Kansas has a new state record longnose gar, ending a record that had stood for more than 50 years.

According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, on April 18th Michael Barnett of Baxter Springs landed a 33.6-pound, 63-inch-long longnose gar while bowfishing the Spring River near Baxter Springs.

Barnett’s catch broke the previous Kansas state record longnose gar – a 31.5-pound fish caught in 1974 by Ray Schroeder of Topeka below Perry Reservoir using a rod and reel with a yellow beetle lure.

Fishing with his son, Barnett knew he had encountered an exceptional fish as soon as it surfaced.

“When I saw it come out of the water, I knew it was big,” said Barnett. “I had my son put another arrow in to make sure we reeled it in. We weighed it, looked up the state record, and realized it weighed a bit more.”

KDWP Game Warden Scott Leamon met with Barnett and helped him through the state record process. District Fisheries Biologist Connor Ossowski later met with Barnett in person to confirm the species identification and measurements.

“It’s not every day you get to verify a fish that breaks a state record that has stood for more than 50 years,” said Ossowski. “This was an impressive fish and a great example of the opportunities anglers have in Kansas waters.”

Longnose gar are one of Kansas’ most unique native fish species, known for their long, narrow snouts filled with sharp teeth. While gar can grow large in Kansas waters, fish of this size are rarely seen.

How State Records are Set

Trophy catches such as these become Kansas State Records if:

• The fish is a species recognized on the current list of Kansas state record fish
• The fish is caught by a licensed angler using legal means
• The fish is identified by a KDWP district fisheries biologist or regional fisheries supervisor
• The fish is weighed on a certified scale prior to being frozen
• The fish is photographed in color and a state record application is submitted
• A mandatory 30-day waiting period has passed

View the complete list of Kansas state record fish at ksoutdoors.gov/record-fish.

If you land a trophy fish that doesn’t break a state record, you may still qualify for a Master Angler Award. Learn more at ksoutdoors.gov/record-fish.

For more on fishing in Kansas, visit ksoutdoors.gov/fishing.