Kansas Game Fish Records

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This article was updated in September 2023.

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 ReservoirFrank Evans Jr.
Apr 4, 2010
Bass, Spotted (Kentucky)
4.44 lbs.
Marion County LakeClarence E. McCarter
Apr 16, 1977
Bass, Striped
44 lbs.
Wilson ReservoirPaul Bahr
May 14, 2010
Bass, Warmouth
1.11 lb.
Mined Land WA #7Vivian A. Bradley
Apr 30, 1988
Bass, White
5.67 lbs.
River above John RedmondMarvin W. Gary
Apr 11, 2002
Bass, Wiper
(White x Striped)
25 lbs.
Perry Reservoir OutletJames M. Moore
Aug 8, 2010
Buffalo, Bigmouth
62.5 lbs.
Cheney Reservoir Trey Patterson
Jun 8, 2019
Buffalo, Smallmouth
64.75 lbs.
(bowfishing)
Clinton ReservoirThayne 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 LakeKenneth Mosby Jr.
Sep 30, 2012
Catfish, Blue
102.8 lbs.
Missouri RiverRobert 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 ReservoirKen Paulie
May 14, 1998
Crappie, Black
4.63 lbs.
Woodson State Fishing LakeHazel Fey
Oct 21, 1957
Crappie, White
4.07 lbs.
Pottawatomie State
Fishing Lake #2
Bobby Parkhurst
Mar 5, 2023
Drum
31.50 lbs.
(trotline)
Blue River, Riley Co.Bill Hull
Sep 2, 2008
Eel, American
4.44 lbs.
Kansas RiverRalph B. Westerman
Jun 23, 1987
Gar, Longnose
31.5 lbs.
Perry Reservoir OutletRay Schroeder
May 21, 1974
Gar, Shortnose
9.64 lbs.
(bowfishing)
Delaware River above Perry LakeKevin Dishong
Jul 1, 2017
Gar, Spotted
7.98 lbs.
(bowfishing)
Big Hill ReservoirMichael Starr Jr.
Jul 30, 2023
Goldeye
2.25 lbs.
Milford ReservoirMike Augustine
Jun 19, 1980
Paddlefish
144 lbs.
Atchison County PondClinton Boldridge
May 5, 2004
Perch, Yellow
1.46 lbs.
Sherman County Farm PondTami Sanderson
Feb 20, 2022
Pike, Northern
24.75 lbs.
Council Grove ReservoirMr. & Mrs. H.A. Bowman
Aug 28, 1971
Sauger
4.80 lbs.
Melvern ReservoirJimmy Barnes
Nov 29, 1996
Saugeye
9.81 lbs.
Sebelius ReservoirRaymond Wait
Nov 13, 1998
Sunfish, Bluegill
2.31 lbs.
Farm Pond,
Scott County
Robert Jefferies
May 26, 1962
Sunfish, Green
2.36 lbs.
Farm PondFae Vaupel
Sep 26, 1982
Sunfish, Hybrid
(Bluegill x Green)
2.65 lbs.
Farm PondRon Fountain
May 17, 1999
Sunfish, Redear
1.69 lbs.
Finney Wildlife AreaLarry Fox
Jul 4, 1995
Sturgeon, Shovelnose
5.23 lbs.
(trotline)
Lovewell ReservoirEdwin P. Hood
Jul 4, 1999
Trout, Brown
4.62 lbs. 
Kanopolis Reservoir Seep StreamWalter Sharp
Mar 28, 2018
Trout, Rainbow
15.72 lbs.
Kill Creek Park LakeJosh McCullough
Feb 23, 2014
Walleye
13.16 lbs.
Wilson ReservoirDustin Ritter
Apr 17, 1996
Source: Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

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.