Record fish caught in Texas

Written by:
October 21, 2022
Canva

Record fish caught in Texas

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 Texas 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.

1 / 53
Danny Ye // Shutterstock

Alligator Gar

- Weight: 279 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Rio Grande River
- Record set by Bill Valverde in 1951
2 / 53
Canva

American Eel

- Weight: 1 lbs 8.64 oz
- Length: 31"
- Location: Lake Lavon
- Record set by Marc Jones in 2000
3 / 53
Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Bighead Carp

- Weight: 90 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 55.5"
- Location: Lake Kirby
- Record set by Timothy Conner in 2000
4 / 53
Alus164 // Wikimedia Commons

Bigmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 58 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 40.75"
- Location: Lake Sam Rayburn
- Record set by Allen Chesney in 1994
5 / 53
Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Black Bullhead

- Weight: 4 lbs 0.32 oz
- Length: 18"
- Location: Navarro Mills Lake
- Record set by Roy Calame in 1984
6 / 53
Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Black Crappie

- Weight: 3 lbs 92 oz
- Length: 18.5"
- Location: lake Fork
- Record set by George Ward in 2003
7 / 53
M Huston // Shutterstock

Blue Catfish

- Weight: 121 lbs 5 oz
- Length: 58"
- Location: Lake Texoma
- Record set by Cody Mullenix in 2004
8 / 53
dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 13 oz
- Length: 11.5"
- Location: Purtis Creek
- Record set by James Sides in 1993
9 / 53
Miroslav Halama // Shutterstock

Bowfin

- Weight: 17 lbs 10.4 oz
- Length: 36.5"
- Location: Lake Fork
- Record set by Brenda Walsh in 1993
10 / 53
slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brook Trout

- Weight: 0 lbs 10.72 oz
- Length: 12"
- Location: Guadalupe River
- Record set by Bryan Hendricks in 1984
11 / 53
Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Brown Trout

- Weight: 7 lbs 1.92 oz
- Length: 24"
- Location: Guadalupe River
- Record set by Jeff Delong in 1986
12 / 53
Michael Sundberg // Shutterstock

Chain Pickerel

- Weight: 4 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 23.75"
- Location: Pat Mayse Lake
- Record set by Robert Finch in 1996
13 / 53
Aleron Val // Shutterstock

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 36 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 38"
- Location: Pedernales River
- Record set by Mrs. Joe Cockrell in 1965
14 / 53
Vladimir Wrangel // Shutterstock

Common Carp

- Weight: 41 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 40"
- Location: Town Lake
- Record set by Vaughn Osmond in 2005
15 / 53
M Huston // Shutterstock

Flathead Catfish

- Weight: 98 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 53"
- Location: Lake Palestine
- Record set by James Laster in 1998
16 / 53
Roxana Gonzalez // Shutterstock

Freshwater Drum

- Weight: 44 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 38.5"
- Location: Conroe
- Record set by Jesse Ashley in 2011
17 / 53
mujijoa79 // Shutterstock

Gizzard Shad

- Weight: 2 lbs 10.72 oz
- Length: 18"
- Location: Town Lake
- Record set by Darryl Freeman in 1997
18 / 53
Jason Patrick Ross // Shutterstock

Golden Shiner

- Weight: 0 lbs 8.32 oz
- Length: 11"
- Location: Lake Placid
- Record set by Brian Rankin in 1996
19 / 53
USFWS Mountain-Prairie // Wikimedia Commons

Goldeye

- Weight: 2 lbs 5 oz
- Length: 17.5"
- Location: Lake Texoma
- Record set by Mandy Richmond in 1996
20 / 53
Vladimir Wrangel // Shutterstock

Grass Carp

- Weight: 44 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 46"
- Location: Bastrop Bayou
- Record set by Jack Singleton in 1998
21 / 53
Clint H // Shutterstock

Grass Pickerel

- Weight: 0 lbs 7.04 oz
- Length: 13.75"
- Location: Lake Sam Rayburn
- Record set by Pete Ellis in 1995
22 / 53
M Huston // Shutterstock

Green Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 3.52 oz
- Length: 9.29"
- Location: Tehuacana Creek
- Record set by Rickie Rivard in 1995
23 / 53
Canva

Hybrid Bass

- Weight: 4 lbs 11 oz
- Length: 20.39"
- Location: San Marcos River
- Record set by Lance Wester in 1999
24 / 53
Canva

Hybrid Bass

- Weight: 19 lbs 10.56 oz
- Length: 35.16"
- Location: Ray Hubbard Lake
- Record set by John Haney in 1984
25 / 53
M Huston // Shutterstock

Hybrid Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs
- Length: 12.5 "
- Location: Bardwell Lake
- Record set by Scot Pekrul in 2004
26 / 53
TreesG Photography // Shutterstock

Ladyfish

- Weight: 0 lbs 3.84 oz
- Length: 10.5"
- Location: Trinity River
- Record set by Mark LaBurt in 2000
27 / 53
Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 18 lbs 2.88 oz
- Length: 25.5"
- Location: Lake Fork
- Record set by Barry StClair in 1992
28 / 53
Dewitt // Shutterstock

