Thayne Miller, a resident of Topeka, Kansas, has made history by breaking the state record with his remarkable catch in a local reservoir. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks announced that Miller successfully caught a massive smallmouth buffalo fish weighing 64.75 pounds, measuring 45.25 inches in length, and boasting a girth of 35 inches. Using bowfishing equipment, Miller reeled in this extraordinary specimen from Clinton Reservoir near Lawrence.
Nadia Marji, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, highlighted that the previous state record for smallmouth buffalo was established in 1979 by Scott Butler, a resident of Lawrence. Butler’s record catch weighed 51 pounds and measured 41 inches in length, taken from a private farm in Douglas County.
To claim the title of a new state record in Kansas, several criteria must be met. Firstly, the fish must be caught legally by a licensed angler. Additionally, a Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks district fisheries biologist or regional fisheries supervisor must identify the fish. Before freezing the catch, it must be weighed on a certified scale. Moreover, a color photograph of the fish must be taken, and the angler must complete a state record application. Finally, a mandatory 30-day waiting period must elapse before the record can be officially recognized.
Thayne Miller’s extraordinary feat of landing a record-breaking smallmouth buffalo fish not only secures his place in the state history books but also demonstrates the thriving fishing opportunities available in Kansas.
