The 10 Largest Fish Ever Caught in Kansas

Kansas, with its vast landscapes, also has a claim to fame in the fishing community. Even though it’s a landlocked state, its waters have witnessed anglers making history by reeling in some of the most impressive catches. The tales of these mammoth fish are not just about their size but also about the skill and patience of the fishermen themselves!

From sparkling lakes to flowing rivers, the Sunflower State has been the backdrop for incredible fishing stories. Let’s explore some of the largest fish ever caught in Kansas and celebrate these monumental moments.

1. Paddlefish – 144 Pounds, 54.25 Inches

The first fish on the list is not only the largest paddlefish ever caught in Kansas, but it also holds the record for the largest catch across any fish species in the state. In Kansas, fishing enthusiasts target paddlefish during their spring spawning migrations.

With a gray, shark-like physique, a deeply forked tail, and a long, flat, blade-like snout, paddlefish resemble a kitchen spatula. Their snout alone makes up nearly one-third of their entire body length. Interestingly, just like sharks, paddlefish also have skeletons made of cartilage, not bone. These fish don’t have any scales, either!

Paddlefish can reach lengths up to 87 inches, translating to over 7 feet! The maximum weight they can reach is a whopping 200 pounds. However, most paddlefish caught weigh in the more modest range of 10 to 15 pounds.

In Kansas, you’ll find paddlefish making their homes in several river basins. You can find them in the Kansas, Neosho, Arkansas, Missouri, Marais des Cygnes, and Verdigris. They thrive in slow-moving, large, deep freshwater rivers and reservoirs. And they maintain a diet of plankton, which they eat by swimming around with their mouth open.

Largest Paddlefish Ever Caught in Kansas

The title of the largest paddlefish ever caught in Kansas is a hefty one, weighing 144 pounds and measuring 54 and 1/4 inches. Clinton Boldridge from Riley, KS made this remarkable catch using a rod and reel in an Atchison County Pond on May 5, 2004.

2. Flathead Catfish – 123 Pounds, 61 Inches

The waters of Kansas are teeming with different types of catfish, including flatheads. Interestingly, the state record for flathead catfish in Kansas also holds the world record!

Flathead catfish are also known as “yellow cats.” They usually sport a pale yellow to light brown hue on their back and sides, hence their nickname. They often have black and/or brown spots and have a belly that’s typically pale yellow or cream-colored. Their head is notably flat with a protruding lower jaw.

Generally growing to a length of 36 to 48 inches or 3 to 4 feet, flathead catfish can tip the scales beyond 100 pounds.

Being native to Kansas, flatheads thrive in this area. They find the local habitat to their liking, with plenty of brush and snags to take cover during daylight hours. These fish also swim in shallow areas and riffles where they forage at night. 

The diet of adult flathead catfish includes shad, carp, suckers, sunfish, largemouth bass, and even other catfish, sometimes of their own kind. Occasionally, these catfish can eat even bigger meals. Once, a flathead catfish was caught with a 28-inch bigmouth buffalo in its stomach!

Largest Flathead Ever Caught in Kansas and the World

The title of the largest flathead catfish ever caught in Kansas is also a world record. The colossal catch weighed a hefty 123 pounds and measured 61 inches. This impressive feat was accomplished with a rod and reel, using a jig and minnow at the Elk City Reservoir on May 14, 1998, by Ken Paulie from Caney.

3. Blue Catfish – 102.8 Pounds, 56.75 Inches 

Blue catfish are native to several rivers in the northeastern region of Kansas, including the Kansas and Missouri rivers. Unlike channel catfish, blues are rarely caught using traditional concoctions, showing a preference for cut or live bait.

Sporting a flat dorsal fin and a deeply forked tail, blue catfish are easily identifiable. They exhibit a silvery-blue hue on their bodies, contrasting with a white belly. Unlike some other fish, their smooth skin is devoid of scales. Around their mouths, blue catfish have four pairs of black, whisker-like barbels.

Known as a large species among North American catfish, blue catfish can reach an impressive length of 65 inches or around 5.4 feet. However, with that said, generally, blue catfish will be around 2 feet long. They also usually weigh around 100 pounds but can have a maximum weight of 165 pounds!

Being opportunistic bottom-feeders, blue catfish have a diverse diet. They consume a variety of smaller fish, mussels, worms, crabs, frogs, insects, and even including other blue catfish at times. They are usually swimming around in swift currents, sandy bottoms, and large rivers with deep channels.

Largest Blue Catfish Ever Caught in Kansas

The record for the largest blue catfish caught in Kansas is a hefty catch weighing 102.8 pounds and measuring 56.75 inches. This monumental catch was made with a rod and reel, using cut bait on the Missouri River on August 11, 2012, by Robert Stanley from Olathe.

