The current world record is 143 pounds. I was in amazement. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Brent grew up spending his summers out on the water, exploring the many rivers, streams, and lakes of the region. While it is true that Texas waters harbor plenty of heavy cats, truly big specimens are less than common anywhere. It was caught on May 4, 1988 by Dan Grider and it weighed in at 118 lbs. 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. 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. Burleigh likes to anchor on top of a hump and make long cats toward the deep water with a slip-rig and fishes around the boat with a slip-float. http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=kicks105Go here http://kicks105.com/Like us https://www.facebook.com/kick. After earning a degree in biology, he spent several years working as a fishing guide, leading trips and teaching others how to catch everything from trout to salmon. A lifestyle so perfectly captured by the country greats of yesterday, but still alive and well today in artists who truly get it. The lake offers no shortage of channel and flathead catfish either. They are usually thicker and more dense than White Crappie. Fish live bait on the bottom below dams and in river arms to find the most flatheads. This method requires a rod with plenty of backbone to yank the fish from the cover. I felt it and got my hand on it, and it was an absolute giant, he says. The fish is just an absolute unit when it comes to white catfish, which are one of the smaller of all catfish species. That's still small compared to the state record. The hog was bagged after what could be a catch of a lifetime for. On May 21st, 2005 Tim Pruitt caught a 124-pound record breaking the previous 121.5 lb record caught in Texas. great white sharkAccording to IGFA records, the Read More What'S The Biggest Fish Ever Caught In Texas? What is the largest catfish ever caught in the world? Even without a previous record, this is still a very impressive flathead catfish, the district explained. Not since 2014, the final year of South Texas last major drought, has the flow along our rivers and streams been this low. The best playlists in country musicperiod. In 2005 a man caught a Mekong catfish of 9 feet, weighing 646 pounds, taking the world record for the biggest catfish in the world. It simply entails fishing around natural chum. Lake McQueeney has been stocked with many species of fish including catfish, sunfish, white crappie, spotted bass, and largemouth bass. He uses 14/0 circle hooks on all his lines. Experiment with different options the smellier the better for these. Opportunistic feeders, flathead catfish will munch on anything from oysters to live bluegills. Year Caught: May 19, 1998. What Lake in Texas has the biggest catfish? The best depth for catching catfish is between 15 and 20 feet deep in lakes. Flatheads will be found statewide, with the largest concentrations inhabiting the central and eastern rivers and many of the state's reservoirs. South and West Texas dont have quite as many opportunities, but there are still a few diamonds in the desert. Ivie. What is the biggest catfish in the United States? Dive shows are at 11 a.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays. If youre targeting big Channel, Blue, or Flathead Catfish, size up to a 4/0-7/0 circle hook. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. 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. While not considered a game fish by state regulation, many Texans enjoy fishing for bluegill and other sunfish within the state. The lake record Blue Catfish was caught by Gregory Pavur in March 2020, weighing in at 42.14 pounds. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". It is one of the biggest flatheads ever caught by any fisherman. Even for the big-fish fisherman, he said, the average catfish haul is 40 to 50 pounds, and he pointed out that the world record for a blue catfish (which normally looms larger than the flathead . They hit live baits almost exclusively, preferring perch, suckers and carp to nasty, stinky prepared baits. Catfish can be extremely finicky. Use a medium-heavy casting rod and a floating rig with large live shiners or perch for bait. Sign up to receive exclusive discounts from Whiskey Riff Shop and breaking news. Splash is her name, and being the World-Record Blue Catfish is her fame. Experts say the fish, a Mekong giant catfish, was around 170 years old and . Spring Break is the perfect excuse to leave the winter slumber behind and kick off your friends and family bonding season in style. This is a Texas tradition that can attract large numbers of Channel Cats to a specific area. A clutch of fresh-caught crappie can make for mighty good eatinunless, that is, theyre woefully undersized. Most specially regulated trout waters are closed to taking fishbait and baitfish at all times. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". In East Texas, cottonseed cake is the most widely used chum. Another spot to consider during incoming tides is the river channel itself, which often extends into the bay. 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 record catfish weighed in at 130 lb. 2011 Mesquite Management, Inc. -- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fish/infish/hatchery/tffc/. