Iowa State Record Largemouth Bass: 10 lb 12 oz
The Iowa state record largemouth bass weighed 10 lb 12 oz. It was caught in 1984 from Lake Fisher by Patricia Zaerr, and the Iowa DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 42 years later.
Where the record came from
Lake Fisher is one of the Iowa lakes we grade. It holds a Grade F water-quality score today, based on clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a samples from the EPA Water Quality Portal — a useful check on whether the water that produced a record fish still fishes well.
FLake Fisher — Davis County, IA. See the full water-quality report →Largemouth Bass records by state
Iowa ranks 9 of 12 among the states in our index for record largemouth bass. Indiana holds the heaviest at 14 lb 12 oz, set in 1991.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana | 14 lb 12 oz | 1991 | Lake |
| 2 | Missouri | 13 lb 14 oz | 1961 | Bull Shoals Lake |
| 3 | Ohio | 13 lb 2 oz | 1976 | Farm pond |
| 4 | Illinois | 13 lb 1 oz | 1976 | Stone Quarry Lake |
| 5 | New York | 12 lb 6 oz | 2024 | Cayuga Lake |
| 6 | Michigan | 11 lb 15 oz | 1934 | Big Pine Island Lake |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 11 lb 3 oz | 1940 | Lake Ripley |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 11 lb 3 oz | 1983 | Birch Run Reservoir |
| 9 | Iowa (this page) | 10 lb 12 oz | 1984 | Lake Fisher |
| 10 | South Dakota | 9 lb 5 oz | 2020 | Indian Scout Lake |
| 11 | Minnesota | 8 lb 15 oz | 2005 | Auburn Lake |
| 12 | North Dakota | 8 lb 8 oz | 1983 | Nelson Lake |
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 Iowa
10 of Iowa's 19 standing records are heavier than the 10 lb 12 oz largemouth bass — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 5 Iowa records have stood longer, the largemouth bass mark dating to 1984.