4. Grass Carp – 77.75 Pounds, 45.75 Inches

Grass carp are among the four varieties of invasive carp species that are swimming around in the water bodies of Kansas. Other invasive carp species include bighead, common, and silver carp.

These fish are one of the biggest members of the minnow family. The grass carp has an oblong body covered in moderately large scales, except its head, which remains scale-free. The dorsal fin of this fish showcases three simple and seven branched rays. Unlike the common carp, grass carp display a silvery to olive coloration without that signature golden color.

In their native regions, grass carp usually weigh between 65 and 80 pounds. However, there have been instances of individuals nearing a staggering 400 pounds. Yes, you read that right, 400 pounds! The average length is 23.5 to 40 inches, but they can grow up to 6.6 feet long.

These fish inhabit the backwaters of large rivers, ponds, and lakes. Grass carp have a knack for controlling certain aquatic plant species. They are known for their rapid growth and high consumption of vegetation.

Largest Grass Carp Ever Caught in Kansas

The record for the largest grass carp caught in Kansas is held by a substantial catch weighing 77.75 pounds and measuring 45.75 inches. This remarkable catch was made with a rod and reel, using cricket as bait at the Atchison State Fishing Lake on September 30, 2012, by Kenneth Mosby Jr. from Kansas City, MO.

5. Smallmouth Buffalo – 64.75 Pounds, 45.25 Inches

Originating from the Lake Michigan drainage and the expansive Mississippi River basin, you can find and catch smallmouth buffalo in various parts of eastern Kansas.

Smallmouth buffalo has a light brown or dark back and sides with a hint of coppery or greenish shade. Its belly showcases a pale yellow-to-white coloration. Among the suckers, it’s second in size only to the bigmouth buffalo. Also, it is easily distinguished by its small, downward-facing mouth compared to its bigmouth cousin.

The smallmouth buffalo can grow up to a notable length of 3.6 feet or 43 inches. But some can reach a hefty weight of 81.6 pounds.

These fish tend to favor clearer waters compared to the bigmouth buffalo and are less frequently found in strong currents. Being primarily bottom feeders, their diet mainly consists of insect larvae, algae, detritus, and sand, which often constitute a significant part of what’s found in their gut.

Largest Smallmouth Buffalo Ever Caught in Kansas

The record for the largest smallmouth buffalo caught in Kansas is held by a catch weighing 64.75 pounds and measuring 45 1/4 inches. This catch was made possible through bowfishing at the Clinton Reservoir on April 27, 2023, by Thayne Miller from Topeka.

6. Bigmouth Buffalo – 62.5 Pounds, 45.75 Inches

The bigmouth buffalo is a native fish species of North America, holding the title of the largest species in the sucker family found in this region. 

This fish has a distinctively round body paired with a large head and features a sucker-type mouth with ample lips. Unlike other buffalo fish, its big mouth faces forward rather than downward.

The bigmouth buffalo can grow to a substantial length of about 48 inches or 4 feet. And it can achieve a weight of up to 70 pounds.

The bigmouth buffalo primarily dwells in channels, deep pools, and tranquil backwaters in small and large rivers. This fish is also known to inhabit lakes and sizable impoundments. They often form schools and roam in mid-water regions and near the bottom.

Both juveniles and adults primarily feed on limnetic plankton while also enjoying a diet of cladocerans, copepods, algae, chironomids, and ostracods.

Largest Bigmouth Buffalo Ever Caught in Kansas

The record for the largest bigmouth buffalo caught in Kansas is held by a hefty catch that weighed 62.5 pounds and measured 45 3/4 inches. This notable catch was reeled in using a rod and reel with a rattletrap at the Cheney Reservoir on June 8, 2019, by Trey Patterson from Cheney.

7. Carp – 47.10 Pounds, 40.25 Inches

Carp were introduced to the water bodies of Kansas in June 1878, as per the records of the KDWP. Nowadays, they are deemed invasive across the state.

The carp is a hefty, deep-bodied fish, showcasing a color palette ranging from silver to olive-green, brass, or gray on its back and sides, with a yellowish belly and orange-red lower fins. It features a single dorsal spine and has partially scaled cheeks and gill covers.

On average, they measure between 12 to 25 inches in length and weigh around 8 to 10 pounds. However, they have the potential to grow much larger. A notable catch in 1987 set the all-tackle world record when a carp from Lac de St. Cassien, France, weighed in at an astonishing 75 pounds 11 ounces.

