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Trophy Fish

boating at sunrise  
  Trophy Fish

 

 

 

Anglers who catch, by pole and line, any one fish meeting the length requirements below may qualify for the Trophy Fish/Master Angler Awards Program. Anglers who catch three different species of trophy status are eligible for the Master Angler Award. There is no time limit in which the three different species must be caught, but each catch must be documented and registered as a trophy fish with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife since the program began in 1987. Species counted toward a Master Angler Award may not be duplicated.

Anglers qualifying for a Kentucky Trophy Fish Award will receive a collectable Kentucky Trophy Fish lapel/hat pin. An angler may only receive one pin per year, but each Trophy Fish caught counts toward the Master Angler Award.

All applications for Trophy Fish/ Master Angler Award must be received by Feb. 1 the following year to qualify for a lapel/hat pin.

Anglers must register on-line here to receive their lapel/hat pin and Trophy Fish Certificate. A photo of the catch must be submitted along with the Trophy Fish/Master Angler application.

Complete details are available by calling 1-800-858-1549 or by clicking here.

 
ELIGIBLE SPECIES Minimum length
Blue Catfish 35”
Bluegill 10”
Bowfin 25”
Brook Trout 11”
Brown Trout 20”
Bullhead Catfish 14”
Carp 35”
Chain Pickerel 24”
Channel Catfish 28”
Crappie 15”
Flathead Catfish 35”
Freshwater Drum 25”
Gar 40”
Hybrid Striped Bass 23”
Kentucky (Spotted) Bass 16”
Largemouth Bass 23”
Muskellunge 40”
Rainbow Trout 20”
Redear Sunfish 10”
Redbreast Sunfish 10”
Rock Bass 10”
Sauger 18”
Smallmouth Bass 20”
Striped Bass 36”
Walleye 25”
White Bass 16”
Yellow Perch 10”

 

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STATE RECORD FISH PROGRAM

 

To qualify for the state record fish program, fish must be caught in Kentucky waters by a rod and reel or pole and line only. Fish taken on commercial gear, by trotlines, gigging, snagging, by hand or bow fishing are not eligible.

Fish need to be weighed on a scale certified for legal trade and witnessed by three people must sign the record application.  The fish must be identified in person by a KDFWR fishery biologist  or the manager of Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery and not filleted, gutted or cut up.

Applications for the state record fish program are available by calling 1-800-858-1549 or online or from your District Fisheries Office:

WESTERN FISHERY DISTRICT
Adam Martin, Murray
(270) 753-3886

NORTHWESTERN FISHERY DISTRICT
Jeremy Shiflet, Calhoun,
(270) 273-3117

SOUTHWESTERN FISHERY DISTRICT
Eric Cummins or Kayla Gerber
Bowling Green, (270) 746-7127

CENTRAL FISHERY DISTRICT
Jeff Crosby or David Baker
Frankfort, 1-800-858-1549

NORTHEASTERN FISHERY DISTRICT
Tom Timmermann or Justin Heflin
Morehead, (606) 783-8650

EASTERN FISHERY DISTRICT
Kevin Frey or Jason Russell
Prestonsburg
(606) 889-1705

SOUTHEASTERN FISHERY DISTRICT
Marcy Anderson
Somerset, (606) 677-4096

MINOR CLARK FISH HATCHERY
Rod Middleton, Pete Besant or
Scott Barrett, Morehead
(606) 783-8650

