Discover the Largest Largemouth Bass Ever Caught in Kansas

Fishing is a popular pastime around the world, and whether you’re out for a relaxing time or a serious angler, it’s always a thrill to catch a big one. One of the most popular types of fish with anglers is the largemouth bass, and Kansas is home to some excellent fishing lakes where you can catch them. If you’re itching to get your rod and line out, here’s some inspiration: the largest largemouth bass ever caught in Kansas.

What Is the Largest Largemouth Bass Ever Caught in Kansas?

The largest largemouth bass caught in Kansas weighed 11.80 lbs and measured a whopping 28.5 inches in length. Tyson Hallam caught it in a private pit lake in Cherokee County in March 2008. Tyson used a rod and reel with a pig and jig to land that record-breaker.

How do we know this for certain? Well, all potential Kansas state records have to be verified by a Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism fisheries biologist or regional fisheries supervisor. It’s hard to cheat the system! Certified scales are needed to weigh the fish before it’s frozen, and a clear photograph is required.

You might hear anglers contesting the largest largemouth bass fishing record. They may have landed a bigger fish, but without independent verification, it doesn’t count.

What Is the Biggest Fish Ever Caught in Kansas?

Although the largemouth bass was an impressive size, it wasn’t the largest ever caught in the state. The heaviest verified fish ever caught in Kansas was a paddlefish that weighed an enormous 144 lbs. Clinton Boldridge caught that heavyweight in 2004 in Atchison Co. Pond.

While we’re on the subject of fishing record-breakers, Hazel Fey of Toronto has held the largest black crappie caught in Kansas since 1957. If you’re looking to break her long-standing record head to Woodson State Fishing Lake and try your luck with a live minnow.

What’s the Largest Largemouth Bass on Record in the World?

The record largemouth bass caught in Kansas wasn’t the all-time record though. The largest largemouth bass ever caught weighed 22 lbs 4 oz and the title is shared between two men.

In 1932, George W. Perry caught his 22 lb 4 oz largemouth bass in Montgomery Lake, Georgia, and 77 years later, in 2009, Manabu Kurita from Shiga, Japan matched it on Lake Biwa. His largemouth bass also weighed 22 lbs 4 oz.

What Tackle Should I Use to Catch Largemouth Bass?

Expert anglers say that to catch largemouth bass you should use large bait because big fish tend to eat less frequently than tiddlers, waiting for a decent-sized meal to appear before they grab it. This article from the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society found that largemouth bass were more open to predation on cobbles than vegetation, so when you’re fishing for largemouth bass, try an area with lots of cover.

They spend their time hunting in reeds or vegetation, but smallmouth bass hovers around the edges of vegetation, often chasing prey into clear water. If it’s a big largemouth you want, head to murky waters and tempt them with large bait.

Where Are the Best Lakes for Largemouth Bass in Kansas?

Kansas is one of the best states for largemouth bass because nine of its lakes are highly rated for bass fishing. Here are four of the best lakes that have consistently produced the biggest largemouth bass over the years.

La Cygne Lake

La Cygne in eastern Kansas holds a good number of largemouth bass, mainly due to its plentiful underwater vegetation that creates perfect living conditions for large fish. This fish-heavy lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet, and anglers report that 16-inch largemouth bass are common in the hot water areas.

Wilson Reservoir

Wilson Reservoir in central Kansas has a very high catch ratio. It’s best known for smallmouth bass, but there are plenty of largemouth bass lurking there as well.

Milford Reservoir

Milford Lake is the largest man-made lake in Kansas, with a 15,709-acre surface area to go bass fishing. Frank Evans Jr holds the Kansas state record for smallmouth bass, and he caught it at Milford in 2010. It weighed 6.88 lbs and measured 21.5 inches. It’s one of the top places to hunt bass in Kansas because the lake is full of rich vegetation and fertile water. Beginners and experienced anglers routinely catch largemouth, smallmouth, and striped bass here.

Melvern Reservoir

Each year, more largemouth bass emerge from Melvern Reservoir in southeast Kansas and it’s getting a reputation for fine fish. There are numerous rocky outcrops and shorelines just perfect for largemouth bass to reside in. It’s a prime target for serious anglers, with 7,000 acres and a max depth of 60 feet.

These lakes are some of the prime bass-fishing spots in Kansas. However, there are plenty of other lakes bursting with largemouth bass. If you’re miles away from the top fishing lakes, don’t despair. It’s worth remembering that the record holder for the largest largemouth bass ever caught in Kansas hooked his whopper in a private pit lake.