Discover the Largest Flathead Catfish Ever Caught in Florida

What better way to spend a sunny Florida afternoon than heading out for some catfishing? Grab your rod and reel and some live bait, and head to one of the catfish hot spots to reel in a big one. In Florida, you will find channel cats, blue cats, and flathead catfish, all requiring a slightly different strategy to catch. If you are hoping to catch a record-breaker, you might want to follow the tips of some of the previous record holders. Flatheads aren’t that common in Florida, but they have made their way down from Alabama and Georgia in parts of the panhandle. They can be found in the Apalachicola and Escambia rivers, but the largest flathead ever caught in Florida was caught in the Yellow River. Let’s find out about the epic catch!

What is a Flathead Catfish?

The obvious answer is a catfish with a flat head, and that is partially true. However, the flat head of the catfish is just one characteristic that makes them different from other catfish. Flatheads are larger than channel catfish but a bit smaller than blue catfish. They have a wider/flatter head and are yellow-brown with a molted look. The largest ones can get to be three to four feet long and weigh 100+ pounds. They prefer slow-moving rivers and reservoirs, liking the deep pools and areas around dams the best.

How Big Is the Largest Flathead Catfish Ever Caught in Florida?

The largest flathead catfish ever caught in Florida was 69.9 pounds. This nearly 70-pound flathead catfish was caught by lifelong angler Lavon Nowling in the Yellow River. Coincidentally, the previous record holder, a 69.3-pound flathead, was also caught in the same river. Nowling said he has been fishing his whole life, especially along the Yellow River. On August 26, 2020, he was out fishing for channel cats, but he hooked the giant flathead instead. The flathead measured 48.5 inches long, which is a hair over four feet, and was 38.25 inches in circumference; you wouldn’t be able to get your hands around this one!

How Do We Know This Is a Legitimate Record?

To qualify for a Florida state record, the fish has to be officially weighed on a certified scale and witnessed by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission employee. It also has to be identified and certified by a biologist to make sure it is the correct species. Lavon Nowling’s 69.9-pound flathead was officially weighed and verified at FWC’s Blackwater Hatchery near Holt. You can check out the list of official Florida records at the “Big Catch Florida” website.

Is This Also the Largest of All the Catfish Ever Caught in Florida?

Typically, blue catfish are larger than flatheads. However, the record blue catfish in Florida is just a tad smaller than the new record breaker. The largest blue catfish ever caught in Florida was 69.5 pounds by William Stewart III on the Choctawhatchee River. Stewart set the record back on May 30, 2015, and his blue catfish was the exact same length as the one Nowling just caught in 2020 at 48.5 inches.

Other Flathead Catfish World Records Caught in Florida

There are a few Line Class World Record Flathead catfish held by one angler from Florida. Vicki D. Martin holds three line class world records for three separate flatheads that she caught. The first one in the W-04 kg (8 lb) class was a 5 lbs 6 oz flathead fished from the Escambia River on May 19, 2018. Remember, the Escambia is one of the rivers that flows down from Alabama, where catfish are much more common.

The second record she holds is in the W-06 kg (12 lb) class for a 10 lbs 9 oz flathead caught on the Apalachicola River, which has its headwaters in Georgia. This record was made on April 25, 2017.

Her third record was a 21 lbs 4 oz flathead using a 20 lbs line in the W-10 kg (20 lb) class, pulled from the Escambia River again. She caught that one a day before the 8 lbs line record breaker, and that record was made on May 18, 2018.

What About Other Record-Breaking Catfish in Florida?

The largest channel catfish caught in Florida was a 44.5-pound catfish caught by Joe Purvis back in May of 1985. It was caught on Lake Bluff in Lake County.

The largest white catfish caught in Florida was a 18.88 pounder caught by Jim Miller on the Withlacoochee River about 75 miles west of Orlando. Miller has held the record since September 21, 1991.

How Big Is the Largest Flathead Catfish Ever Caught?

The largest flathead catfish ever caught in the world is a 123-pound flathead caught by Ken Paulie from Independence, Kansas. His 123-pounder was reeled in on May 19, 1998, and holds the “All-Tackle World Record” by the International Game Fish Association. Paulie caught the flathead in the Elk City Reservoir.

Besides the “All-Tackle” division records that measure the heaviest fish caught, there are records for All-Tackle Length, All-Tackle Length Fly, Line Class (Conventional), and Tippet Class (Fly). The IGFA also gives young anglers a chance to break some records with the Junior and Smallfry Divisions.

What Is the Largest Catfish Ever Caught?

The largest catfish in the world is the Mekong giant catfish. They are an enormous species that can get to be 500 pounds or more. According to the Guinness World Records, the largest Mekong giant catfish ever caught was 646 pounds and was nine feet long.

The Mekong only lives in the Mekong River in the countries of Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Lao PDR. The record breaker was pulled from the river in northern Thailand in 2005. The Mekong giant catfish is considered “Critically Endangered” by the IUCN. According to the World Wildlife Fund, “Navigation projects have also destroyed critical spawning grounds, and pollution and siltation have also had an impact. A further major factor in the decline of the Mekong giant catfish is over-fishing.” Conservationists are working in those countries to help the giant catfish.