Iowa’s State Record Fish: Part III

Iowa’s State Record Fish: Part III

By Ben Leal

This month’s entry into our recent look at Iowa’s State record fish will focus on just a couple more of our favorite species. We’ve taken a pretty good look at a wide variety of sports fish, all of which are well deserved to be in the record books. As we progress into the summer we’ll be looking for some evening fun and there’s nothing like sitting on the side of a lake or drifting in a boat in search of catfish.

Iowa is home to ten species of catfish and are separated into three major groups. We’re going to concentrate on the large catfishes which include the flathead catfish, blue catfish, and channel catfish. The current state record for the flathead catfish is 81 pounds and was caught by Joe Baze from Chariton Iowa out of Lake Ellis, June 7, 1958. “We don’t have any blue catfish here in Central Iowa, but we do have some really nice flatheads”, said Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Fisheries Biologist Ben Dodd. “A potential state record could come from the Des Moines or Raccoon River systems any day.”

Some of these large trophy fish and the potential record could come from Red Rock Lake or Saylorville Lake. “Steve Zamzow (Central Iowa Anglers) caught a true Saylorville giant last summer that caused a bit of a stir”, added Dodd. The fish exceeded his 48-inch measuring board by 10 inches. “Steve couldn’t get a weight on the fish, but it was released so another angler might have a chance of landing a true trophy.”

The channel catfish, like the flathead is widely spread across Iowa. The channel catfish, however, is the most abundant and widely distributed of the catfishes in Iowa. The current state record is 36 lbs., 8 oz., caught in August of 1993 from the Middle Raccoon River by Ron Godwin of Earlham Iowa. “We see some very big channel catfish on the Okoboji Lakes during our spring gillnetting operations”, said IDNR Fisheries Biologist Mike Hawkins. “These lake fish are very heavy for their length and I wouldn’t hesitate to say we have the potential to see a state record channel catfish caught here”.

The Okoboji Lakes are stocked with a relatively low number of fingerling catfish every year. Between the low density of channel catfish and the forage base, these fish don’t have to work very hard for a meal, increasing their growth rate. “Catch rates are probably best for these big fish on East Okoboji”, continued Hawkins. “But West Okoboji has some really big catfish swimming around it.” Figuring out their patterns and best techniques for catching these trophy sized fish in a natural lake can be challenging but rewarding. Expert tip: the worse it smells the more likely channel catfish will bite on it.

Blue catfish are rarely found in the lower reaches of the Mississippi River and are primarily a “big river” fish. These catfish are native to the southern United States, but has been documented in the majority of the Missouri River and has also been collected in Lake Manawa in the past. The current state record is 101 lbs. and measured 53 inches. It was caught in the Missouri River by Mike Rush of Bellevue, NE in June of 2004.

“Blue catfish are extremely rare and as a matter of fact I’ve never collected one in any of our river systems”, said IDNR Fisheries Management Biologist Mark Flammang. “I know they exist at times in the Des Moines River and a 40 lb. fish came from the Chariton River below Lake Rathbun about a year ago.”
For all three of these large catfishes, spawning occurs when the water temps warm to between 70 and 75 degrees, Mid-May to July. Techniques for catching these large fish vary depending on the species you’re after. One thing is for certain; use heavy rod, tackle and hooks to match. One of the best innovations in recent years for catfishing is the advent of the circle hook. The hook generally catches more fish and is rarely swallowed. Since the circle hook catches the fish on the lips or at the corner of the mouth, it decreases the mortality rates of released fish compared to a J-hook which are often swallowed by the fish. It’s important not to strike, or set the hook when the fish bites. Simply reel in and the fish does the hooking for you.

Iowa’s Trout

The native brook trout and the naturalized rainbow and brown trout are the only coldwater gamefish in Iowa. Trout are spread out in more than 100 streams located in the northeastern part of the state, roughly east of the Cedar River and north of Cedar Rapids and Maquoketa. The state record for the brook trout is 7 lbs. and measured to 19.75 inches in length. This amazing brook trout was caught by Doug Kovarik from Marion Iowa. The record for the rainbow trout, caught in July of 1984 by Jack Renner of Waterloo Iowa is an impressive 19 lbs. 8 oz. Finally, the brown trout record is 15 lbs., 6oz., caught in North Prairie Lake by Gerold Lewis from Gladbrook Iowa in June of 1995.

“Big trout are going to be found in areas with abundant food, quality habitat and limited competition between the trout species”, said IDNR Natural Resources Biologist Dan Kirby. “In other words, large trout are a product of good growth and long life”. The biggest stream trout are often found in downstream segments of larger trout streams of northeast Iowa or coldwater segments of larger rivers in the Driftless region. “It’s not uncommon to find the biggest stream trout among smallmouth bass in areas where coldwater transitions to warm water”, noted the biologist. “High energy food such as creek chubs, minnows, and shiners, are abundant in these stream segments, the temperature for trout growth is optimum and the overall abundance of trout is low.”

Current state records for brook, rainbow and brown trout are not likely to be broken because they represent stocked “brood-fish” that spent most of their lives in a hatchery. Over recent decades Iowa trout anglers have come to expect management for wild or stream reared trophy’s that do not achieve the crazy sizes of hatchery brood fish. Changes in hatchery brood stock management have reduced the likelihood of stocking record sized trout. “A limited number of brood-trout are released each year as they age from Iowa trout hatcheries and are typically in the 3 – 8-pound ranges”, added Kirby.

Most coldwater streams are in private ownership, with trout fishing allowed by public access agreements between the Department of Natural Resources and landowners. It’s a privilege to have access to these areas, please be respectful of the land you’re on and remember to pack out what you packed in.

Whether you’re chasing after largemouth and smallmouth bass, or one of the panfish varieties, catfish or trout, the potential to land a true trophy is out there. It may not tip the scales enough to garner the next state record, but personal records are just as good. Enjoy the natural resources we have in the State of Iowa and remember to be good stewards, pass along your passion for the outdoors to young and old alike, and keep in mind that at times it’s not about catching…but fishing. Tight Lines All!