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Some of these trophies have lasted for decadesbut that doesnt mean they cant be beat. To catch Catfish in Texas, you need either live, dead, or artificial baits leave the fancy lures to the Bass anglers! Texas has no shortage of fishing locations for the enthusiastic Catfish angler. The general practice is to tie a portion of their line near the end to the top of a strong limb or on a sturdy bamboo pole and then to run the tag end of that line down to the middle and tie it off there too. Record Flathead Catfish Weight: 123 lbs (55.79 kg) Length: 5.08 ft (1.55 m) Location: Elk City Reservoir, Kansas, USA. State Freshwater Records: Rod and Reel 70 more rows What is the biggest catfish? Flatheads and other catfish have no sense of hearing, but they actually "hear" better than most other fish. Rig it a foot above the hook. But folks just love giant cats. Length: 6.53 feet. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. What is the biggest crappie caught in Texas? But plain and simple that fish whooped my ass. Sharks are not included in this roundup. 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. 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. What Lake in Texas has the biggest catfish? Splash has adjusted nicely to stardom and her new surroundings. Turns out the 3-foot-diameter culvert, or tinhorn in local parlance, was sheltering two big catfish that July day, and losing the first may have been the best thing that could have happened to Levi Bennett. 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. Stacker compiled a list of the top 50 record-breaking fish caught in the U.S. by weight using data from Land Big Fish. Theres more of a pep in our step, more energy to start new adventures and, who knows, maybe even change the world. Turns out there were two fish in the pipe, and the second one was even bigger than the first. Landon Evans shows off his 117-pound, 8-ounce blue. Experts say the fish, which belongs to the species known as the Mekong giant catfish, may be the largest freshwater fish ever recorded. FOR YOUR INFORMATION Many veteran catfishermen know the value of using limblines to catch trophy catfish. What is the biggest blue catfish ever caught? Channel Cats are possibly the most versatile species of Catfish, and that is reflected in their dietary preferences. But plain and simple that fish whooped my ass. It does not store any personal data. Another requirement for fishing this brush is braided line. The state of Texas has 10 species of freshwater Catfish, making it a great year-round location to target the beloved whisker fish. The current all-tackle bluegill record is held by T. Hudson, who caught a 4-pound 12-ounce fish on April 9, 1950 in Alabamas Ketona Lakes. If you are a fan of fishing, then these catfish. The most reliable way to tell the difference is to look at the anal fin. Lake Gonzales was expected to be dewatered first, followed by Meadow Lake, Lake Placid and Lake McQueeney. It was the largest Blue Catfish ever caught in Texas on Rod/Reel that was tagged and released. Catfish are not line shy like Crappie or Smallmouth Bass, so dont be afraid to beef up your line test. He knew this fish was way bigger than that. This depends on which Catfish youre targeting. Billy Ogle/Flickr - License. Caught off of the south side of Lake Hamilton . This California slab is the most recently caught record crappie on our list. Find a comprehensive breakdown below. Have you ever tried Catfish fishing in Texas? Texas Parks and Wildlife announced the record last week. A North Texas man and his father reeled in three huge catfish on Lake Grapevine last week. Anglers do this for two reasons. You know what "they" say: Everything's bigger in Texas. The coves and creeks around many marinas have sandy or hard bottoms. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. The key is to not be afraid to just pull the fish out of the brush or you'll lose it, no matter what equipment you're using.". The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center is located at 5550 FM 2495, four miles east of Athens. And no, were not biased! Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. [6] [7] This record broke the previous blue catfish record of 121.5 lb caught from Lake Texoma, Texas. A safari jeep full of tourists were observing two fighting rhinos when the animals suddenly turned their attention on the jeep and charged. Caught on May 15, 2018 in Richeison Pond, in Loudon County. Youll also want to know exactly how many fish you can keep and which size. Gerald Burleigh of Orangefield likes to fish these areas on Toledo Bend and on Lake Livingston. A catfish has no outer ears, so instead it uses its swim bladder to detect vibrations. If there is no action within 20 or 30 minutes, they move on and try somewhere else. 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. The 3,000-acre Fayette County Reservoir near La Grange is an overlooked but excellent choice. Its about giantsspecifically, the biggest world-record catfish of all time. 