Fisherman reels in 64-pound catch, setting state record for first time since 1979

SHAWNEE, Kan. (WIBW/Gray News) - A fisherman in Kansas recently reeled in a 64-pound fish, setting a new state record, according to officials.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks said Thayne Miller, from Topeka, set the record for the largest smallmouth buffalo caught in Kansas.

The fish reportedly weighed 64.75 pounds and measured 45.25 inches long and had a total circumference of 35 inches.

The department said Miller unearthed the record-size fish using bow equipment on April 27 from Clinton Reservoir, located five miles west of Lawrence.

The previous Kansas state record for smallmouth buffalo was set in 1979 by Scott Butler when he reeled in a 51-pound, 41-inch-long smallmouth buffalo from a private farm pond in Douglas County.

Catches such as these end up as a Kansas State Record if:

The fish is caught by a licensed angler using legal means.
The fish is identified by a Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks district fisheries biologist or regional fisheries supervisor.
The fish is weighed on a certified scale prior to being frozen.
The fish is photographed, in color, and a state record application is filled out.
The mandatory 30-day waiting period has passed.

A complete list of current Kansas state record fish can be viewed on the Department of Wildlife and Parks website.