Record Breaking Fish That Were All Caught in Alabama!

We have some whoppers in Alabama! Some really big fish, of course, but some even bigger tales to go along with them. A whole lot of people in Alabama claim to have an uncle or cousin that once caught a 250+ pound monster catfish in the local river or lake. The only problem: there's never any proof! I think it's time we settle the big fish debate in Alabama with catches that we know really happened. No more fish tales! Here is the official list of record freshwater fish caught in Alabama. These have all been verified and certified by the Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources.

*This list was produced and verified by the Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources and published to their state agency website, OutdoorsAlabama.com. Any disputes or complaints should be addressed to that agency here.

Alabama State Record Largemouth Bass: 16-pound, 8-ounce caught by Thomas BurginPhoto byAla. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources

Bass, Largemouth: 16 lbs. 8 oz. Caught: 11/3/1987 in Mountain View Lake in Shelby County, by Thomas (T. M.) Burgin of Birmingham

Bass, Redeye*: 3 lbs. 2 oz. Caught: 3/8/2000 in Choccolocco Creek by Terry Johnson of Oxford *Previous World Record, Rod and Reel

Bass, Rock: 1 lb. 6 oz. Caught: 5/6/1995 in Paint Rock River by James R. Stewart of Scottsboro

Alabama State Record Rock Bass: 1 lb. 6 oz. James R. StewartPhoto byAla. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources

Bass, Shoal: 6 lbs. 11 oz. Caught: 2/25/1996 in Halawakee Creek by Darrell Trawick of Salem

Bass, Smallmouth*: l0 lbs. 8 oz. Caught: 10/8/1950 in Wheeler Dam tailwater by Owen F. Smith of Fairfield *Previous World Record, Any Method

Bass, Spotted*: 8 lbs. 15 oz. Caught: 3/18/1978 in Smith Lake by Phillip C. Terry of Decatur *Previous World Record, Rod and Reel

Alabama Record Striped Bass 69 lb 9oz. James Bramlett 2013 Black Warrior RiverPhoto byAla. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources

Bass,Striped(landlocked)*: 69 lbs. 9 oz. Caught: 2/28/2013 in Bankhead Reservoir of the Black Warrior River by James Bramlett of Dora *World Record, Rod And Reel

Alabama State Record Hybrid Striped Bass 25 lb 15 oz E. H. Hodges 1996 Sipsey ForkPhoto byAla. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources

Bass, Hybrid Striped: 25 lbs. 15 oz. Caught: 9/13/1996 in Sipsey Fork by E. H. Hodges of Chelsea

Bass, White: 4 lbs. 9 oz. Caught: 2/14/1987 in the Warrior River by Ben DeMott of Bessemer

Bass, Yellow*: 2 lb. 8 oz. Caught: 4/12/2000 in Guntersville Reservoir, Jackson Co. by Dennis M. Woebbeking of Pisgah *World Record, Rod And Reel

Alabama State Record Bowfin 18 lb. 6 oz. Caught by Nelson Ray Sansing 2005, in Lake Tuscaloosa.Photo byAla. Dept. of Conservation and Natrual Resources

Bowfin: 18 lb. 6 oz. Caught: 7/31/2005 in Lake Tuscaloosa by Nelson Ray Sansing of Sawyerville

Buffalo: 57 lbs. Caught: 4/13/1990 in Guntersville Reservoir by Ralph B. Lowery of Albertville

Alabama State Record Buffalo fish 57 lb. Ralph B. Lowery 1990 in Guntersville Reservoir.Photo byAla. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources

Bullhead (Brown): 4 lbs. 3 oz. Caught: 5/7/2019 in Private Pond, Lee. Co. by Collin Burney of Auburn

Carp, Common: 35 lbs. Caught: 4/19/1980 in Bear Creek, Colbert County by Darrin Jackson of Double Springs

