Iowa State Record White Crappie: 4 lb 9 oz
The Iowa state record white crappie weighed 4 lb 9 oz. It was caught in 1981 from Green Castle Lake by Ted Trowbridge, and the Iowa DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 45 years later.
Where the record came from
Green Castle Lake is one of the Iowa lakes we grade. It holds a Grade C 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.
CGreen Castle Lake — Marshall County, IA. See the full water-quality report →White Crappie records by state
Iowa ranks 1 of 5 among the states in our index for record white crappie. No state we track has produced a heavier one.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa (this page) | 4 lb 9 oz | 1981 | Green Castle Lake |
| 2 | Missouri | 4 lb 9 oz | 2000 | Farm Pond |
| 3 | Illinois | 4 lb 7 oz | 1973 | Farm Pond |
| 4 | Ohio | 3 lb 15 oz | 2024 | Glandorf Rod and Gun Club |
| 5 | South Dakota | 3 lb 9 oz | 1974 | Hughes County Farm Pond |
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
15 of Iowa's 19 standing records are heavier than the 4 lb 9 oz white crappie — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 4 Iowa records have stood longer, the white crappie mark dating to 1981.