Record fish caught in North Carolina

Written by:
October 21, 2022
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Record fish caught in North Carolina

Anglers the world over gather regularly for fishing derbies to see who can land the biggest catch. But record-breaking fish can be caught at anytime, weighed on an International Game Fish Association-certified scale at any number of tackle shops or marinas, and compared to the IGFA's online records database. Sport-fishing enthusiasts can even have their own scales certified by the IGFA for a $40 fee.

compiled a list of record fish caught in North Carolina using data from . Fish pictured are not the actual record catch. Keep reading to see which bodies of water in your state hold some of the most massive fish around.

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Biswaphotograhy // Shutterstock

American Shad

- Weight: 7 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Tar River
- Record set by R.S. Proctor in 1974
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Blue Catfish

- Weight: 85 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Lake Norman
- Record set by Joel Lineberger in 2004
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dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 4 lbs 5 oz
- Location: not available
- Record set by Danny Case in 1967
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Miroslav Halama // Shutterstock

Bowfin

- Weight: 17 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Black River
- Record set by Gregory A. Demery Sr. in 1997
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brook Trout

- Weight: 7 lbs 7 oz
- Location: Raven Fork
- Record set by G.L. Marshall Jr. in 1980
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brown Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Buckhall Creek
- Record set by Gregory D. Hughes in 1997
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Brown Trout

- Weight: 24 lbs 10 oz
- Location: Nantahala River
- Record set by Rober L. Dyer in 1998
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Carp

- Weight: 48 lbs 0 oz
- Location: private pond
- Record set by William Houston Jr. in 1986
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Michael Sundberg // Shutterstock

Chain Pickerel

- Weight: 8 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Gaston Reservoir
- Record set by John H. Leonard in 1968
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Aleron Val // Shutterstock

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 40 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Fontana Reservoir
- Record set by P.P. Paine in 1971
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dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Crappie

- Weight: 4 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Asheboro City Lake #4
- Record set by Dean Dixon in 1980
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Flathead Catfish

- Weight: 78 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Cape Fear River
- Record set by Brian Newberger in 2005
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Flier Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 5 oz
- Location: private pond
- Record set by Douglas N. McCall in 1990
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Roxana Gonzalez // Shutterstock

Freshwater Drum

- Weight: 13 lbs 22 oz
- Location: Kerr Lake
- Record set by Henry W. Proctor, Sr in 2003
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Vladimir Wrangel // Shutterstock

Grass Carp

- Weight: 68 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Summerlins Pond - Leland
- Record set by David W. Stowell in 1998
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Green Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 14 oz
- Location: Private pond
- Record set by Sean Vanderburg in 2008
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Hickory Shad

- Weight: 4 lbs 1 oz
- Location: Pitchkettle Creek
- Record set by Trey Maroules in 2004
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Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 15 lbs 14 oz
- Location: private pond
- Record set by William H. Wofford in 1991
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Mikhail Blajenov // Shutterstock

Longnose Gar

- Weight: 15 lbs 6 oz
- Location: Intracoastal Waterway
- Record set by Kelly WIlliams in 2009
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Muskellunge

- Weight: 41 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Lake Adger
- Record set by Richard W. Dodd in 2001
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FedBul // Shutterstock

Northern Pike

- Weight: 11 lbs 13 oz
- Location: Lake James
- Record set by Keith Gilliam in 1978
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Glass and Nature // Shutterstock

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 6 oz
- Location: Trent River
- Record set by John Koonce in 2003
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Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 16 lbs 5 oz
- Location: not available
- Record set by Terry L. Gregory in 1989
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Redbreast Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Big Swamp
- Record set by Ronald Stanley in 1983
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Redear Sunfish

- Weight: 4 lbs 15 oz
- Location: not available
- Record set by Travis Jackson in 2008
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Redeye Bass

- Weight: 1 lbs 14 oz
- Location: Deep River - Carbonton
- Record set by Robert W. Lytton in 1998
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Duane Raver // Wikimedia Commons

Redfin Pickerel

- Weight: 2 lbs 4 oz
- Location: Gallberry Swamp
- Record set by Edward C. Davis in 1997
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Sauger

- Weight: 5 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Norman Lake
- Record set by David Shook in 1971
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 10 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Hiwassee Reservoir
- Record set by Archie Lampkin in 1951
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Ohio DNR // Wikimedia Commons

Smallmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 88 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Lake Wylie
- Record set by Tony Crawford in 1993
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Sean McVey // Shutterstock

Spotted Bass

- Weight: 6 lbs 5 oz
- Location: Lake Norman
- Record set by Eric M. Weir in 2003
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Striped Bass

- Weight: 66 lbs
- Location: Hiwassee Reservoir
- Record set by Tyler Shields in 2012
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Jennifer de Graaf // Shutterstock

Tiger Muskellunge

- Weight: 33 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Lake James
- Record set by Gary D. Nanney in 1988
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wwwarjag //Shutterstock

Walleye

- Weight: 13 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Lake Chatuge
- Record set by Lamar L. Cofer in 1986
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Bclegg77 // Wikimedia Commons

Warmouth

- Weight: 1 lbs 13 oz
- Location: McLeods Pond
- Record set by Emma Sears in 1976
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Apostrophe // Shutterstock

White Bass

- Weight: 5 lbs 14 oz
- Location: Kerr Reservoir
- Record set by Jim King in 1986
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M Huston // Shutterstock

White Catfish

- Weight: 13 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Lake James
- Record set by Jerry W. Bentley in 1990
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M Huston // Shutterstock

White Perch

- Weight: 2 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Falls of the Neuse Reservoir
- Record set by Bob G. Williams, Jr. in 2001
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John Piekos // Shutterstock

Yellow Perch

- Weight: 2 lbs 9 oz
- Location: Indiantown Creek
- Record set by Evelyn G. Ethridge in 1990

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