PFIEFFER FISH HATCHERY
Josh Pennington, or Noah Nelson, Frankfort
(502) 564-4957

SPECIES Weight Caught By Location Date
ANCIENT FISH
Bowfin 15.08 lbs. Norman Moran, Lexington, KY Green River 05/31/99
Longnose Gar 40 lbs. Kelsie Travis, Jr., Paducah, KY Ohio River 08/08/56
Paddlefish (Spoonbill) 106 lbs. William Chumbler, Calvert City, KY Ohio River 03/23/04
​Spotted Gar 4 lbs., 7 oz.​ Jonathan Huether 
Mt. Washington, KY​		 Kentucky Lake​ ​07/20/2014
Sturgeon 36 lbs. 8 oz. Barney Frazier, Corbin, KY Lake Cumberland 10/03/54
BLACK BASS
Kentucky (Spotted) Bass 7 lbs. 10 oz. A.E. Sellers, Louisville, KY Private lake, Nelson Co. 06/13/70
Largemouth Bass 14 lbs. 9.5 oz. Mark Ward, Evarts, KY Highsplint Lake 04/19/19
Smallmouth Bass* 11 lbs. 15 oz. David L. Hayes, Leitchfield, KY Dale Hollow Lake 07/09/55
Coosa Bass 1.21 lbs. Seth Goodin, Smith, KY Martins Fork River 05/25/13
TEMPERATE BASS
Striped Bass (Rockfish) 58 lbs. 4 oz. Roger Foster, Somerset, KY Lake Cumberland 12/11/85
Hybrid Striped Bass 20 lbs. 8 oz. Mark Wilson, Louisville, KY Barren River 04/27/91
White Bass 5 lbs. (TIE) Lorne Eli, Dawson Springs, KY Kentucky Lake 07/11/43
Blue Catfish B.B. Hardin, Mt. Eden, KY Herrington Lake 06/03/57
Yellow Bass 1 lb., 6.4 oz. William Hinton, Central City, KY Cumberland River, Lake Barkley tailwaters 03/19/09
CARP/SUCKER
Bighead Carp 64 lbs. Drew Fulmer, Florence, KY Kentucky Lake 07/19/10
Blue Sucker 8.34 lbs. Stacey L. Boik, Evansville, IN Ohio River 11/22/09
Buffalo (Smallmouth) 55 lbs. Clinton Roby, Waddy, KY Kentucky Lake 03/23/00
Common Carp 54 lbs. 14 oz. Ricky Vance, Paris, KY South Fork, Licking River 03/13/71
Creek Chub 0.59 lbs Joshua Scott, Louisville, KY Otter Creek, Hardin Co. 03/26/06
Golden Redhorse 4 lbs. 5 oz. Leif Meadows, Stanton, KY Red River 04/22/98
Grass Carp 58 lbs. 8 oz. Robert Marsh, Erlanger, KY Cemetary Lake, Kenton Co. 06/17/09
Northern Hog Sucker 1 lb, 12 oz. Larry Salchli, Stanton, KY Slate Creek, Bath Co. 04/07/05
River Redhorse 9 lbs. 1 oz. Denny Hatfield, London, KY Rockcastle River 09/20/03
Silver Carp  13 lbs. 5 oz. Justin Fitzgerald, Gilbertsville, KY Cumberland River 02/21/17
Silver Redhorse 5 lbs. 6 oz. Justin Collins, London, KY Rockcastle River 04/17/10
White Sucker 1 lb. 10 oz. Larry Salchli, Stanton, KY Slate Creek, Montgomery Co. 03/19/98
​Bluntnose Minnow ​0.01 lbs. Andy Pelphrey, Stambaugh, KY​ Hood Creek, Lawrence County​ 06/17/08​
​Golden Shiner ​0.31 lbs. ​Brent Pierick, O'Fallon, MO ​Kentucky Lake 06/24/14​
​Spottail Shiner 0.01 lbs.​ ​Andy Pelphrey, Stambaugh, KY​ ​Paintsville Lake 06/21/13​
​Striped Shiner 0.16 lbs.​ ​Joseph Johnson, Louisville, KY

