Iowa State Record Muskellunge: 50 lb 6 oz
The Iowa state record muskellunge weighed 50 lb 6 oz. It was caught in 2000 from Spirit Lake by Kevin Cardwell, and the Iowa DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 26 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Spirit Lake. We don't carry a water-quality grade for it: our index covers standing lakes with enough EPA Water Quality Portal samples to score, which leaves out rivers and tributaries, Great Lakes water, and smaller ponds that are rarely sampled. Browse the Iowa lakes we do grade instead.
Muskellunge records by state
Iowa ranks 7 of 12 among the states in our index for record muskellunge. New York holds the heaviest at 69 lb 15 oz, set in 1957.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 69 lb 15 oz | 1957 | St. Lawrence River |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 69 lb 11 oz | 1949 | Chippewa Flowage |
| 3 | Michigan | 58 lb | 2012 | Lake Bellaire |
| 4 | Ohio | 55 lb 2 oz | 1972 | Piedmont Lake |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 54 lb 3 oz | 1924 | Conneaut Lake |
| 6 | Minnesota | 54 lb | 1957 | Lake Winnibigoshish |
| 7 | Iowa (this page) | 50 lb 6 oz | 2000 | Spirit Lake |
| 8 | North Dakota | 46 lb 8 oz | 2007 | New Johns Lake |
| 9 | Indiana | 42 lb 8 oz | 2002 | James Lake |
| 10 | Missouri | 41 lb 2 oz | 1981 | Lake of the Ozarks |
| 11 | South Dakota | 40 lb | 1991 | Amsden Dam |
| 12 | Illinois | 38 lb 8 oz | 2002 | Kaskaskia River |
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
2 of Iowa's 19 standing records are heavier than the 50 lb 6 oz muskellunge — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 11 Iowa records have stood longer, the muskellunge mark dating to 2000.