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Lake James · 3 records

North Carolina · latest 1990

newest catch

13 lb White Catfish · Jerry Wayne Bentley

Lake James, North Carolina · May 21, 1990

heaviest catch

33.5 lb Tiger Muskellunge · Gary Dean Nanney

Lake James, North Carolina · April 3, 1988

oldest record

11.81 lb Northern Pike · Keith Gilliam

Lake James, North Carolina · August 26, 1978

top species

White Catfish · Northern Pike · Tiger Muskellunge

The species with the most records in Lake James

1 White Catfish 1 Tiger Muskellunge 1 Northern Pike

View Record Table

Lake James Records in North Carolina

Lake James holds 3 certified state fishing records in North Carolina across 3 species, spanning 1978–1990. Every pinned water is browsable on the Waterbody Map further down the page. The heaviest on record is Gary Dean Nanney's 33.5 lb Tiger Muskellunge caught in Lake James, North Carolina, 1988.

All photos credited to the anglers and state wildlife agencies who took them.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Record.Fish?

Record.Fish is a free database of more than 5,000 official state fishing records from all 50 states. Search every state’s trophy catches in one place, filter by species or location, compare your own catch against the records, and get alerts when new records are set.

We aggregate and standardize records from state fish and game agencies so you can explore trophy catches across the country. Each record links back to its official state source for verification. All records are sourced from official state agencies or recognized record-keeping organizations.

We are not the certifying authority. Always verify with the state agency (via the source link) for official recognition, contests, or legal purposes. Record.Fish is independently maintained and not affiliated with any state agency.

Where can I find a map of state fishing records near me?

Our interactive waterbody map plots 5,000+ state fishing records across 2,000+ lakes, rivers, and coastal waters in all 50 states. Pan to your area to find record catches near you. Filter the records by state, species, year, water type, and more. Select any pin to browse that water’s records, photos, and official source links.

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What does the fishing records bubble chart show?

The bubble chart visualizes fishing records as colored circles sized by weight. Each bubble’s size represents the fish’s weight. A 100 lb fish appears twice as large as a 25 lb fish, not four times larger. This square root scaling keeps the chart balanced so lighter fish remain visible.

Bubbles are positioned vertically by weight (heavier fish higher up) and grouped horizontally based on your selected view: Species, State, or Year. When one of those categories has more than 150 records, the chart shows a representative sample spread across the full weight range, from the lightest to the heaviest fish in that group.

How does my catch compare to the state record?

Use our free Personal Best comparison tool: enter your catch details and see instantly how it measures up against every current U.S. state record for that species, including your percentile rank and which state records your fish would beat.

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What fish species have state records?

Our database covers hundreds of freshwater and saltwater species with official state records, including: Bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, striped, white), Catfish (blue, channel, flathead), Trout & salmon (rainbow, brown, brook, lake trout, chinook, coho), Panfish (crappie, bluegill, perch, sunfish), Pike & muskie (northern pike, muskellunge, tiger muskie, chain pickerel), Saltwater gamefish (marlin, tuna, shark species, grouper, snapper), and hundreds more. Species vary by state.

How do I look up fishing records by state?

To look up fishing records for a specific state, use the filter dropdowns on the table to narrow by state or species group — results update in real-time as you select filters. You can also use the search bar to search for species name, state name, angler name, water body, method of take, specific lures etc.

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The table can be embedded on fishing blogs and websites, news articles, academic research, social media posts, and educational materials. The Waterbody Map embeds the same way: set your filters, then use the “Copy embed” button beside any Copy link for an auto-resizing snippet that always shows your exact view – national, state-filtered, or a single record.

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Our Latest Updates feed collects news of record-breaking catches from all 50 states in one place, so you don’t have to follow 50+ state agency pages or hunt for stories across industry sites. We monitor daily for record-breaking catches, and the feed is updated as relevant stories emerge.

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Use the contact options in the How You Can Help section below to send tips about new records, additional information or corrections for existing records, links to state agency announcements, or story suggestions for the feed. We review all submissions.

How often are state fishing records updated?

We monitor daily and update the database when new records emerge. Some states update their records frequently (multiple times per year), while others update less often. We add new record stories to Latest Updates as they are discovered, and add them to the table as they are recognized by record-keeping agencies.

For new records, where possible we use the date that the fish was caught. But maintaining accurate catch dates is tricky. There’s the day someone caught the fish, the day it was certified, the day of the press release or news story, and whatever day a given state decides to display on their site — if any. Some just have years, or months and years. We display whatever date the state provides and prioritize catch dates when available.

Why does my state list multiple records for the same species?

States maintain separate record categories, so one species can hold several records at once: different methods of take (for example, separate rod-and-reel and fly-fishing lists), different measurement categories, different subspecies or strains, and other divisions. Each listing represents a distinct official record category — check the method and category on the record to see which one applies.

Does Record.Fish include IGFA world records?

Our primary focus is U.S. state fishing records. However, we include IGFA world records in the news feed, and of course some U.S. state records are IGFA world records. For comprehensive IGFA world records, visit igfa.org.