World Record Fish from Tennessee: One Holds Record Almost 70 Years

Catching a fish that breaks the state record definitely comes with bragging rights. If that fish also sets a new world record—now, that's a whole different level. If that catch remains the world record for decades, that's nothing short of legendary. Tennessee has several of these legendary catches, the oldest of which has held the world record for almost 70 years! Check out the list below of world-record fish caught in the state of Tennessee.

*Tennessee Class A Fishing includes fish caught via sportfishing. This excludes Class B Fishing by means of trotline, limbline, jug, slat basket, gigging, grabbling, grab hooks, snagging, archery, speargun, or commercial gear. For more information, visit the TWRA website, where you can find more state record information.

1955 Smallmouth Bass

The oldest state record catch in Tennessee has held strong for 69 years. The catch also remains a world record—even after all these years. It was a catch made by D. L. Hayes on July 9, 1955. Hayes caught a smallmouth bass in the Dale Hollow Reservoir that weighed 11 lbs. 15 oz. The photo of Hayes with his catch below also has to be one of the greatest vintage fishing photographs ever made. He was a happy fisherman that day, and it shows!

D. L. Hayes, 1955: Tennessee and world record smallmouth bass (photo colorized by April Killian)Photo byTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (Gov't funded website)

1960 Walleye

Mabry Harper caught this mammoth-sized Walleye Perch in Old Hickory Reservoir on August 3, 1960. It weighed 25 lbs. Her catch was also a world record that still holds to this day, 64 years later.

Maybry Harper, Tenn. and world record Walleye, 25 lbs.Photo byTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (Gov't funded website)

1972 Freshwater Drum

Benny Hull must have had a good fight on his hands reeling in this 54 lbs., 8 oz. freshwater drum on April 20, 1972. It was caught in the Nickajack Reservoir and remains a world record to this day, 52 years later.

Benny Hull, Tenn and world record freshwater drumPhoto byTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (Gov't funded website)

1986 Ohrid (Trout)

This is a fish that some of you may have never heard of before. I'll admit, I hadn't. It's considered a rare and exotic trout, and there are only a few places in the U.S. in Tennessee, Wyoming, and Minnesota where you'll find this fish. It's native to the former Yugoslavia region and is also known as the Yugoslavian brown or simply Yugo. It was imported to the U.S. in 1965 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service because of its ability to spawn in lakes. The Tennessee record Ohrid that also ramains the current world record was caught in the Watauga Reservoir by Richard Lynn Carter. It weighed 14 lbs. 5 oz. and was caught 38 years ago on March 28, 1986.

Richard Lynn Carter, 1986 Tenn. and world record Ohrid TroutPhoto byTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (Gov't funded website)

1998 Yellow Bass

John T. Chappell was fishing in the Duck River near Waverly, Tennessee, when he caught this Tennessee and world record combo yellow bass 26 years ago on February 27, 1998. It remains the world record yellow bass to this day.

John T. Chappell, Tenn. and world record yellow bass caught 1998Photo byTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (Gov't funded website)

2005 Bighead Carp

This is the kind of catch you tell the grandkids about! This monster-sized Bighead carp weighed in at a whopping 90 lbs. It was caught in the Guntersville Reservoir (below Nickajack Dam) almost 20 years ago on June 2, 2005. Jeffrey J. Rorex was the lucky guy who reeled in this monster. I just hope they snapped the photo (below) quickly. That would be a heavy fish to hold up very long! The catch remains the Tennessee state record to this day. It was the world record holder for several years until a bighead carp was caught in Missouri that weighed 97 lbs in 2024.

Jeffrey Rorex, 2005 Tenn. and world record bighead carpPhoto byTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (Gov't funded website)

2015 Skipjack Herring

This beauty was caught in the Watts Bar Reservoir on February 17, 2015. Marc A. Cooper II was the lucky fisherman that landed this Skipjack Herring. He is shown in the photo below with his dad holding the fish. At the time, Marc was a student at UT Knoxville. Skipjack Herrings are known to leap out of the water and give a great fight. They're often called a Tennessee tarpon for that reason. Although they're a common fish used for bait, they're a fun catch when you get one on the line. The father-son duo broke the Tennessee record with the catch plus set a new world record.

Marc Cooper II (right) with dad holding record skipjack herring, Tenn. 2015Photo byTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (Gov't funded website)

2018 Black Crappie

This black crappie weighed in at 5 lbs. 7 oz., making it both a Tennessee and World Record catch. It was caught by Lionel Ferguson on May 15, 2018 in a private spring-fed pond in Loudon County. Word has it that Lionel isn't giving away the location of this private pond. Sounds like it may hold another biggie! Ferguson confirmed to Field and Stream that he had already caught a 4 lb., 4 oz. crappie from the same pond. It sounds like this guy has a great secret fishing hole, indeed.

Lionel Ferguson, 2018 Tenn and world record black crappiePhoto byTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (Gov't funded website)

What's Your Biggest Catch?

What's the biggest fish you've caught in Tennessee? Leave a note in the comments!

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