This spring, a new Kansas state record was set for longnose gar, surpassing a record that had stood for more than 50 years.
On April 18, 2026, Michael Barnett of Baxter Springs landed a 33.6-pound, 63-inch-long longnose gar. Barnett encountered the fish while bowfishing in the Spring River near Baxter Springs.
The previous Kansas state record longnose gar was 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.
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.
source: Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission
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