Typically inhabiting still or gently flowing waters at lower altitudes, carp thrive, especially in areas rich in aquatic vegetation. Adult carp enjoy a variety of food sources, including insects, mollusks, crustaceans, fish eggs, and aquatic plants and seeds. Carp feed by sucking up the mud from the bottom, spitting it all out, and feeding on everything they want while they are floating in the water.

Largest Carp Ever Caught in Kansas

The title for the largest carp ever caught in Kansas goes to a substantial catch weighing 47.10 pounds and measuring 40 1/4 inches. Phil McAmis from Hutchinson reeled in this impressive catch with a rod and reel, using corn as bait, at Carey Park (Hutchinson) on June 10, 1997.

8. Striped Bass – 44 Pounds, 44 Inches

The striped bass, originally a saltwater fish, has successfully adapted to freshwater conditions, thriving in several lakes across Kansas. Although striped bass don’t reproduce locally, stocking programs help to keep their numbers sustained and consistent.

Also called stripers, these fish have robust bodies featuring seven to eight uninterrupted horizontal stripes on each side. These stripes extend from their gills to their tail. The color of their upper body ranges from olive and light green to black, brown, or steel blue. This coloring contrasts with a silver or white iridescent belly.

On average, adult striped bass grow between 24 and 36 inches (2 to 3 feet) and weigh 10 to 30 pounds. However, some can reach 6 feet or 72 inches in length and weigh as much as 125 pounds!

One of the premier spots for striped bass fishing in Kansas is the Wilson Reservoir. In fact, this notable fishing spot has earned itself the title of the “Striper Capital of Kansas.” Inland freshwater stripers prefer residing in cool-water reservoirs and streams.

Being primarily fish-eaters, adult striped bass consume almost any kind of small fish and various invertebrates, particularly favoring crabs and squid.

Largest Striped Bass Ever Caught in Kansas

The title of the largest striped bass ever caught in Kansas is a remarkable catch that weighed 44 pounds and measured 44 inches. This catch was achieved using a rod and reel with live shad as bait at the Wilson Reservoir on May 14, 2010, by Paul Bahr from Ellsworth, KS.

9. Alligator Gar – 39.5 Pounds, 54 Inches

While alligator gar isn’t native to Kansas and has not been documented in the state before, a surprising event took place when a fisherman snagged a state-record catch of this species!

The alligator gar is the largest among the gar species. It boasts the potential to grow up to 8 feet long and tip the scales at over 300 pounds. Adults of this species have a formidable dental arrangement with two rows of large teeth on either side of their upper jaw. Their coloration is typically brown or olive on the top, fading to a lighter shade underneath.

These imposing fish favor large, sluggish rivers, reservoirs, oxbow lakes, bayous, and bays. Interestingly, they are comfortable in both fresh and slightly salty brackish water. Their diet predominantly consists of fish like buffalo, carp, and shad.

Largest Alligator Gar Ever Caught in Kansas

The record for the largest alligator gar caught in Kansas was set on a warm night on the Neosho River, east of Parsons. Here, an angler encountered a creature he likely never expected to see. Caught by Danny Smith II from Oswego, KS, this remarkable catch weighed 39.5 pounds and measured 54 inches in length, marking an unexpected yet remarkable event in the state’s fishing history.

10. Channel Catfish – 36.5 Pounds, 38 Inches

The last fish on our list of the 10 largest fish ever caught in Kansas is the channel catfish, which holds the title of being North America’s most common catfish species. It also enjoys the distinction of being the official fish of Kansas and has an affectionate nickname: the “channel cat.”

Typically, these fish measure between 15 to 24 inches in length. But some channel catfish came in measuring and weighing a whopping 54 inches and 58 pounds. Sporting a coloration ranging from gray to olive with lighter undersides, you can easily identify these fish by the eight “whiskers” or sensory barbels surrounding their mouths.

The channel catfish is often regarded as the bread and butter of Kansas fishing. Its presence is widespread across the state, inhabiting various waters, from expansive rivers and reservoirs to prairie streams. State lakes also emerge as favorite spots among anglers to catch channel cats.

Being bottom-feeders, channel catfish have a diverse palate, feasting on various foods like fish, insects, crustaceans, snakes, mollusks, snails, and even small birds. Younger channel cats, on the other hand, are more omnivorous, eating a big range of plants and animals alike.

Largest Channel Catfish Ever Caught in Kansas

The record for the largest channel catfish caught in Kansas is held by a catch weighing 36.5 pounds and measuring 38 inches in length. This notable catch at Mined Land Wildlife Area was reeled in using a rod and reel with fish entrails as bait on June 3, 2003, by Rick Barnow from Humboldt.

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