Record fish caught in Tennessee

Written by:
October 21, 2022
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Record fish caught in Tennessee

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 Tennessee 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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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Bighead Carp

- Weight: 90 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Guntersville Reservoir
- Record set by Jeffery J. Rorex in 2005
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Alus164 // Wikimedia Commons

Bigmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 62 lbs 0 oz
- Location: J. Percy Priest Reservoir
- Record set by Jeff Wilkins in 2010
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USFWS National Image Library // Wikimedia Commons

Black Buffalo

- Weight: 55 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Cherokee Reservoir
- Record set by Ed H. McLain in 1984
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Black Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 6 oz
- Location: Emberton's Pond
- Record set by Hunter Chance Gaither in 1997
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Black Crappie

- Weight: 4 lbs 4 oz
- Location: Browns Creek Lake
- Record set by Clyde Freeman in 1985
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Blue Catfish

- Weight: 112 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Cumberland River - Lock C
- Record set by Robert E. Lewis in 1998
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dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 3 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Fall Creek
- Record set by Thelma Grissom in 1977
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Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 3 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Farm Pond
- Record set by Brad Pendergrass in 1987
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Bowfin

- Weight: 15 lbs 7 oz
- Location: Reelfoot Lake
- Record set by Charles Aaron in 1983
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brook Trout

- Weight: 3 lbs 14 oz
- Location: Hiwassee River
- Record set by Jerry Wills in 1973
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brown Bullhead

- Weight: 2 lbs 14 oz
- Location: Chickamauga Reservoir
- Record set by John Thomas Hammond in 1980
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Brown Trout

- Weight: 28 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Clinch River
- Record set by Greg Ensor in 1988
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Carp

- Weight: 53 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Marrowbone Lake
- Record set by John R. Pepper, Jr. in 1997
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Chain Pickerel

- Weight: 7 lbs 7 oz
- Location: Kentucky Reservoir
- Record set by Burke Williams in 1991
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Channel Catfish

- Weight: 41 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Fall Creek Lake
- Record set by Clint Walters, Jr. in 1982
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Cutthroat Trout

- Weight: 0 lbs 6 oz
- Location: Obey River
- Record set by Philip Neyman in 1969
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Flathead Catfish

- Weight: 85 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Hiwassee River
- Record set by Larry Kaylor in 1993
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Flier Sunfish

- Weight: 0 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Kentucky Reservoir
- Record set by Craig Ellis in 2001
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Freshwater Drum

- Weight: 54 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Nickajack Reservoir
- Record set by Benny Hull in 1972
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Golden Redhorse

- Weight: 2 lbs 15.5 oz
- Location: South Holston River
- Record set by W. Powell Partridge, Sr. in 2008
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Jason Patrick Ross // Shutterstock

Golden Shiner

- Weight: 0 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Chickamauga Reservoir
- Record set by Dave Littlejohn in 1999
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USFWS Mountain-Prairie // Wikimedia Commons

Goldeye

- Weight: 0 lbs 14 oz
- Location: Cumberland River
- Record set by Harold A. Sanders in 1993
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Green Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 4 oz
- Location: North Cross Creek
- Record set by Dwight M. Lehman in 1991
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Lake Trout

- Weight: 22 lbs 2 oz
- Location: Watauga Reservoir
- Record set by Jack Forbes in 2008
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Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 14 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Sugar Creek
- Record set by James "Logue" Barnett in 1954
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Dewitt // Shutterstock

Longear Sunfish

- Weight: 0 lbs 13 oz
- Location: Pond
- Record set by Kay Forsberg in 1985
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Longnose Gar

- Weight: 38 lbs 3 oz
- Location: Barkley Reservoir
- Record set by Mathew A. Norton in 2002
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NOAA // Wikimedia Commons

Mooneye

- Weight: 1 lbs 4 oz
- Location: Hiwassee River
- Record set by Steve D. Moss in 2005
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Muskellunge

- Weight: 42 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Norris Reservoir
- Record set by Kyle F. Edwards in 1983
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Northern Pike

