The N.C Wildlife Resources Commission's Inland Fisheries Division keeps a list of the largest common freshwater fish caught by hook and line in the state's waters. Below is a list of current records and information on how to apply for a new state record.
Apply for a North Carolina State Freshwater Fishing Record
If you catch a trophy fish that doesn't qualify for a state record, your catch can be recognized through the Commission's North Carolina Angler Recognition Program.
Tab/Accordion Items
| Species & Weight | Location | Date | Bait | Angler | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Striped Bass 66 lbs |
Hiwassee Reservoir | 3/31/2012 | Black Zoom Trick Worm |
Tyler Shields |
|
| Largemouth Bass 15 lbs, 14 oz |
Farm Pond Union County |
3/29/1991 | Crankbait | William H. Wofford |
|
| Bodie Bass (Hybrid Striped Bass) 17 lbs, 7 oz |
Lake Chatuge | 3/15/1996 | Rebel Jointed Plug |
Michael R. Hogsed |
|
| Roanoke Bass 2 lbs, 11 oz |
Nash Cty fishing creek | 4/27/1994 | Spinner bait | Richard Elijah Evans |
|
|
Rock Bass 1 lb, 14 oz |
Deep River Carbonton |
4/29/1998 | Crappie jig | Robert W. Lytton |
|
|
Smallmouth Bass 10 lbs, 2 oz |
Hiwassee Reservoir | 6/1/1951 | Unknown | Archie Lampkin | No image available |
| Spotted Bass 6 lbs, 5 oz |
Lake Norman | 12/26/2003 |
Zoom Finesse Worm |
Eric M. Weir |
|
| White Bass 5 lbs, 14 oz |
Kerr Reservoir | 3/15/1986 | Bucktail | Jim King |
|
| Species & Weight | Location | Date | Bait | Angler | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Catfish 127 lbs, 1 oz |
Roanoke River | 7/10/2021 | Gizzard Shad | Rocky Baker |
|
|
Brown Bullhead 4 lbs |
Greenfield Lake New Hanover County |
3/14/2016 | Cut Bait | Mitchell McConnell |
|
|
Channel Catfish 27 lbs, 7 oz |
Local farm pond, Rockingham County | 5/21/23 | Bread Dough | Justin Hall |
|
|
Flathead Catfish 78 lbs, 14 oz |
Neuse River | 07/20/2020 | Live sunfish | Tyler Barnes |
|
|
White Catfish 13 lbs |
Lake James | 05/21/1990 | Night Crawler | Jerry Wayne Bentley |
|
| Species & Weight | Location | Date | Bait | Angler | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Perch 2 lbs, 15 oz |
Falls of the Neuse Reservoir | 12/16/2001 | Strata Spoon | Bob G. Williams, Jr. |
|
| Yellow Perch 2 lbs, 9 oz |
Indiantown Creek | 02/08/1990 | Minnow | Evelyn G. Etheridge |
|
| Species & Weight | Location | Date | Bait | Angler | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chain Pickerel 8 lbs |
Gaston Reservoir | 02/13/1968 | Minnow | John H. Leonard |
|
| Redfin Pickerel 2 lbs, 4 oz |
Gallberry Swamp | 06/23/1997 | Minnow | Edward C. Davis |
|
| Species & Weight | Location | Date | Bait | Angler | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Shad 7 lbs, 15 oz |
Tar River | 04/10/1974 | Shad Dart | R.S. Proctor |
|
| Hickory Shad 4 lbs, 1 ounce |
Pitchkettle Creek | 02/24/2004 | Spoon | Trey Maroules |
|
| Species & Weight | Location | Date | Bait | Angler | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill 4 lbs, 5 oz |
Henderson County | 7/27/1967 | Catalpa worm | Danny Case |
|
| Green Sunfish 1 lb, 15 oz |
Private Pond | 7/12/2014 | Worm | Victoria Navaroli |
|
|
Flier 1 lb, 5 oz |
Private Pond | 3/17/1990 | Cricket | Douglas N. McCall |
|
|
Pumpkinseed 1 lb, 6 oz |
Trent River | 05/21/2003 | Eel | John Koonce |
|
|
Redbreast 2 lb, 1 ounce |
Lumber River | 6/10/2019 | Cricket | Alphonso Jackson |
|
|
Redear (shellcracker) 4 lbs, 15 oz |
Edgecombe County | 5/19/2008 | Worm | Travis Jackson |
|
|
Spotted Sunfish 7 oz |
Big Swamp Robeson County |
6/25/2016 | Green beetle spin | Elijah Crabtree |
|
|
Warmouth 1 lb, 13 oz |
McLeods Pond RIchmond County |
5/07/1976 | Minnow | Emma Sears | No image available |
| Species & Weight | Location | Date | Bait | Angler | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout 20 lbs, 3 oz |
Horsepasture River Jackson County |
01/28/2006 | Rapala | Leah Johnson |
|
| Brook Trout 7 lbs, 7 oz |
Raven Fork River | 05/15/1980 | Rooster Tail | G.L. Marshall, Jr. | No image available |
| Brown Trout 24 lbs, 10 oz. |
Nantahala River | 04/17/1998 | #11 Rapala | Robert Lee Dyer | No image available |
| Species & Weight | Location | Date | Bait | Angler | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowfin 17 lbs, 15 oz |
Black River | 06/21/1997 | Cut bait bream | Gregory A. Demery, Sr. |
|
| Black Crappie 4 lbs, 15 oz |
Asheboro City Lake #4 | 04/27/1980 | Minnow | Dean Dixon | No image available |
| Carp 48 lbs |
Mecklenburg County Pond | 03/11/1986 | Unknown | William Houston, Jr. |
|
| Freshwater Drum 23 lbs, 8 oz |
Kerr Reservoir | 03/20/2013 | Plastic fluke | Jonathan Wilkerson |
|
| Grass Carp 68 lbs, 12 oz |
Summerlins Pond Leland |
06/08/1998 | Rebel Pop R | David W. Stowell |
|
| Kokanee Salmon 4 lbs, 1 ounce |
Nantahala Lake | 06/11/2014 | Dodgers & Flashers as lures | Jeffrey Todd Smith |
|
| Longnose Gar 25 lbs |
Intracoastal Waterway near Coinjock | 01/30/2009 | Tube Jig | Kelly Williams |
|
| Muskellunge 41 lbs, 8 oz |
Lake Adger | 01/23/2001 | Big Mack | Richard W. Dodd |
|
| Northern Pike 11 lbs, 13 oz |
Lake James | 08/26/1978 | Storm Wiggle Wart | Keith Gilliam |
|
| Sauger 5 lbs, 15 oz |
Lake Norman | 07/25/1971 | Topwater Rapala | David Shook |
|
| Smallmouth Buffalo 88 lbs |
Lake Wylie | 11/14/1993 | Pack bait | Tony Crawford |
|
| Tiger Muskellunge 33 lbs, 8 oz |
Lake James | 04/03/1988 | Buzzbait | Gary Dean Nanney |
|
| Walleye 13 lbs, 8 oz |
Shooting Creek, Lake Chatuge | 08/16/1986 | Old Faithful Spoon | Lamar L. Cofer |
|
| White Crappie 3 lbs, 15 oz |
Private Lake Wake County |
04/01/2013 | Storm WildEye Swim Shad Lure | Joey Boretti |
|