Longear Sunfish

- Weight: 0 lbs 7.68 oz
- Length: 7.5"
- Location: Lake Fork
- Record set by Tyler Russell in 1998
29 / 53
Mikhail Blajenov // Shutterstock

Longnose Gar

- Weight: 50 lbs 5 oz
- Location: Trinity River
- Record set by Townsend Miller in 1954
30 / 53
FedBul // Shutterstock

Northern Pike

- Weight: 18 lbs 4.48 oz
- Length: 41"
- Location: Town Lake
- Record set by Mike Sharpe in 1981
31 / 53
Vladimir Wrangel // Shutterstock

Pacu

- Weight: 1 lbs 12.32 oz
- Length: 13.5"
- Location: Claiborne West Pond
- Record set by Richard Zerko in 1995
32 / 53
Canva

Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 8 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 26.5"
- Location: Nueces River
- Record set by Timothy Boehm in 2010
33 / 53
Realest Nature // Shutterstock

Red Drum

- Weight: 36 lbs 13.28 oz
- Length: 44"
- Location: Fairfield Lake
- Record set by Billy Tyus in 2001
34 / 53
M Huston // Shutterstock

Redbreast Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 10.08 oz
- Length: 12"
- Location: Comal River
- Record set by Alex Labowski in 1997
35 / 53
Clint H // Shutterstock

Redear Sunfish

- Weight: 2 lbs 15.84 oz
- Length: 14"
- Location: Town Lake
- Record set by John Runnels in 1997
36 / 53
Duane Raver // Wikimedia Commons

River Carpsucker

- Weight: 2 lbs 1.6 oz
- Length: 16.25"
- Location: Trinity River
- Record set by Del Sowders in 1996
37 / 53
Steve Brigman // Shutterstock

Rock Bass

- Weight: 0 lbs 13.28 oz
- Length: 10.25"
- Location: San Marcos River
- Record set by Chad Thomas in 1997
38 / 53
RLS Photo // Shutterstock

Saugeye

- Weight: 7 lbs 12.5 oz
- Length: 27"
- Location: Lake Kirby
- Record set by Robert Quintanilla in 1998
39 / 53
CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 7 lbs 14.88 oz
- Length: 23"
- Location: Lake Meredith
- Record set by Timothy Teague in 1998
40 / 53
Ohio DNR // Wikimedia Commons

Smallmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 82 lbs 3.52 oz
- Length: 43.5"
- Location: Lake Athens
- Record set by Randy Collins in 1993
41 / 53
Sean McVey // Shutterstock

Spotted Bass

- Weight: 5 lbs 9.92 oz
- Length: 22.75"
- Location: Alan Henry Reservoir
- Record set by Erik Atkins in 2011
42 / 53
Vladimir Wrangel // Shutterstock

Spotted Gar

- Weight: 9 lbs 12.8 oz
- Length: 36.5"
- Location: Lake Mexia
- Record set by Rick Rivard in 1994
43 / 53
Canva

Spotted Sunfish

- Length: 6"
- Location: San Marcos River
- Record set by Mike Schlimgen in 2008
44 / 53
slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Striped Bass

- Weight: 53 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 48"
- Location: Brazos River
- Record set by Ron Venerable in 1999
45 / 53
Danny Ye // Shutterstock

Tarpon

- Weight: 10 lbs 1.92 oz
- Length: 37"
- Location: Lake Braunig
- Record set by Paul Willette in 1986
46 / 53
Jennifer de Graaf // Shutterstock

Tiger Muskellunge

- Weight: 9 lbs 1 oz
- Length: 32"
- Location: Lake Nocona
- Record set by Mike Gaines in 1979
47 / 53
wwwarjag //Shutterstock

Walleye

- Weight: 11 lbs 14.08 oz
- Length: 31.75"
- Location: Lake Meredith
- Record set by Hank McWilliams Jr. in 1990
48 / 53
Bclegg77 // Wikimedia Commons

Warmouth

- Weight: 1 lbs 4.8 oz
- Length: 10.5"
- Location: Town Lake
- Record set by Ralph Manns Jr. in 1991
49 / 53
Apostrophe // Shutterstock

White Bass

- Weight: 5 lbs 8.96 oz
- Length: 20.75"
- Location: Colorado River
- Record set by David Cordill in 1977
50 / 53
Jennifer White Maxwell // Shutterstock

White Crappie

- Weight: 4 lbs 9 oz
- Location: Navarro Mills Lake
- Record set by G.G. Wooderson in 1968
51 / 53
Kevin H Knuth // Shutterstock

Yellow Bass

- Weight: 3 lbs
- Length: 17.50"
- Location: Sabine River
- Record set by Butch Koehler in 2009
52 / 53
jpreat // Shutterstock

Yellow Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 3.2 oz
- Length: 16.25"
- Location: Lake Fork
- Record set by Herschell Spears in 1997
53 / 53
John Piekos // Shutterstock

Yellow Perch

- Weight: 1 lbs 0.64 oz
- Length: 12.5"
- Location: Lake Meredith
- Record set by Melvin Vick in 1996

Trending Now