Updated: June 2024
The table below lists the current sport fishing records for each fish tracked in the state of Kentucky, including a famous world record shared with Tennessee.
If you hope to set your own state fishing record here, be sure to check out the resources I’ve linked at the bottom of this article.
State Fishing Records
| Bass, Coosa (Redeye) 1.21 lbs | Martin’s Fork, Cumberland River | Seth Goodin Smith May 25, 2013 |
| Bass, Hybrid Striped 20 lbs, 8 oz | Barren River Lake Tailwaters | Mark Wilson Apr 27, 1991 |
| Bass, Kentucky 7 lbs, 10 oz | A.E. Sellers | Nelson County Jun 13, 1970 |
| Bass, Largemouth 14 lbs, 9.5 oz | Highsplint Lake | Mark Ward Apr 19, 2019 |
| Bass, Rock 1 lb, 10 oz | Casey Creek, Trigg County | H.S. White May 26, 1975 |
| Bass, Smallmouth* 11 lbs, 15 oz | Dale Hollow Lake | David L. Hayes Jul 9, 1955 |
| Bass, Striped 58 lbs, 4 oz | Beaver Creek Lake, Cumberland | Roger Foster Dec 11, 1985 |
| Bass, White 5 lbs | Kentucky Lake | Lorne Eli Jul 11, 1943 |
| Bass, White 5 lbs | Herrington Lake | B.B. Hardin Jun 3, 1957 |
| Bass, Yellow 1 lb, 6.4 oz | Cumberland River, Lake Barkley Tailwaters | William Hinton Mar 19, 2009 |
| Bowfin 15.08 lbs | Green River | Norman Moran May 31, 1999 |
| Buffalo, Smallmouth 55 lbs | Kentucky Lake | Clinton Roby Mar 23, 2000 |
| Carp, Bighead 65 lbs, 1.0 oz | Kentucky River | Eddie Young Jul 18, 2020 |
| Carp, Common 54 lbs, 14 oz | South Fork Licking River | Ricky Vance Mar 13, 1971 |
| Carp, Grass 58 lbs, 8 oz | Forest Lawn Lake, Kenton County | Robert Marsh Jun 17, 2009 |
| Carp, Silver 17.34 lbs | Ohio River (at Cox’s Park) | Brian Montgomery Feb 27, 2023 |
| Catfish, Blue 106.9 lbs | Ohio River | Glynn Grogan Oct 20, 2018 |
| Catfish, Bullhead 5 lbs, 8 oz | Private Pond, Mason County | Randy Kirk Jul 6, 2013 |
| Catfish, Channel 32 lbs | Ohio River, Boyd County | Kyle Estep May 26, 2004 |
| Catfish, Flathead 97 lbs | Green River | Esker Carroll Jun 6, 1956 |
| Catfish, White 5.27 lbs | Guist Creek Lake | Ethen Vest Oct 11, 2016 |
| Chub, Creek 0.59 lbs | Otter Creek, Hardin County | Joshua Scott Mar 26, 2006 |
| Crappie (White or Black) 4 lbs, 14 oz | Watershed Lake, Christian County | Penny Hopper May 8, 2005 |
| Dace, Blacknose 0.008 lbs | Hood Creek, Lawrence County | Andy Pelphrey Jun 21, 2008 |
| Darter, Fantail 0.16 oz | Hickman Creek, Jessamine County | Chase Kirk Apr 20, 2021 |
| Drum, Freshwater 42 lbs, 13 oz | Dale Hollow Lake | Alan Cooper Apr 26, 2021 |
| Herring, Skipjack 3.10 lbs | Ohio River, Cannelton Tailwater | Joey Dixon Apr 14, 2006 |
| Gar, Longnose 40 lbs | Ohio River | Kelsie Travis, Jr. Aug 8 ,1956 |
| Gar, Spotted 4 lbs, 7 oz | Jonathan Huether | Kentucky Lake Jul 20, 2014 |
| Goldeye 2 lbs, 64 oz | Kentucky River | Mark Smith Apr 21, 2001 |
| Logperch 0.08 lbs | Lake Barkley | Marietta Strange Nov 4, 2013 |
| Minnow, Bluntnose 0.01 lbs | Hood Creek, Lawrence County | Andy Pelphrey Jun 17, 2008 |
| Mooneye 10 oz | Barren River | Samir Bajric Aug 23, 2019 |
| Muskellunge 47 lbs | Cave Run Lake | Sarah K. Terry Nov 2, 2008 |
| Muskie, Tiger 19 lbs, 9 oz | Private Lake, Clark County | Wayne Joslin Apr 25, 2007 |