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. Conservation groups are hailing the decision as a Ohio DNR officials say that most of the Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. 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. document.write(''); Lake Livingston is another behemoth reservoir, spanning 90,000 acres on the Trinity River. Our thanks to Larry Hodge at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center for generously providing information and photos for this page. 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. At a whopping 116 pounds, it stands as a testament to the world-class blue cats swimming in Texas' waters. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Yep, Flathead Catfish primarily feed on other fish. The scale went to 94, then 95, and when it hit 97 I just about dropped it, I was so stinking excited, Bennett recalls. He said many times the fish would hit the bait on the fall. He's been contacted bombarded by a media blitz ever since as news outlets from as far away as Maine pick up on the . A 67 medium-heavy power rod with a 5000 series spinning reel or open-faced casting reel with a 20-40 lb test mainline will do the trick. But whats the ideal way to spend quality time with your loved ones? According to the Guinness Book of Records, a nine-foot-long individual caught in northern Thailand in 2005 weighted an astounding 646 pounds, making it the largest exclusively freshwater fish ever recorded. He has since expanded the blog to include gear reviews, fishing reports, and even recipes for cooking up your catch. Weight: 341 Pounds. Jennifer Robles said her husband, Rickey, and . How was your experience? What is the biggest fish ever caught in Texas? The largest catfish ever caught on record measures just over 9 feet. Aguiar caught this fish, which weighed 341 pounds and 11 ounces, back in 2009. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. Home to Channel, Flathead, and Blue Catfish, Lake Corpus Christi offers a little bit of everything. She likes to cruise close to the glass to check out her fans, and will actually swim up to the glass and look you in the eye. What separates this enormous achievement from other world records is about 900 pounds of fish. 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. The Guadalupe, in particular, is seeing flow reduced in several spots west of Canyon Lake. The lau-lau, or piraiba, is the largest catfish species on the IGFA record books, but there have been even larger specimens reported in the 200-kilogram (440-pound) range. Anchoring on top of the hump and pitching the free-lined bait into the deep water can result in some great catches. They can be loaded with fish. "The biggest fish weighed 51 pounds and the smallest 37. Kodi and Jimmy were both looking at me like Im an idiot, Levi Bennett recalls. They have to come up above the thermocline to survive. Some of the biggest catfish ever caught hailed from the Lone Star State where access to trophy-producing waters is within an hour's drive of most of our major cities. Since temperatures along the Gulf Coast can range from the 70s down into the 20s during winter, often there are large kills of menhaden and shrimp for the cats to dine on. World Record flathead catfish: 123 pounds. That is why I use the so-called super lines that are extremely strong. Known for its abundant Channel Catfish, this is a great place to fill the cooler, or try your luck at a night-time Flathead during the summer months. "Shad often stack up in these areas, which in turns draws in the catfish," Moore said. He said they are prime locations for finding big blues. 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). You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Any tips or tricks youd like to share? One way to tell the difference between white and black crappies is by their size & body shape. Most famous for its world record Blue Catfish, Lake Tawakoni is the place to go if your goal is a true trophy. Near Wichita Falls, Lake Arrowhead has historically been considered the areas best crappie fishery. 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. 3) Flathead Catfish: 98.50 pounds. 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. In addition to its massive weight, the behemoth measured 61 inches long with a girth of 43 3/4 inches. "I've had J-style hooks flattened out many times and have never had that happen with a circle hook," he said. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! They declined to prolong the fishs stress by searching for an official scale, electing instead to snap a few quick photos before releasing it unharmed. PB Texas Largemouth Bass at a Small Texas Pond. What is the largest crappie ever caught in Texas? What's the biggest fish ever caught in Tennessee? The world's largest catfish Weighing up to 660 lb (300 kg) and measuring up to 10.5 ft (3.2 m), Pangasianodon gigas is not only the world's largest catfish; it is also listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest freshwater fish. 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. 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 . 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. The largest was so big their scale couldn't measure it. pr_tile = pr_tile + 1; document.write(' California State Bar Corruption, Articles B