State Record Fishes and Awards

​To qualify for consideration as a state record, the fish must have been caught in Kentucky waters by rod and reel or on a pole and line. Fish taken on commercial gear, by trotlines or by snagging, snaring or bow fishing are not eligible.

The fish must be weighed on a scale certified legal for trade, and the weighing must be witnessed by at least three disinterested persons whose signatures must appear either on the application or on a separate sheet attached to the application. If available, also provide the scale’s printout. The fish must be left ​intact and not filleted, gutted or cut up. The fish species identification must be verified in person by a Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources fishery biologist or the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery manager to be considered.                

If any questions or problems arise, call the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife at 1-800-858-1549. Detailed requirements are listed on the second page of the application. Mail completed form and a photograph of the fish to KDFWR, Record Fish Program, #1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601.


SPECIES WEIGHT CAUGHT BY LOCATION DATE
Ancient Fish
Bowfin15.08 lbs.Norman Moran
Lexington, KY
Green River05/31/1999
Longnose Gar40.00 lbs.Kelsie Travis, Jr.
Paducah, KY
Ohio River08/08/1956
Paddlefish (Spoonbill)106.00 lbs.William Chumbler
Calvert City, KY
Ohio River03/23/2004
Spotted Gar4.44 lbs.
Jonathan Huether 
Mt. Washington, KY
Kentucky Lake07/20/2014

Lake Sturgeon

36.50 lbs.
Barney Frazier
Corbin, KY
Lake Cumberland10/03/1954
Black Bass
Coosa Bass1.21 lbs.

