Here are the massive fish records to try to break in Ohio

[ASFN Admin]

NEW PHILADELPHIA — To the untrained eye, fishing is a game of patience, quiet mornings, and a little bit of luck. But for a distinct breed of Ohio sports fisherman, every cast carries the heavy, adrenaline-fueled weight of making potential history. They know that a hidden farm pond, a deep river bend, or a routine drift on Lake Erie could be holding a monster capable of shattering a decades-old state record.

The bar is set astronomically high, but records are made to be broken. If you're looking to target a legendary benchmark this season, these are the heavyweights currently sitting at the top of the Ohio record books:

The official state records are maintained by the Outdoor Writers of Ohio (OWO), which tracks records by weight (certified on a certified scale).

The Big Three: Popular Sports Fish​

These are the species that see the heaviest pressure from serious anglers looking to rewrite the record books.

1. Largemouth Bass​

• Weight: 13.13 lbs
• Length: 25 1/8 inches
• Angler: Roy Landsberger
• Location: Private pond (Medina County)
• Year: 1976
• Fish Tale: This is one of Ohio's oldest and most legendary records, approaching its 50th anniversary. Because it was pulled from a private pond, many public-water anglers view a 13-pounder as the ultimate "holy grail" achievement that may require an outdoor reservoir sleeper spot to beat.

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2. Smallmouth Bass​

• Weight: 9.5 lbs
• Length: 23 1/2 inches
• Angler: Randy Van Dam
• Location: Lake Erie
• Year: 1993
• Fish Tale: Randy Van Dam (brother of legendary pro angler Kevin Van Dam) locked this record down in the world-class smallmouth waters of Lake Erie. With Lake Erie's current round goby diet fueling massive smallies, many biologists believe the next state record is swimming out there right now.

3. Walleye​

• Weight: 16.19 lbs
• Length: 33 inches
• Angler: Tom Haberman
• Location: Lake Erie
• Year: 1999
• Fish Tale: Caught during the spring bite out of Cleveland, this giant has stood for over two decades. With Lake Erie experiencing historic, massive walleye hatches over the last several years, veteran charter captains are constantly keeping an eye on the scale for a 17-pounder.

The Panfish Benchmarks​

For the panfish crowd, breaking one of these requires a fish of absolute freakish proportions.

4. Crappie (Black or White)​

• Weight: 4.5 lbs
• Length: 18 1/2 inches
• Angler: Ronald L. Scurry
• Location: Private lake
• Year: 1981
• Fish Tale: A 4.5-pound crappie is a massive fish by any North American standard. Anglers chasing this record generally look at deep, well-managed inland lakes or old farm ponds where a single crappie can grow without heavy competition.

5. Bluegill​

• Weight: 3.28 lbs
• Length: 11 3/4 inches
• Angler: Phil Fischer Jr.
• Location: Salt Fork Lake (Guernsey County)
• Year: 1990
• Fish Tale: This hits close to home for southeastern Ohio anglers. Pulled right out of Salt Fork Lake, a 3-plus pound bluegill is incredibly rare. It shows that major state park reservoirs can produce state-record panfish under the right conditions.

The Heavyweights: Cats and Monsters​

If your story covers the heavy-tackle anglers who fish the big rivers and deep reservoirs at night, these are the massive targets they are chasing.

6. Blue Catfish​

• Weight: 96.0 lbs
• Length: 54 1/2 inches
• Angler: Chris Rolph
• Location: Ohio River
• Year: 2009
• Fish Tale: The Ohio River is the undisputed king for giant blue cats. Serious tournament cat fishermen spend thousands on specialized electronics and heavy gear specifically trying to breach that mythical 100-pound mark in Ohio waters.

7. Flathead Catfish​

• Weight: 76.5 lbs
• Length: 58 5/8 inches
• Angler: Richard Sauce
• Location: Clendening Lake
• Year: 1979
• Fish Tale: Unlike the river-run Blue Catfish record, this monster Flathead came from Clendening Lake in southwestern Harrison County. It proves that the regional Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) lakes harbor huge, ancient predators beneath their timber.

8. Muskellunge (Muskie)​

• Weight: 55.13 lbs
• Length: 50 1/4 inches
• Angler: Joe Lykins
• Location: Piedmont Lake
• Year: 1972
• Fish Tale: Another local legend. This monster Muskie was hauled out of Piedmont Lake over 50 years ago. Ohio has a highly successful muskie stocking program (led by hatcheries like Kincaid and London), making reservoirs like Piedmont, Salt Fork, and Leesville premier destinations for modern "hunters of 10,000 casts."

Got the Big One?: If you think you have a record catch on the line, the best move is to keep the fish alive in a live-well or immediately put it on ice whole, and call the nearest ODNR District office or a local grocery store manager right away to secure a certified scale.

[email protected]; X: @KSuttonDJSports; Instagram: kevinsutton_dailyjeffsports

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Here are the massive fish records to try to break in Ohio

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