Carp, Grass: 73 lbs. Caught: 4/10/2012 in Guntersville Reservoir by Bradley D. Bridges, Sr. of Bryant

Catfish, Blue*: 120 lbs. 4 oz. Caught: 3/9/2012 in Holt Reservoir by John Paul Nichols of Northport *Previous World Record, Rod and Reel

Alabama Record Blue Catfish 120 lb. 4 oz. John Nichols 2012 Holt ResevoirPhoto byAla. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources

Catfish, Channel: 40 lbs. Caught: 6/17/1967 in Inland Lake by Donald R. Cox of Oneonta

Catfish, Flathead: 80 lbs. Caught: 6/22/1986 in Alabama River, Selma by Rick Conner of Selma

Catfish, White: 10 lbs. 5 oz. Caught: 4/3/1981 in Chambers Co. Public Lake by Roy T. Britton of Opelika

Alabama State Record Black Crappie 4 lbs, 5 oz. Shelley Meadows 2007 Ft. Payne Reservoir (Tied with 2 other people for record)Photo byAla. Dept. of conservation and Natural Resources

Crappie, Black (tie): 4 lbs. 5 oz. 3/37/2007 in Fort Payne Resevoir by Shelley Meadows of Mentone 6/2/1997 in Jefferson County pond by William D. Webb of Birmingham 3/18/1984 in Paint Creek by Sherril Harrid of Sylacauga

Crappie, White (two records): 4 lbs. 9 oz. Caught: 5/8/2000 in Lake Martin, Tallapoosa County, by Jeremy S. White of Alexander City 4 lbs. 8 oz. Caught: 4/4/1974 in Guntersville Reservoir by Jack Grant of Altoona

Alabama State Record White Crappie (Tie) 4 lb. 9 oz. Top: Jeremy S. White 2000 Lake Martin. Bottom: Jack Grant 1974 Guntersville ReservoirPhoto byAla. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources

Drum, freshwater*: 41 lbs. 8 oz. Caught: 7/24/1949 in Wilson Reservoir by Wilson Brock of Birmingham *Previous World Record, Rod and Reel

Eel, American: 5 lbs. 8 oz. Caught: 5/11/1989 in Lake Shechi, Chilton Co. by Tod A. Groover of Montevallo

Gar, Alligator: 151 lbs. 9 oz. Caught: 8/13/2009 in the Tensaw River by Richard Johnson of Bay Minette 151 lbs. 5 oz. Caught: 8/13/2004 in the Tensaw River by Michael houseknecht of Mobile

Alabama State Record Longnose Gar Gary Smyth caught this 32-pound, 14-ounce longnose gar on April 18, 1985, in Jordan Reservoir.Photo byAla. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources

Gar, Longnose: 32 lbs. 14oz. Caught: 4/18/1985 in the Jordan Reservoir by Gary Smyth of Pelham

Gar, Spotted: 8 lbs. 12 oz. Caught: 8/26/1987 in Cotaco Creek by Winston Baker of Alex City

Herring, Skipjack: 3 lbs. 5 oz. Caught: 3/18/2020 in Wheeler Dam Tailwater by Chris S. Fuller of Athens 3 lbs. 4 oz. Caught: 5/2/2012 in Mulberry Fork by Bobby Lee Davis of Bessemer

Alabama State Record Skipjack Herring 3lb. 4 oz. Bobby Lee Davis 2012, Mulberry Fork.Photo byAla. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources

Muskellunge (no longer stocked in Alabama): 19 lbs. 8 oz. Caught: 12/31/1972 in Wilson Dam tailwater by Steve Leatherwood of Haleyville

Paddlefish (now protected, release when captured): 52 lbs. 12 oz. Caught: 3/18/1982 in Wilson Dam tailwater by Susan Holland of Muscle Shoals

Perch, Yellow: 2 lb. 2 oz. Caught: 3/7/2015 in Yates Reservoir by Gary Lee Grove, Jr. of Opelika