| Paddlefish 106 lbs | Ohio River | William Chumbler Mar 23, 2004 |
| Perch, Yellow 1.58 lbs | Lake Barkley, Trigg County | Lynn Bumgardner Mar 2, 2024 |
| Pickerel, Chain 5 lbs, 6 oz | Forked Lake, Carlisle County | Tommy Thompson Jul 8, 1983 |
| Pickerel, Grass 0.63 lbs | Wilson Creek, Bullitt County | Gerald Gallagher Jul 17, 1989 |
| Pike, Northern 10.53 lbs | Laurel River Lake | Derek Cowden Oct 29, 2006 |
| Redhorse, Golden 4 lbs, 5 oz | Red River | Leif Meadows Apr 22, 1998 |
| Redhorse, River 9 lbs, 1 oz | Rockcastle River, Laurel County | Denny Hatfield Sep 20, 2003 |
| Redhorse, Silver 5 lbs, 6 oz | Rockcastle River, Laurel County | Justin Collins Apr 17, 2010 |
| Sauger 7 lbs, 7 oz | Cumberland River, Lake Cumberland Tailwaters | Rastie Andrew Apr 28, 1983 |
| Saugeye 9 lbs, 0.5 oz | Bullock Pen Lake, Boone/Grant County | Wolfgang Kratzenberg Mar 21, 2021 |
| Shad, Gizzard 4.08 lbs | Ohio River, Greenup L & D | Carl Rowe May 24, 2009 |
| Shiner, Golden 0.45 lbs | Lake Reba, Madison County | Billy Rice May 8, 2020 |
| Shiner, Spottail 0.01 lbs | Paintsville Lake | Andy Pelphrey Jun 21, 2013 |
| Shiner, Striped 0.17 lbs | Banklick Creek, Kenton County | Nathanael Powell Oct 25, 2021 |
| Sturgeon 36 lbs, 8 oz | Lake Cumberland | Barney Frazier Oct 3, 1954 |
| Sucker, Blue 8.34 lbs | Ohio River | Stacy L. Boik Nov 22, 2009 |
| Sucker, Northern Hog 1 lbs, 12 oz | Slate Creek, Bath County | Larry Salchli Apr 7, 2005 |
| Sucker, White 1.63 lbs | Slate Creek, Montgomery County | Larry S. Salachi Mar 19, 1998 |
| Sunfish, Bluegill 4 lbs, 3 oz | Strip Mine Lake, Hopkins County | Phil Conyers Aug 5, 1980 |
| Sunfish, Green 1 lb, 9.44 oz | Farm Pond, Hancock County | David Gibson May 20, 2013 |
| Sunfish, Longear 13.28 oz | Strip Mine Pond, Magoffin County | Anthony Lynch Jun 23, 1994 |
| Sunfish, Redbreast 0.88 lbs | Marsh Creek, McCreary County | Tim King Sep 1, 1997 |
| Sunfish, Redear 3 lbs, 1 oz | Farm Pond, Shelby County | Betty Truax May 24, 1982 |
| Trout, Brook 3.65 lbs | Cumberland River, Lake Cumberland Tailwaters | Wyatt Hoefer Mar 15, 2015 |
| Trout, Brown 21 lbs | Cumberland River, Lake Cumberland Tailwaters | Thomas Malone Apr 30, 2000 |
| Trout, Lake 5 lbs, 5 oz | Cumberland River, Lake Cumberland Tailwaters | John McDonogh Apr 4, 1983 |
| Trout, Rainbow 14 lbs, 6 oz | Cumberland River, Lake Cumberland Tailwaters | Jim Mattingly Sep 10, 1972 |
| Walleye 21 lbs, 8 oz | Lake Cumberland | Abe Black Oct 1, 1958 |
| Warmouth 1 lb, 6.2 oz | Private Pond, Jefferson County | Jon Hoover Jun 21, 2003 |
*This smallmouth bass holds the world record as well as state records for both Kentucky and Tennessee. The lake is in both states.
Setting a Kentucky Fishing Record
Kentucky’s fishing marks have been tough to beat in recent years, at least for the most prestigious of game fish. But who knows? Maybe there’s a 12-pound smallmouth bass swimming out there right now.
If you catch the next record for any of those species above, make sure you visit Kentucky’s State Record Fishes and Awards page. You will find the rules and official application you’ll need to claim that spot in Kentucky angling history.