Great Bend Post
On May 15, 2025, Daniel Mayer of Agency, Mo. set a new Kansas fishing record when he hauled in a 121-pound blue catfish in the Missouri River. Two months later, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has announced updated regulations for blue catfish.
Beginning July 25, anglers are allowed to keep 10 of the fish of any size but only one may be greater than 30 inches. In other words, anglers could keep all 10 fish if each were 25 inches, or they could keep nine 25-inch fish and keep an additional 40-inch blue catfish. The new regulation applies to all bodies of water in Kansas with a few exceptions:
- Milford Reservoir – daily creel of 10 fish, protected slot 28-40 inches, only one fish above 40 inches
- Kanopolis Reservoir – 35-inch minimum, 5 fish daily
- Pomona Reservoir – daily creel of 5 fish any size
- LaCygne Reservoir – daily creel of 5 fish any size
- Missouri River – daily creel of 5 fish, only one over 30″
- Browning Oxbow – daily creel of 5 fish, only one over 30″
- Several rivers in Southeast and South Central Kansas – 10 fish, any size
The new regulation is meant to increase fishing opportunities while also thinning the blue catfish population to allow for more growth. Mayer's catfish measured 59.75 inches and broke the previous weight record set in 2012 by more than 18 pounds.