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.

Stacker compiled a list of record fish caught in North Carolina using data from Land Big Fish. 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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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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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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Sauger

- Weight: 5 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Norman Lake
- Record set by David Shook in 1971
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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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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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Yellow Perch

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

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