HookedinFishing » Flathead Catfish Records

Flathead Catfish State & World Records

Flathead catfish are one of the most fun freshwater species to fish for. Below you will learn what makes a trophy flathead catfish and the state and world records.

World Record Flathead Catfish

The world record flathead catfish weighed 123 lbs and was caught by Ken Paulie. It was caught on Elk City Reservoir in Kansas on 5/14/1998.

Flathead Catfish Records by State

StateWeightLocationCaught ByDate
Alabama80 lbsAlabama RiverRick Conner6/22/1986
Arizona74 lbsColorado RiverWando L. Tull5/5/1905
Arkansas80 lbsArkansas RiverWesley White10/28/1989
Colorado30.6 lbsPueblo Res.Michael Flock7/9/1905
Florida69.9 lbsSanta Rosa CountyLavon Nowling8/26/2020
Georgia84 lbsAltamaha RiverJim Dieveney7/1/2010
Idaho58.5 lbsBrownlee ReservoirJ. Newberry/K. McCormick8/23/1994
Illinois78 lbsCarlyle LakeJody Harris8/11/1995
Indiana79 lb 8 ozWhite RiverGlen T. Simpson5/19/1905
Iowa81 lbsLake EllisJoe Baze6/1/1958
Kansas123 lbsElk City ReservoirKen Paulie5/14/1998
Kentucky97 lbsGreen RiverEsker Carroll6/6/1956
Maryland57.0 lbsLapidum Boat RampJoshua Dixon​N/A
Michigan49.8 lbsST. Joseph RiverRodney Akey5/22/2012
Minnesota70 lbsSaint Croix RiverJohn L. Robert5/23/1905
Mississippi77 lbsTenn-Tom WaterwayJoey Pounders11/2/2009
Missouri77 lbs 8 ozMontrose LakeScott L. Brown4/28/2003
Nebraska89 lbsLoup Power CanalWilliam Swanson6/14/1988
New Mexico78 lbsElephant Butte LakeJim Wilson6/1/1905
North Carolina78 lbsCape Fear RiverBrian Newberger9/17/2005
North Dakota29 lbs 6 ozHeart RiverN/A6/7/1905
Ohio76.5 lbsClendening LakeRichard Affolter7/28/1979
Oklahoma78 lbs 8 ozEl Reno LakeRichard Williams5/11/2010
Oregon42 lbsSnake RiverJoshua Kralicek6/16/1905
Pennsylvania56 lbs 3 ozSchuylkill RiverJonathan Pierce7/12/1905
South Carolina79 lbs 4 ozSantee Cooper CanalJessica Preston6/23/1905
South Dakota63 lbs 8 ozJames RiverDavin Holland6/18/2006
Texas98 lbs 8 ozLake PalestineJames Laster12/2/1998
Virginia68 lbs 12 ozLake SmithJeffrey E. Dill5/25/2018
Washington22 lbs 12.8 ozSnake RiverC.L. McCary6/28/1981
West Virginia70 lbsLittle Kanawha RiverL.L. McClung5/9/1905
Wisconsin74 lbs 5.1 ozMississippi RiverN/A3/30/2001
Wyoming22 lbsNorth Platte RiverDallas Stanton6/26/1905

What state has the largest flathead catfish?

Kanasas is the state with the largest flathead catfish ever caught in the United States. It was caught by Ken Paulie and weighed 123 lbs.

What is the average size flathead catfish?

The average size flathead catfish typically caught around the 20-30 lb range. This is much smaller than the world record of 123 lbs.

What size flathead catfish is considered a trophy?

Flathead Catfish start to be considered trophy at 50 lbs or more.