- Weight: 24 lbs 8 oz
- Location: South Holston Reservoir
- Record set by Frank Childers in 1995
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Paddlefish

- Weight: 75 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Center Hill Reservoir
- Record set by Shane S. Henry in 1984
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Pumpkinseed Sunfish

- Weight: 0 lbs 5 oz
- Location: Dogwood lake
- Record set by Lynn Middleton in 1998
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Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 16 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Fort Patrick Henry Reservoir
- Record set by Ronnie Rowland in 2002
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Redbreast Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 5 oz
- Location: Holston River
- Record set by R. W. Gillespie in 1974
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Redear Sunfish

- Weight: 3 lbs 6 oz
- Location: Private Pond
- Record set by Annelise S. Houston in 1979
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David Cartier // Shutterstock

Redeye Bass

- Weight: 1 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Parksville Reservoir
- Record set by Harry E. Parker in 1991
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Duane Raver // Wikimedia Commons

River Carpsucker

- Weight: 1 lbs 9 oz
- Location: Pickwick Reservoir
- Record set by Dr. Jim Youmans in 1980
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Brian Gratwicke // Wikimedia Commons

River Redhorse

- Weight: 11 lbs 10 oz
- Location: Pigeon River
- Record set by David H. Ray in 2009
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Rock Bass

- Weight: 2 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Stones River
- Record set by Bill Sanford in 1958
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Sauger

- Weight: 7 lbs 6 oz
- Location: Kentucky Reservoir
- Record set by Rayford D. Voss in 1973
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RLS Photo // Shutterstock

Saugeye

- Weight: 10 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Melton Hill Reservoir
- Record set by Chris Vittetoe in 1998
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GUNAWAN SIDIK // Shutterstock

Shortnose Gar

- Weight: 6 lbs 6 oz
- Location: Kentucky Reservoir
- Record set by Kay Lynn Butterfield in 2001
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Duane Raver // Wikimedia Commons

Skipjack Herring

- Weight: 4 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Watts Bar Reservoir
- Record set by Chris Vittetoe in 2004
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 11 lbs 15 oz
- Location: Dale Hollow Reservoir
- Record set by D. L. Hayes in 1955
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Ohio DNR // Wikimedia Commons

Smallmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 62 lbs 7 oz
- Location: Percy Priest Reservoir
- Record set by Jerry W. Young in 2001
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Sean McVey // Shutterstock

Spotted Bass

- Weight: 6 lbs 7 oz
- Location: Ocoee River
- Record set by Wesley Strader in 2010
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Vladimir Wrangel // Shutterstock

Spotted Gar

- Weight: 9 lbs 5 oz
- Location: Cross Creek
- Record set by Victor Robinson in 1999
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Striped Bass

- Weight: 65 lbs 6 oz
- Location: Cordell Hull Reservoir
- Record set by Ralph H. Dallas in 2000
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wwwarjag //Shutterstock

Walleye

- Weight: 25 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Old Hickory Reservoir
- Record set by Mabry Harper in 1960
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Bclegg77 // Wikimedia Commons

Warmouth

- Weight: 1 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Nolichucky River
- Record set by Frank E. Garrett in 1984
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Apostrophe // Shutterstock

White Bass

- Weight: 5 lbs 10 oz
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Bill Nelson in 2003
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Jennifer White Maxwell // Shutterstock

White Crappie

- Weight: 5 lbs 1 oz
- Location: Garner Brown's Pond
- Record set by Bill Allen in 1968
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Yellow Bass

- Weight: 2 lbs 9 oz
- Location: Duck River
- Record set by John T. Chappell in 1998
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Yellow Bullhead

- Weight: 4 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Chickamauga Reservoir
- Record set by Jessie R. Johnson in 1979
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John Piekos // Shutterstock

Yellow Perch

- Weight: 2 lbs 2 oz
- Location: Parksville Lake
- Record set by Jackie V. Kersey in 2010
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