This article was updated in February 2024.
These are the current records for all of the game fish species that the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism tracks.
The record fish were caught with a conventional or fly fishing rod and reel, unless otherwise noted.
See below for more information you’d need to be ready to claim a spot on this record list.
| Bass, Largemouth 11.8 lbs | Private Pit Lake, Cherokee County | Tyson Hallam May 3, 2008 |
| Bass, Smallmouth 6.88 lbs | Milford Reservoir | Frank Evans Jr. Apr 4, 2010 |
| Bass, Spotted (Kentucky) 4.44 lbs | Marion County Lake | Clarence E. McCarter Apr 16, 1977 |
| Bass, Striped 44 lbs | Wilson Reservoir | Paul Bahr May 14, 2010 |
| Bass, Warmouth 1.11 lb | Mined Land WA #7 | Vivian A. Bradley Apr 30, 1988 |
| Bass, White 5.67 lbs | River above John Redmond | Marvin W. Gary Apr 11, 2002 |
| Bass, Wiper (White x Striped) 25 lbs | Perry Reservoir Outlet | James M. Moore Aug 8, 2010 |
| Buffalo, Bigmouth 62.5 lbs | Cheney Reservoir | Trey Patterson Jun 8, 2019 |
| Buffalo, Smallmouth 64.75 lbs (bowfishing) | Clinton Reservoir | Thayne Miller Apr 27, 2023 |
| Carp, Common 47.10 lbs | Carey Park (Hutchinson) | Phil McAmis Jun 10, 1997 |
| Carp, Grass 77.75 lbs | Atchison State Fishing Lake | Kenneth Mosby Jr. Sep 30, 2012 |
| Catfish, Blue 102.8 lbs | Missouri River | Robert Stanley Aug 11, 2012 |
| Catfish, Bullhead 7.33 lbs | Farm Pond, Montgomery County | David A. Tremain May 15, 1985 |
| Catfish, Channel 36.5 lbs | Mined Land, WA-Cherokee County | Rick Barnow Jun 3, 2003 |
| Catfish, Flathead* 123 lbs | Elk City Reservoir | Ken Paulie May 14, 1998 |
| Crappie, Black 4.63 lbs | Woodson State Fishing Lake | Hazel Fey Oct 21, 1957 |
| Crappie, White 4.02 lbs | Farm Pond, Greenwood County | Frank Miller* Mar 30, 1964 |
| Drum 31.50 lbs (trotline) | Blue River, Riley County | Bill Hull Sep 2, 2008 |
| Eel, American 4.44 lbs | Kansas River | Ralph B. Westerman Jun 23, 1987 |
| Gar, Longnose 31.5 lbs | Perry Reservoir Outlet | Ray Schroeder May 21, 1974 |
| Gar, Shortnose 9.64 lbs (bowfishing) | Delaware River above Perry Lake | Kevin Dishong Jul 1, 2017 |
| Gar, Spotted 7.98 lbs (bowfishing) | Big Hill Reservoir | Michael Starr Jr. Jul 30, 2023 |
| Goldeye 2.25 lbs | Milford Reservoir | Mike Augustine Jun 19, 1980 |
| Paddlefish 144 lbs | Atchison County Pond | Clinton Boldridge May 5, 2004 |
| Perch, Yellow 1.46 lbs | Sherman County Farm Pond | Tami Sanderson Feb 20, 2022 |
| Pike, Northern 24.75 lbs | Council Grove Reservoir | Mr. & Mrs. H.A. Bowman Aug 28, 1971 |
| Sauger 4.80 lbs | Melvern Reservoir | Jimmy Barnes Nov 29, 1996 |
| Saugeye 9.81 lbs | Sebelius Reservoir | Raymond Wait Nov 13, 1998 |
| Sunfish, Bluegill 2.31 lbs | Farm Pond, Scott County | Robert Jefferies May 26, 1962 |
| Sunfish, Green 2.36 lbs | Farm Pond | Fae Vaupel Sep 26, 1982 |
| Sunfish, Hybrid (Bluegill x Green) 2.65 lbs | Farm Pond | Ron Fountain May 17, 1999 |
| Sunfish, Redear 1.725 lbs | Private Pond, Barton County | Jason Cavender Sep 12, 2023 |
| Sturgeon, Shovelnose 5.23 lbs (trotline) | Lovewell Reservoir | Edwin P. Hood Jul 4, 1999 |
| Trout, Brown 4.62 lbs | Kanopolis Reservoir Seep Stream | Walter Sharp Mar 28, 2018 |
| Trout, Rainbow 15.72 lbs | Kill Creek Park Lake | Josh McCullough Feb 23, 2014 |
| Walleye 13.16 lbs | Wilson Reservoir | Dustin Ritter Apr 17, 1996 |
Editor’s notes: The Kansas flathead catfish also is a world record. The 1964 white crappie record was restored after another angler allegedly stuffed his catch with ball bearings to outweigh the old mark.
Claim a State Record
To be considered as a new state game fish record in Kansas, your catch must be weighed on a certified scale before it is frozen.
Our suggestion is to get a very good color photograph and then put that potential record-breaking fish on ice without freezing it, and get it to a certified scale as soon as possible.
If the certified weight indicates you have a likely record on hand, you’ll need to get the species verified by one of the state’s district or regional biologists. (They may need a tissue sample to do this.)
You can get more information, including a link to the official application, at the Kansas State Record Fish page on the state’s website.