New Kansas Record for Blue Catfish Tops Previous by 18.3 Pounds

For Immediate Release:   
July 18, 2025 

Contact:   
Laura Rose Clawson, Chief of Public Affairs
Laura.roseclawson@ks.gov

New Kansas Record for Blue Catfish Tops Previous by 18.3 Pounds

PRATT – Kansas has a new state record blue catfish, and it’s a big one.

On May 15, 2025, Daniel Mayer of Agency, Mo., caught a 121.1-pound blue catfish while fishing the Kansas side of the Missouri River. The massive fish, measuring 59.75 inches in length, was caught using a rod and reel with common carp as bait.

“I offer our sincere congratulations to Daniel on his catch,” said Christopher Kennedy, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. “Landing a fish of this caliber is no easy feat. I’m also proud of our Fisheries division and the work they do to sustain healthy fish populations across the state so that every Kansan has opportunities to fish.”

Mayer’s catch shattered the previous Kansas state record – a 102.8-pound blue catfish caught in 2012 by Robert Stanley of Olathe – by an impressive 18.3 pounds.

“I’ve caught some big fish over the years, but this was my first ‘century’ fish,” said Mayer. “When I finally got it in the boat after fishing more than 10 hours, I knew it was over 100 pounds, but I had no idea just how big it really was.”

Mayer is a seasoned angler who regularly competes in 10 to 15 blue catfish tournaments each year, many of them held in Kansas. While pre-fishing for an upcoming tournament, he spent more than 10 hours on the river, struggling early in the day before finding a groove. Around 9:30 p.m., he hooked what would become his first-ever blue catfish over 100 pounds.

Fishing solo, Mayer wrestled the massive fish into his boat, realizing it was the biggest he’d seen all day, but not yet grasping just how significant the catch truly was. A fisheries biologist at the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks later assisted in weighing the fish on a certified scale and verified the record-breaking catch.

“As a trophy blue catfish angler, you dream of moments like this,” Mayer added. “It still feels surreal.”

How State Records are Set

Trophy catches such as these become Kansas State Records if:

• the fish is a species recognized on the current list of Kansas state record fish
• the fish is caught by a licensed angler using legal means
• the fish is identified by a KDWP district fisheries biologist or regional fisheries supervisor and observed by KDWP law enforcement (a tissue sample may be required)
• the fish is weighed on a certified scale prior to being frozen
• the fish is photographed in color,
• a state record application is submitted, and
• a mandatory 30-day waiting period has passed

View the complete list of Kansas state record fish at https://ksoutdoors.com/fishing/state-record-fish.

If you land a trophy fish that doesn’t break a state record, you may still qualify for a Master Angler Award. Learn more at https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Special-Fishing-Programs-for-You/Master-Angler-Award-Program.

For more on fishing in Kansas, visit ksoutdoors.com/Fishing.

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<>The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of Kansas’s natural resources for the benefit of both current and future generations. KDWP manages 29 state parks, 177 lakes and wildlife areas, more than 300 public waterbodies, and 5 nature centers. Other services include management of threatened, endangered, and at-risk species, law enforcement, and wildlife habitat programs. For more information about KDWP, visit ksoutdoors.com.