Pickerel, Chain: 6 lbs. 6 oz. Caught: 6/24/1976 in Dyas Creek, Baldwin County by Michael P. Ryan of Bay Minette

Pickerel, Redfin (two records): 0 lbs. 14 oz. Caught: 9/4/2017 in Bassett Creek, Wash. Co. by Henry Merrit of Deer Park 0 lbs. 13 oz. Caught: 7/7/2014 in Armstrong Creek, Wash. Co. by Frank Lambert Dickey of Chatom

Alabama State Record Muskellunge 19 lb. 8 oz. Steve Leatherwood 1972, Wilson Dam tailwater (fish no longer stocked in Alabama)Photo byAla. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources

Redhorse, Silver*: 14 lbs. 14 oz. Caught: 4/24/1995 in Wilson Dam tailwater by Chris Stephenson of Birmingham *World Record, Rod And Reel

Sauger: 5 lbs. 2 oz. Caught: 3/5/1972 in Wilson Dam tailwater by William F. Huntley of Athens

Sunfish, Bluegill*: 4 lbs. 12 oz. Caught: 4/9/1950 in Ketona Lake, Birmingham, by T. S. Hudson of Birmingham * World Record, Rod And Reel

Sunfish, Green: 1 lbs. 9 oz. Caught: 8/10/2005 in McLamore Pond, Walker County, by Caleb Miller of Parrish

Sunfish, Longear: 8 oz. Caught: 5/12/1990 in the Yellow River by Jerry Jones of Ozark

Sunfish, Redbreast: 1 lb. 4 oz. Caught: 6/12/2010 in the Choctawhatchee River by Archie Russ of Brantley

Sunfish, Redear *: 4 lbs. 4 oz. Caught: 5/5/1962 in Chattahoochee Park by Jeff Lashley of Gordon *Previous World Record, Rod and Reel

Alabama State Record Rainbow Trout 9 lb. 1 oz. Otha Hamm 2006 in Mud Creek at Tannehill State ParkPhoto byAla. Dept. of Conservation and natural Resources

Trout, Rainbow: 9 lbs. 1 oz. Caught: 4/22/2006 in Mud Creek, Tannehill Historical State Park by Otha Hamm of Alexandria

Walleye: 10 lbs. 14 oz. Caught: 6/24/1980 in the Weiss Reservoir by Julia Hurley of Cedar Bluff

Warmouth: 1 lb. 12 oz. Caught: 4/25/1986 in a farm pond by Jimmy A. Barfield of Dothan

Photo byFederico GiampierionUnsplash

Several fish on the Alabama record list, also set world records when they were caught. Four of these Alabama catches hold the world record to this day! Here they are according to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources:

• Bass,Striped*: 69 lbs. 9 oz. Caught: 2/28/2013 in Bankhead Reservoir by James Bramlett of Dora *World Record, Rod And Reel
• Bass, Yellow*: 2 lb. 8 oz. Caught: 4/12/2000 in Guntersville Reservoir, Jackson Co. by Dennis M. Woebbeking of Pisgah *World Record, Rod And Reel
• Redhorse, Silver*: 14 lbs. 14 oz. Caught: 4/24/1995 in Wilson Dam tailwater by Chris Stephenson of Birmingham *World Record, Rod And Reel
• Sunfish, Bluegill*: 4 lbs. 12 oz. Caught: 4/9/1950 in Ketona Lake, Birmingham, by T. S. Hudson of Birmingham

Would you like to catch a record fish in Alabama? In case you do, and you want it to be official, here's the procedure for the Certification of Alabama State Record Freshwater Fish, according to the state agency website:

• Fish must be caught in Alabama waters by legal means.
• Fish must be identified by a Fisheries Section biologist or other certified fisheries biologist.
• Fish must be weighed on certified scales. Weighing must be witnessed by two people.
• Application must be submitted on official application form.
• Application form must be notarized.

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