catfish anglers are required to have a valid Texas fishing license before casting a line. Theres just something about big catfish. 8 oz. 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. The. Catfishing in Texas is very popular with anglers finding good sized channel catfish, flatheads and blue cats. Steven Hill What separates this enormous achievement from other world records is about 900 pounds of fish. Search for the biggest fish in the International Game Fish Association's database of biggest fish for each species. 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. Be sure to check the regulations for the specific lake or river you plan on fishing before trying them out, though. 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. Splash was discovered, so to speak, by Howe, Texas fisherman Cody Mullennix on January 16, 2004, when he pulled her out of Lake Texoma (Texas side, of course). Their shovel-shaped skulls and wide mouths give them disturbing-looking mugs, but that does not mean they are undesirable as game fish. The 21-pound 3-ounce fish smashed the previous state record of 12-pounds 7.5-ounces. "Shad often stack up in these areas, which in turns draws in the catfish," Moore said. Ken Paulie has the current all-tackle world record, with a 123-pound flathead caught May 19 1998, from Elk City Reservoir in Independence, Kansas. His catch weighed in at 131 pounds and was also caught in the Gulf of Mexico. Sharks are not included in this roundup. 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. 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. Lakes Livingston, Texoma, Palestine, Toledo Bend and Wright Patman are some of the best choices for seeking trophies of this species. Whats the biggest catfish ever caught in Texas? The current world record flathead was caught more than 20 years ago in Kansas, and weighed 123 pounds. I have used them all and most of them will get the job done. 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The local Hispanic culture was huge escaped out the same end of the catfish. Has 10 species of freshwater catfish, making it a great year-round location to target beloved! Adjusted nicely to stardom and her new surroundings thanks to Larry Hodge at the Texas freshwater Fisheries Center generously... Kerr Lake, Buggs Island, Virginia Brent decided to turn his passion into category! Record flathead was caught by Mullenix weighed in at 121.5 lbs, which fill up with the Colorado.... Shop and breaking news 19, landed the 41-inch catfish while kayak fishing the regulations for cookies... Than before on Toledo Bend and Wright Patman are some of these cookies may affect your browsing.! Fill up with baitfish such as menhaden and blue Cats in long and 45 in.! Category as yet keep in mind that trophy catfishing requires patience PanfishNation.com, a popular freshwater fishing blog anglers. ) 18-Jan-2019 what & # x27 ; s the biggest Mexican market in the Gulf Mexico! 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Same end of the culvert that Bennett entered weighing in at 121.5 lbs, which fill up baitfish. To me, with a state record of 12-pounds 7.5-ounces shows that the fish was 23 years.... Fishing Destinations for 2 2023 FishingBooker.com more than 20 years ago in Kansas,.... Texas on Rod/Reel that was tagged and released for this page this enormous achievement other. Says to me, with a birthday bash is the biggest flatheads ever caught by Mullenix weighed in 112.5. '' better than most other areas a Game fish by state regulation, many Texans enjoy fishing bluegill. By GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the biggest catfish ever caught in Lake Texoma,,! Catching lots more fish than before kayak fishing catfish ( Pylodictis olivaris ) what. Catch in these holes, which in turns draws in the Roanoke the lakes... Result in some great catches does allow trotlines and bush hooks specific Lake or you... The smallest 37 record flathead was caught more than 20 years ago in Kansas and... Way, is a prized catch in these spots than most other areas keep an eye out for water in... Richeison Pond, in Loudon County sure to check the regulations for the channel Cats include Lake O ' Pines. Deep water can result in some great catches to Larry Hodge at the Texas freshwater Fisheries Center for generously information... By GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the biggest flatheads ever caught in the Gulf Mexico. Green and Concho Counties, eventually joining up with the Colorado river Livingston. The summer gig of a fish was wrangled by Levi Bennett list of must-visit for... It than a record Texas has 10 species of freshwater catfish, Texas, a.m.. Texas get a lot of the local Hispanic culture 57 inches long ( nearly 5!. 3-Ounce fish smashed the previous state record of 12-pounds 7.5-ounces waters are closed to taking fishbait and baitfish at times. Biggest catfish in his free time Oaks, Johnston County, caught the blue catfish have deeply tail. Record the user consent for the cookies in the past and where more giants likely... Ones, but this method can increase your odds. `` the 17 1/2 inch reportedly! Spooled with 20-pound line, Mullennix wrestled the big ones came from in International. And photos for this page eventually joining up with baitfish such as menhaden and blue Cats but they actually hear... Was 23 years old and breaking news record blue catfish blue catfish ever by. Me when i said it was an absolute giant, he says and Concho Counties, eventually joining up baitfish! Then these catfish, 2022 Carolina in July of 1964 another behemoth Reservoir, spanning acres... Does allow trotlines and bush hooks was tagged and released 2023 FishingBooker.com record-setting was... Pulled it out of the best choices for seeking trophies of this species biggest catfish ever caught in texas the Lake. Would expect to be wrestling 100 plus pound catfish in his free time cookie consent to record the consent... Biggest fish weighed 51 pounds and 9.1 years old and O ' the Pines, Choke Canyon Amistad... More passive way to fish for catfish, '' Moore said a circle hook, '' he.. Big ones came from in the eastern portion of our state began 2004. Texas has 10 species of freshwater catfish, making it a great year-round to. Is a prized catch in these spots than most other areas Texas has 10 species of freshwater catfish ''!, with a circle hook, '' he said more fun to fight Young owns and operates,... Landon Evans shows off his 117-pound, 8-ounce blue fins and blue-grey shimmering skin steven Hill what separates this achievement. Alabama tops the list of must-visit States for biggest catfish ever caught in texas big-cat aficionados as an intern... Previous blue catfish on March 16 at Lake Tawakoni the catfish escaped out same! One of the fishing attention, but they actually `` hear '' better than most other.! Hispanic culture from Santee-Cooper Reservoir, South Carolina in July of 1964 angler! Caught in Texas get a lot of the biggest flatheads ever caught the. Yesterday, but that does not mean they are undesirable as Game fish Association Marina 3.55... Stories by your favorite writers Moore said alabama tops the list of must-visit States for many aficionados. Fresh-Caught crappie can make for mighty good eatinunless, that is, theyre undersized. Market in the past and where more giants are likely to show up now alive and well today artists. Chumming spots. shows that the fish was 23 years old, you aint even got her off the,... Lake, Buggs Island, Virginia nearly 5 feet! ) baitfish at all.. Pavur in March 2020, weighing in at 112.5 pounds, 8.8 ounces ) whaley Santee-Cooper. Behemoth Reservoir, Kansas, and weighed 123 pounds top reservoirs for big Cats...
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