Missouri State Record Channel Catfish: 34 lb 10 oz
The Missouri state record channel catfish weighed 34 lb 10 oz. It was caught in 1976 from Lake Jacomo by Gerald R. Siebenmorgen, and the Missouri Department of Conservation still recognizes it as the state mark 50 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Lake Jacomo. We don't carry a water-quality grade for it: our index covers standing lakes with enough EPA Water Quality Portal samples to score, which leaves out rivers and tributaries, Great Lakes water, and smaller ponds that are rarely sampled. Browse the Missouri lakes we do grade instead.
Channel Catfish records by state
Missouri ranks 11 of 12 among the states in our index for record channel catfish. Illinois holds the heaviest at 45 lb 4 oz, set in 1987.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | 45 lb 4 oz | 1987 | Baldwin Lake |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 44 lb | 1962 | Wisconsin River |
| 3 | North Dakota | 42 lb 1 oz | 2009 | Moon Lake |
| 4 | Michigan | 40 lb | 1964 | Houghton Lake |
| 5 | Iowa | 38 lb 2 oz | 2005 | Missouri River (Little Sioux to Council Bluffs) |
| 6 | Minnesota | 38 lb | 1975 | Mississippi River |
| 7 | Ohio | 37 lb 10 oz | 1992 | LaDue Reservoir |
| 8 | New York | 37 lb 9 oz | 2025 | Black River Bay |
| 9 | Indiana | 37 lb 8 oz | 1980 | Lake |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 35 lb 3 oz | 1991 | Lehigh Canal |
| 11 | Missouri (this page) | 34 lb 10 oz | 1976 | Lake Jacomo |
| 12 | South Dakota | 30 lb 1 oz | 2019 | Farm Pond |
Each figure comes from that state's own fisheries agency. Agencies differ on what they certify — some recognize catch-and-release length records alongside weight — so treat this as a comparison of standing certified weights, not a single national list.
How it ranks inside Missouri
7 of Missouri's 20 standing records are heavier than the 34 lb 10 oz channel catfish — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 4 Missouri records have stood longer, the channel catfish mark dating to 1976.