Seth Goodin Smith, KY

Martin’s Fork, Cumberland River05/25/2013
Kentucky Bass (Spotted Bass)7.63 lbs.
A.E. Sellers
Louisville, KY
Nelson County06/13/1970
Largemouth Bass14.59 lbs.
Mark Ward
Evarts, KY
Highsplint Lake04/19/2019
Smallmouth Bass
11.94 lbs.*
David L. Hayes
Leitchfield, KY
Dale Hollow Lake07/09/1955
Temperate Bass
Striped Bass (Rockfish)58.25 lbs.
Roger Foster,
Somerset, KY
Beaver Creek
Lake Cumberland
12/11/1985
Hybrid Striped Bass20.50 lbs.
Mark Wilson
Louisville, KY
Barren River Lake
Tailwaters
04/27/1991
White Bass5.00 lbs. (TIE)Lorne Eli
Dawson Springs, KY
Kentucky Lake07/11/43
B.B. Hardin
Mt. Eden, KY
Herrington Lake06/03/1957
Yellow Bass1.40 lbs.
William Hinton
Central City, KY
Cumberland River
Lake Barkley Tailwaters
03/19/2009
Carps & Suckers
Bighead Carp65.06 lbs.
Eddie Young
Versailles, KY
Kentucky River
07/18/2020
Creek Chub0.59 lbs.Joshua Scott
Louisville, KY
Otter Creek
Hardin County
03/26/2006
Blue Sucker8.34 lbs.Stacy L. Boik
Evansville, IN
Ohio River11/22/2009
Northern Hog Sucker1.75 lbs.
Larry  S. Salchl​i
Stanton, KY
Slate Creek
Bath County
04/07/2005
Buffalo (Smallmouth)55.00 lbs.Clinton Roby
Waddy, KY
Kentucky Lake03/23/2000
Common Carp54.88 lbs.
Ricky Vance
Paris, KY
South Fork
Licking River
03/13/1971
Golden Redhorse4.31 lbs.
Leif Meadows
Stanton, KY
Red River04/22/1998
Grass Carp58.50 lbs.
Robert Marsh
Erlanger, KY
Forest Lawn Lake,
Kenton County
06/17/2009
River Redhorse9.06 lbs.
Denny Hatfield.
London, KY
Rockcastle River,
Laurel County
09/20/2003
Silver Redhorse5.38 lbs.
Justin Collins
London, KY
Rockcastle River,
Laurel County
04/17/2010
White Sucker1.63 lbs.Larry S. Salchli
Stanton, KY
Slate Creek,
Montgomery County
03/19/1998
Silver Carp17.34 lbs.
Brian Montgomery
Louisville, KY
Ohio River
(at Cox's Park)
02/27/2023​
Golden Shiner0.45 lbs.Billy Rice
Stanton, KY
Lake Reba,
Madison County
05/08/2020
Striped Shiner0.17 lbs.Nathanael Powell
Independence, KY
Banklick Creek,
Kenton County
10/25/2021​
Catfish
Blue Catfish106.90 lbs.Glynn Grogan
Arlington, KY
Ohio River10/20/2018
Bullhead Catfish5.50 lbs.
Randy Kirk Maysville, KYPrivate Pond, Mason County07/06/2013
Channel Catfish32.00 lbs.Kyle Estep
South Point, Ohio
Ohio River,
Boyd County
05/26/2004
Flathead Catfish97.00 lbs.Esker CarrollGreen River06/06/1956
White Catfish5.27 lbs.Ethen Vest
Frankfort, KY
Guist Creek Lake10/11/2016
Drum
Freshwater Drum42.81 lbs.
Alan Cooper
Morgantown, KY
Dale Hollow Lake
04/26/2021
Herring​
Skipjack Herring3.10 lbs.Joey Dixon
Elizabethtown, KY
Ohio River,
Cannelton Tailwater
04/14/2006
Gizzard Shad4.08 lbs.Carl RoweOhio River,
Greenup L & D
05/24/2009
Mooneye
Goldeye2.64 lbs.
Mark Smith
Lexington, KY
Kentucky River04/21/2001
​Mooneye​0.63 lbs.​Samir Bajric 
Bowling Green, KY
​Barren River08/23/2019
Perch
Sauger7.44 lbs.
Rastie Andrew
Jamestown, KY
Cumberland River,
Lake Cumberland Tailwaters
04/28/1983
Saugeye9.03 lbs.
Wolfgang Kratzenberg
Verona, KY
Bullock Pen Lake,
Boone/Grant County
03/21/2021
Walleye21.50 lbs.
Abe Black
Shaker Heights, OH
Lake Cumberland
10/01/1958
Yellow Perch1.58 lbs.
Lynn Bumgardner
Oliver Springs, TN
Lake Barkley,
Trigg County
03/02/2024
Pike
Chain Pickerel5.38 lbs.
Tommy Thompson
Bardwell, KY
Forked Lake,
Carlisle County
07/08/1983
Grass Pickerel0.63 lbs.Gerald Gallagher
Louisville, KY
Wilson Creek,
Bullitt County
07/17/1989
Muskellunge47.00 lbs.Sarah K. Terry
Mt. Sterling, KY
Cave Run Lake11/02/2008
Northern Pike10.53 lbs.Derek Cowden
Corbin, KY
Laurel River Lake10/29/2006
Tiger Muskie (Muskellunge/Northern Pike Hybrid)19.56 lbs.
Wayne Joslin
Winchester, KY
Private Lake,
Clark County
04/25/2007
Sunfish
Bluegill4.19 lbs.
Phil Conyers
Madisonville, KY
Strip mine lake
Hopkins County
08/05/1980
Crappie (White or Black)4.87 lbs.
Penny Hopper
Crofton, KY
Watershed Lake
Christian County
05/08/2005
Green Sunfish1.59 lbs.
David Gibson Hawesville, KYFarm Pond,
Hancock County
05/20/2013
Longear Sunfish0.83 lbs.Anthony Lynch
Salyersville, KY
Strip mine pond
Magoffin County
06/23/1994
Redbreast Sunfish0.88 lbs.Tim King
Stearns, KY
Marsh Creek
McCreary County
09/01/1997
Redear Sunfish (Shellcracker)3.06 lbs.
Betty Truax
Finchville, KY
Farm Pond
Shelby County
05/24/1982
Rock Bass1.63 lbs.
H.S. White
Cadiz, KY
Casey Creek
Trigg County
05/26/1975
Warmouth1.39 lbs.
Jon Hoover
Louisville, KY
Private Pond
Jefferson County
07/21/2003
Trout
Brook Trout3.65 lbs.Wyatt Hoefer
Louisville, KY
Cumberland River, Lake Cumberland Tailwaters03/15/2015
Brown Trout21.00 lbs.Thomas Malone
Crofton, KY
Cumberland River,
Lake Cumberland Tailwaters
04/30/2000
Lake Trout5.31 lbs.
John McDonogh
Jeffersontown, KY
Cumberland River,
Lake Cumberland Tailwaters
04/04/1983
Rainbow Trout14.38 lbs.
Jim Mattingly
Somerset, KY
Cumberland River,
Lake Cumberland Tailwaters
09/10/1972
Historical Records
Bluntnose Minnow0.01 lbs.Andy Pelphrey
Stambaugh, KY
Hood Creek,
Lawrence County
06/17/2008
Spottail Shiner0.01 lbs.Andy Pelphrey
Stambaugh, KY
Paintsville Lake06/21/2013
Blacknose Dace0.008 lbs.Andy Pelphrey
Stambaugh, KY
Hood Creek,
Lawrence County
06/21/2008
​Fantail Darter
​0.01 lbs.
​Chase Kirk
Lexington, KY
​Hickman Creek,
Jessamine County
​04/20/2021
Logperch0.08 lbs.Marietta Strange Louisville, KYLake Barkley11/04/2013
*World Record - all tackle
Note: No listing for a species means no record currently exists for that species.
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