N.C. Freshwater Fishing State Records

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.

Bass

Species & Weight Location Date Bait Angler Picture
Striped Bass
66 lbs
Hiwassee Reservoir 3/31/2012 Black Zoom 
Trick Worm
Tyler Shields

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Largemouth Bass
15 lbs, 14 oz
Farm Pond
Union County
3/29/1991 Crankbait William H. Wofford

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Bodie Bass
(Hybrid Striped Bass)

17 lbs, 7 oz
Lake Chatuge 3/15/1996 Rebel Jointed
Plug
Michael R. Hogsed

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Roanoke Bass
2 lbs, 11 oz
Nash Cty fishing creek 4/27/1994 Spinner bait Richard Elijah Evans
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Rock Bass

1 lb, 14 oz

Deep River
Carbonton
4/29/1998 Crappie jig Robert W. Lytton
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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
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White Bass
5 lbs, 14 oz
Kerr Reservoir 3/15/1986 Bucktail Jim King
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Catfish

 

Species & Weight Location Date Bait Angler Picture
Blue Catfish
127 lbs, 1 oz
Roanoke River 7/10/2021 Gizzard Shad Rocky Baker


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Brown Bullhead

4 lbs

Greenfield Lake

New Hanover County

3/14/2016 Cut Bait Mitchell McConnell


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Channel Catfish

27 lbs, 7 oz

Local farm pond, Rockingham County 5/21/23 Bread Dough Justin Hall

With a big smile on his face, Justin Hall poses outdoors by a fishing pole and pickup truck with his record-breaking channel catfish.
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Flathead Catfish

78 lbs, 14 oz

Neuse River 07/20/2020 Live sunfish Tyler Barnes
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White Catfish

13 lbs

Lake James 05/21/1990 Night Crawler Jerry Wayne Bentley
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Perch

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.


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Yellow Perch
2 lbs, 9 oz

Indiantown Creek

02/08/1990 Minnow Evelyn G. Etheridge


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Pickerel

Species & Weight Location Date Bait Angler Picture
Chain Pickerel
8 lbs
Gaston Reservoir 02/13/1968 Minnow John H. Leonard


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Redfin Pickerel
2 lbs, 4 oz

Gallberry Swamp

06/23/1997 Minnow Edward C. Davis


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Shad

Species & Weight Location Date Bait Angler Picture
American Shad
7 lbs, 15 oz
Tar River 04/10/1974 Shad Dart R.S. Proctor


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Hickory Shad
4 lbs, 1 ounce

Pitchkettle Creek

02/24/2004 Spoon Trey Maroules


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Sunfish

Species & Weight Location Date Bait Angler Picture
Bluegill
4 lbs, 5 oz
Henderson County 7/27/1967 Catalpa worm Danny Case


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Green Sunfish
1 lb, 15 oz

Private Pond

7/12/2014 Worm Victoria Navaroli


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Flier

1 lb, 5 oz

Private Pond 3/17/1990 Cricket Douglas N. McCall


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Pumpkinseed

1 lb, 6 oz

Trent River  05/21/2003 Eel John Koonce
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Redbreast

2 lb, 1 ounce

Lumber River 6/10/2019 Cricket Alphonso Jackson
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Redear (shellcracker)

4 lbs, 15 oz

Edgecombe County 5/19/2008 Worm Travis Jackson
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Spotted Sunfish

 7 oz

Big Swamp

Robeson County

6/25/2016 Green beetle spin Elijah Crabtree
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Warmouth

1 lb, 13 oz

McLeods Pond

RIchmond County

5/07/1976 Minnow Emma Sears No image
available
 

Trout

Species & Weight Location Date Bait Angler Picture
Rainbow Trout
20 lbs, 3 oz
Horsepasture River
Jackson County
01/28/2006 Rapala Leah Johnson


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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

 

 

Other

Species & Weight Location Date Bait Angler Picture
Bowfin
17 lbs, 15 oz
Black River 06/21/1997 Cut bait bream Gregory A. Demery, Sr.


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Black Crappie
4 lbs, 15 oz

Asheboro City Lake #4

04/27/1980 Minnow Dean Dixon

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available

 

Carp
48 lbs

Mecklenburg County Pond

03/11/1986

Unknown William Houston, Jr.


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Freshwater Drum
23 lbs, 8 oz

Kerr Reservoir 03/20/2013 Plastic fluke Jonathan Wilkerson
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Grass Carp
68 lbs, 12 oz

Summerlins Pond

Leland

06/08/1998 Rebel Pop R David W. Stowell
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Kokanee Salmon
4 lbs, 1 ounce

Nantahala Lake 06/11/2014 Dodgers & Flashers as lures Jeffrey Todd Smith
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Longnose Gar
25 lbs

Intracoastal Waterway near Coinjock

01/30/2009 Tube Jig Kelly Williams
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Muskellunge
41 lbs, 8 oz

Lake Adger

01/23/2001 Big Mack Richard W. Dodd
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Northern Pike
11 lbs, 13 oz

Lake James 08/26/1978 Storm Wiggle Wart Keith Gilliam
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Sauger
5 lbs, 15 oz
Lake Norman 07/25/1971 Topwater Rapala David Shook
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Smallmouth Buffalo
88 lbs
Lake Wylie 11/14/1993 Pack bait Tony Crawford
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Tiger Muskellunge
33 lbs, 8 oz
Lake James 04/03/1988 Buzzbait Gary Dean Nanney
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Walleye
13 lbs, 8 oz
Shooting Creek, Lake Chatuge 08/16/1986 Old Faithful Spoon Lamar L. Cofer
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White Crappie
3 lbs, 15 oz
Private Lake
Wake County
04/01/2013 Storm WildEye Swim Shad Lure Joey Boretti
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NC Freshwater Records

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