Where was the North Dakota record channel catfish caught?

Moon Lake, in Barnes County, North Dakota. Moon Lake carries a Grade C water-quality score in our index today.

How long has the North Dakota channel catfish record stood?

17 years. The record was set in 2009 and remains the standing North Dakota mark as of 2026.

Which state has the biggest record channel catfish?

Of the 12 states in our index with a channel catfish record, Illinois holds the heaviest at 45 lb 4 oz (1987). North Dakota ranks 3 of 12 at 42 lb 1 oz.

North Dakota State Record Channel Catfish: 42 lb 1 oz

Q: What is the North Dakota state record channel catfish?

The North Dakota state record channel catfish weighed 42 lb 1 oz and measured 40 inches. It was caught in 2009 from Moon Lake in Barnes County by Tina Willis, and is recognized by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

The North Dakota state record channel catfish weighed 42 lb 1 oz and measured 40 inches. It was caught in 2009 from Moon Lake in Barnes County by Tina Willis, and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department still recognizes it as the state mark 17 years later.

Weight

42 lb 1 oz

Length

40 in

Year set

2009

17 years standing

Water

Moon Lake

Barnes County

Where the record came from

Moon Lake is one of the North Dakota lakes we grade. It holds a Grade C water-quality score today, based on clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a samples from the EPA Water Quality Portal — a useful check on whether the water that produced a record fish still fishes well.

CMoon Lake — Barnes County, ND. See the full water-quality report →

Channel Catfish records by state

North Dakota ranks 3 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 (this page)	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	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 North Dakota

2 of North Dakota's 16 standing records are heavier than the 42 lb 1 oz channel catfish — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 9 North Dakota records have stood longer, the channel catfish mark dating to 2009.

North Dakota lakes that hold channel catfish

19 North Dakota lakes in our index are documented to hold channel catfish, ranked here by water-quality grade.

AArnegard Dam Lake — McKenzie County AEpping-Springbrook Dam-Littoral Lake — Williams County BPatterson Lake — Stark County CMooreton Pond — Richland County CLake Tschida — Grant County CLake Tschida — Grant County CBelfield Dam Lake — Stark County CCuster Mine Pond — McLean County

All North Dakota channel catfish lakes →

Other North Dakota records

Walleye 16 lb 6 oz Sauger 8 lb 12 oz Northern Pike 37 lb 8 oz Muskellunge 46 lb 8 oz Largemouth Bass 8 lb 8 oz Smallmouth Bass 6 lb 13 oz White Bass 4 lb 10 oz Bluegill 2 lb 12 oz Yellow Perch 3 lb Chinook Salmon 31 lb 2 oz Brown Trout 31 lb 11 oz Rainbow Trout 21 lb 4 oz Lake Trout 16 lb 6 oz Paddlefish 131 lb Lake Whitefish 9 lb 3 oz

All 16 North Dakota state records in one table →

Record compiled from the official North Dakota Game and Fish Department angling records. Updated 2026. New records are certified year-round — check the agency page before treating any figure here as the current mark. LakeQuality is independent and not affiliated with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.