Kansas man breaks nearly 30-year-old state fishing record with trophy catch

TOPEKA (KSNT) – A Kansas angler managed to set one more state fishing record before the end of 2023.

Jason Cavender, from Great Bend, is now officially in the state of Kansas’ record books for a record catch, according to a press release from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP). He is being recognized for catching the largest redear sunfish in the Sunflower State.

Cavender’s fish weighs in at 1.725 pounds and measured 12 inches in girth and 12.125 inches in length. He landed it using a rod and reel with a worm for bait while out fishing at Cheyenne Bottoms Sportsman’s Club in Great Bend.

The previous record-holder, Larry Fox of Scott City, caught a 1.69 pound redear from Finney Wildlife Area that measured 11.75 inches in length in 1995, according to the KDWP. You can find a list of other state fishing records by