Beargrass Creek,

Jefferson County​

 04/01/19​
​Blacknose Dace 0.008 lbs​ Andy Pelphrey, Stambaugh, KY​ Hood Creek, Lawrence County​​ ​06/21/08
CATFISH
Blue Catfish 106.9 lbs. Glynn Grogan, Arlington, KY Ohio River 10/20/18
Bullhead Catfish 5 lbs. 8 oz. Randy Kirk, Maysville, KY Private Pond, Mason County 07/06/13
Channel Catfish 32 lbs. Kyle Estep, South Point, OH Ohio River 05/26/04
Flathead Catfish 97 lbs. Esker Carroll Green River 06/06/56
White Catfish 5.27 lbs. Ethen Vest, Frankfort, KY Guist Creek Lake 10/11/16
DRUM
Freshwater Drum 38 lbs. Larry Cardwell, Morgantown, KY Green River 06/05/80
HERRING
Skipjack Herring 3.10 lbs. Joey Dixon, Elizabethtown, KY Ohio River 04/14/06
​Gizzard Shad 4.08 lbs.​ ​Carl Rowe ​Ohio River, Greenup L&D​ 05/24/09​
MOONEYE
Goldeye 2.64 lbs. Mark Smith, Lexington, KY Kentucky River 04/21/01
​Mooneye ​0.36 lbs. Gerald Gallagher, Louisville, KY​ ​Ohio River 08/15/19​
PERCH
Logperch 0.08 lbs. Marietta Strange, Louisville, KY Lake Barkley 11/04/13
Sauger 7 lbs. 7 oz. Rastie Andrew, Jamestown, KY Cumberland River 04/28/83
Saugeye 8 lbs. 8.8 oz. Clay Smith, Lexington, KY Lake Cumberland Tailwater 05/21/19
Walleye 21 lbs. 8 oz. Abe Black, Shaker Heights, OH Lake Cumberland 10/01/58
Yellow Perch 1 lb. 7 oz. Klint Thaxton, Ashland, KY Kentucky Lake 03/12/10
PIKE
Chain Pickerel 5 lbs. 6 oz. Tommy Thompson, Bardwell, KY Forked Lake, Carlisle Co. 07/08/83
Grass Pickerel 10 oz. Gerald Gallagher, Louisville, KY Wilson Creek, Bullitt Co. 07/17/89
Muskellunge 47 lbs. Sarah Terry, Mt. Sterling, KY Cave Run Lake 11/02/08
Northern Pike 10.53 lbs. Derek Cowden, Corbin, KY Laurel River Lake 10/29/06
Tiger Muskie (Muskellunge Hybrid) 19 lbs. 9 oz. Wayne Joslin, Winchester, KY Private lake, Clark Co. 04/25/07
SUNFISH
Bluegill 4 lbs. 3 oz. Phil Conyers, Madisonville, KY Strip Mine Lake, Hopkins Co. 08/05/80
Crappie (White or Black) 4 lbs. 14 oz. Penny Hopper, Crofton, KY Watershed Lake, Christian Co. 05/08/05
Green Sunfish 1 lb. 9.44 oz. David Gibson, Hawesville, KY Farm pond, Hancock Co. 05/20/13
Longear Sunfish 13 oz. Anthony Lynch, Salyersville, KY Strip Mine Pond, Magoffin Co. 06/23/94
Redbreast Sunfish 14 oz. Tim King, Stearns, KY Marsh Creek, McCreary Co. 09/01/97
Redear Sunfish 3 lbs. 1 oz. Betty Truax, Finchville, KY Farm pond, Shelby Co. 05/24/82
Rock Bass 1 lb. 10 oz. H.S. White, Cadiz, KY Casey Creek, Trigg Co. 05/26/75
Warmouth 1 lb. 6.2 oz. John Hoover, Louisville, KY Private pond, Jefferson Co. 07/21/03
TROUT
Brook Trout 3.65 lbs. Wyatt Hoefer, Louisville, KY Cumberland River 03/15/15
Brown Trout 21 lbs. Thomas Malone, Crofton, KY Cumberland River 04/30/00
Lake Trout 5 lbs. 5 oz. John McDonogh, Jeffersontown, KY Cumberland River 04/04/83
Rainbow Trout 14 lbs. 6 oz. Jim Mattingly, Somerset, KY Cumberland River 09/10/72
Note: Line class records are not maintained by the KDFWR.
* All tackle world record

BOWFISHING RECORDS

The United Bowhunters of Kentucky initiated a new state record program for fish harvested by bow and arrow. Click here for details, guidelines and current state records.

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