Iowa Northern Pike Record 2026: 25 lb 5 oz
The Iowa state record northern pike weighed 25 lb 5 oz. It was caught in 1977 from West Okoboji Lake by Allen Forsberg, and the Iowa DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 49 years later.
Where the record came from
West Okoboji Lake is one of the Iowa lakes with water-quality readings on record. Its nutrient and algae samples from the EPA Water Quality Portal are on its lake page, a useful check on whether the water that produced a record fish still fishes well.
West Okoboji Lake — County, IA. See the full water-quality report →Northern Pike records by state
Iowa ranks 10 of 12 among the states in our index for record northern pike. New York holds the heaviest at 46 lb 2 oz, set in 1940.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 46 lb 2 oz | 1940 | Great Sacandaga Lake |
| 2 | Minnesota | 45 lb 12 oz | 1929 | Basswood Lake |
| 3 | Michigan | 39 lb | 1961 | Dodge Lake |
| 4 | Wisconsin | 38 lb | 1952 | Lake Puckaway |
| 5 | North Dakota | 37 lb 8 oz | 1968 | Lake Sakakawea |
| 6 | South Dakota | 36 lb 3 oz | 1993 | Lake Oahe |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 35 lb | 2003 | Allegheny Reservoir |
| 8 | Indiana | 30 lb 2 oz | 1992 | Clear Lake |
| 9 | Illinois | 26 lb 15 oz | 1989 | Strip Mine |
| 10 | Iowa (this page) | 25 lb 5 oz | 1977 | West Okoboji Lake |
| 11 | Ohio | 22 lb 12 oz | 2016 | McKarns Lake |
| 12 | Missouri | 18 lb 9 oz | 1975 | Stockton 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
4 of Iowa's 19 standing records are heavier than the 25 lb 5 oz northern pike — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 2 Iowa records have stood longer, the northern pike mark dating to 1977.