In fact, sometimes these smaller unknown water bodies receive significantly less fishing pressure and can yield big and plentiful catches. They get big, too. Stacker compiled a list of the top 50 record-breaking fish caught in the U.S. by weight using data from Land Big Fish. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. During the colder months, focus on deeper areas inside the Nueces River channel. I dont know if theres anybody else out there whos caught a big fish like that noodling. As tides displace baitfish from the marsh, catfish will gather at key junctures such as sloughs that wind into the marsh and at the mouth of the drainage itself. Top 9 Spring Break Fishing Destinations for 2 2023 FishingBooker.com. This is where the temperature stratifies and shad congregate in huge numbers there. Lets take a closer look. 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. The Mekong giant catfish is the official freshwater heavyweight champion of the world. My one thought was dont screw it up this time. A ginormous hog that tipped the scale at 790 pounds is living carefree, and getting fed and watered down in his corral - for now. 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. 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. SpeciesWeightLengthCatfish, Blue121.5058.00Catfish, Channel36.5038.00Catfish, Flathead98.5053.00Catfish, Redtail1.4814.7670 more rows. 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. 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. Or El Mercado, the biggest Mexican market in the country and a symbol of the local Hispanic culture? And no, were not biased! The crew initially thought the catfish escaped out of the pipe they found it in. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. It also measured more than 5-feet long. 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. He dove again, swam toward the far end of the culvert, where a second fish was trying to break through the blockade thrown up by his partners. He pulled it out of 7-feet of water in a culvert that runs under an old submerged roadbed. Paulie caught the monster on a live minnow at the . A North Carolina man caught a record-breaking catfish over the weekend that weighed 127.1 pounds. The largest catfish ever caught, according to The Guiness Book of World Records, was a Mekong giant catfish that weighed 646 pounds. Lake Texoma Texas, 121.5 Pounds, Cody Mullenix The blue catfish caught by Mullenix weighed in at 121.5 lbs, which was not only a Texas state record but also a world record. After college, he worked at Salt Water Sportsman magazine for three years, before joining F&S as a full-time staffer in 2008. Caught off of the south side of Lake Hamilton . The state-record blue catfish was caught in Lake Texoma, tipping the scales at 121.5 pounds. Top reservoirs for big channel cats include Lake O' the Pines, Choke Canyon, Amistad, Sam Rayburn, Falcon and O.H. Location: Kerr Lake, Buggs Island, Virginia. While most of the sub-species of Catfish found in Texas are Bullheads , the Lone Star State is also home to the "Big 3" - Blue, Channel, and Flathead Catfish . 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 Frank Moore of Cove uses a highly unusual method to bag big channel cats. The angler was using a Jackson rod and an Abu Garcia 6500 GR spooled with 16-pound Varivas line. Location: Elk City Reservoir, Kansas, USA. He had been told time and time again that record was unbreakable. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Jennifer Robles said her husband, Rickey, and . 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. Not far from Lake Lewisville is the 6,684 acre Grapevine Lake. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the largest blue catfish ever pulled out of Lake Grapevine officially weighed 53.9 pounds. "The biggest fish weighed 51 pounds and the smallest 37. Be sure to check the regulations for the specific lake or river you plan on fishing before trying them out, though. Plus with that catfish mafia hat hes wearing, he really looks the part. Any tips or tricks youd like to share? 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. Species: Lau-Lau or Piraiba. [6] [7] This record broke the previous blue catfish record of 121.5 lb caught from Lake Texoma, Texas. 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 You just dont see fish like that very often. A catfish can hear a dropped tackle box or feet walking across a boat bottom with extreme accuracy. Texas Lakes Are Drying Up Amid the Heat and Drought The New York Times. The fresher, the better! But, please note, these are subject to change. The best catfishing in Texas takes place in the northern and eastern portions of the state. But folks just love giant cats. Just wore me out.. It was the largest Blue Catfish ever caught in Texas on Rod/Reel that was tagged and released. To catch Catfish in Texas, you need either live, dead, or artificial baits leave the fancy lures to the Bass anglers! Flathead Catfish: 123 Pounds. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. 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. While not considered a game fish by state regulation, many Texans enjoy fishing for bluegill and other sunfish within the state. It may take as long as 30 minutes to properly work 100 yards of shore, but it can pay off. Located about 40 miles east of Laredo Texas, this 83,654 acre reservoir provides some of the best Channel Catfish fishing in South Texas. I felt it and got my hand on it, and it was an absolute giant, he says. If you are a fan of fishing, then these catfish. Kodi and Jimmy were both looking at me like Im an idiot, Levi Bennett recalls. TROPHY ATTITUDE Keep in mind that trophy catfishing requires patience. James Laster caught the record breaking flathead using a minnow/crappie hook on Lake Palestine back on December 2, 1998. The biggest largemouth bass ever caught in Texas weighed 18.18 pounds and measured 25.50 inches. Juvenile bluegill, shiners, and even small bullhead catfish are excellent live bait choices for Texas Flatheads. These enormous fish are the largest purely freshwater fish in the world (Sturgeon are larger, but they inhabit both fresh and saltwater). "I got to figuring that cormorants eat fish and then poop it over the water where they roost," he said. What Lake in Texas has the biggest catfish? It does not store any personal data. Bennett once had an escaping fish smash his face and loosen some teeth, so now when he swims into tight squeezes under boat ramps or inside culverts, he goes in backwards, scuttling like a crawfish, in order to take the shock of any collision with his feet, not his face. If you want to target big Blue Catfish, this is the place to go. Use a medium-heavy casting rod and a floating rig with large live shiners or perch for bait. 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. Consider booking a charter or guided trip during the cold summer months when most Blue Catfish over 40 pounds are caught. In addition to its massive weight, the behemoth measured 61 inches long with a girth of 43 3/4 inches. Steven Hill Anchoring on top of the hump and pitching the free-lined bait into the deep water can result in some great catches. Live or cut shad are probably the most popular choice. "I've had J-style hooks flattened out many times and have never had that happen with a circle hook," he said. FLATHEADS Flatheads win the ugly award among Texas catfish. During the first four years of life, young black crappies grow quickly in the warm waters of the southern US while growth is slower in cooler northern U.S. waters. Conclusion. The rivers temperature can vary from temperate in the shallows to near-freezing in open water. Sure, world-record bass get all of the glory, big brown trout get the glamour, and the biggest alligator gar grab the headlines. 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. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Weighing in at 37 pounds, 14 ounces, the cat measured 46.46 inches with a chunky 39-inch girth. And what's the biggest fish ever caught in Lake Texoma? Get back in there.. After looking over the weights, I've never wanted to catfish more. Many of these spots have washouts created by current. 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