The Record Flathead Catfish For Every State In America

Flathead catfish are bottom-dwelling beasts that swim throughout rivers and lakes. Opportunistic feeders, flathead catfish will munch on anything from oysters to live bluegills.

I found certified records for flathead catfish in 36 out of 50 states in the US. After looking over the weights, I've never wanted to catfish more.

The Native Range of Flathead Catfish In America

Orange - Flathead Native Range Red - Flathead Non-Native Range PC: USGS

Documented State Record Flathead Catfish

StateWeightAnglerLakeYearAlabama80 lbsRick ConnerAlabama River1986AlaskaN/AN/AN/AN/AArizona76 lb 9 ozEddie WilcoxsonBartlett Lake2013Arkansas80 lbsWesley WhiteArkansas River1989California72 lbs 14 ozBilly Joe PotterColorado River2003Colorado30 lbs 10 ozMichael FlockLake Pueblo2017ConnecticutN/AN/AN/AN/ADelawareN/AN/AN/AN/AFlorida69 lbs 14ozLavon NowlingYellow River2020Georgia83 lbsCarl SawyerAltamaha River2006HawaiiN/AN/AN/AN/AIdaho58 lb 8 ozJ. Newberry/K. McCormickBrownlee Reservoir1994Illinois81 lbs 7 ozJames KlauzerSangchris Lake2015Indiana79 lbs 8 ozGlen T. SimpsonWhite River1966Iowa81 lbsJoe BazeEllis Lake1958Kansas123 lbsKen PaulieElk City Reservoir1998Kentucky97 lbsEsker CarrollGreen River1956Louisiana95 lbsRoland LasseigneWax Lake2007MaineN/AN/AN/AN/AMarylandN/AN/AN/AN/AMassachusettsN/AN/AN/AN/AMichigan52 lbsDale BlakelyBarron Lake2014Minnesota70 lbsN/ASt. Croix River1970Mississippi77 lbs 7 ozMatt BinghamMississippi River2012Missouri100 lbsMathew McConkeyMissouri River2015MontanaN/AN/AN/AN/ANebraska100 lbs 8 ozReece FrenchMissouri River2018NevadaN/AN/AN/AN/ANew HampshireN/AN/AN/AN/ANew Jersey5 lbs 8 ozDelaware RiverN/AN/ANew Mexico78 lbsJim WilsonElephant Butte Lake1979New YorkN/AN/AN/AN/ANorth Carolina78 lbsBrian NewbergerCape Fear River2005North Dakota29 lbs 6 ozN/AHeart River1985Ohio76 lbs 8 ozRichard AffolterClendening Lake1979Oklahoma78 lbs 8 ozRichard WilliamsEl Reno City Lake2010Oregon42 lbsJoshua KralicekSnake River1994Pennsylvania56 lbsJonathan PierceSchuylkill River2019Rhode IslandN/AN/AN/AN/ASouth Carolina84 lbs 9 ozPaul DanielsCooper River2018South Dakota63 lbs 8 ozDavin HollandJames River2019Tennessee85 lbs. 15 ozLarry KaylorHiwassee River1993Texas98 lbs 8 ozJames LasterPalestine Lake1998UtahN/AN/AN/AN/AVermontN/AN/AN/AN/AVirginia68 lbs. 12 oz.Jeffrey E. DillLake Smith2018Washington22 lbs 11 ozC. L. McCarySnake River1981West Virginia38 lbs 8 ozL.L. McClungLittle Kanawha River1956Wisconsin74 lbs 5 ozN/AMississippi River2001Wyoming22 lbs 7 ozDallas StantonNorth Platte River2004