South Dakota State Record Channel Catfish: 30 lb 1 oz
The South Dakota state record channel catfish weighed 30 lb 1 oz and measured 38.25 inches. It was caught in 2019 from Farm Pond by Drew Mathews, and the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks still recognizes it as the state mark 7 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Farm Pond. 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 South Dakota lakes we do grade instead.
Channel Catfish records by state
South Dakota ranks 12 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 | 34 lb 10 oz | 1976 | Lake Jacomo |
| 12 | South Dakota (this page) | 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 South Dakota
7 of South Dakota's 20 standing records are heavier than the 30 lb 1 oz channel catfish — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 15 South Dakota records have stood longer, the channel catfish mark dating to 2019.