Illinois State Record Channel Catfish: 45 lb 4 oz
The Illinois state record channel catfish weighed 45 lb 4 oz. It was caught in 1987 from Baldwin Lake in St. Clair County, and the Illinois DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 39 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Baldwin Lake in St. Clair County. 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 Illinois lakes we do grade instead.
Channel Catfish records by state
Illinois ranks 1 of 12 among the states in our index for record channel catfish. No state we track has produced a heavier one.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois (this page) | 45 lb 4 oz | 1987 | Baldwin Lake |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 44 lb | 1962 | Wisconsin River |
| 3 | North Dakota | 42 lb 1 oz | 2009 | Moon Lake |
| 4 | Michigan | 40 lb | 1964 | Houghton Lake |
| 5 | Iowa | 38 lb 2 oz | 2005 | Missouri River (Little Sioux to Council Bluffs) |
| 6 | Minnesota | 38 lb | 1975 | Mississippi River |
| 7 | Ohio | 37 lb 10 oz | 1992 | LaDue Reservoir |
| 8 | New York | 37 lb 9 oz | 2025 | Black River Bay |
| 9 | Indiana | 37 lb 8 oz | 1980 | Lake |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 35 lb 3 oz | 1991 | Lehigh Canal |
| 11 | Missouri | 34 lb 10 oz | 1976 | Lake Jacomo |
| 12 | South Dakota | 30 lb 1 oz | 2019 | 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 Illinois
2 of Illinois's 19 standing records are heavier than the 45 lb 4 oz channel catfish — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 8 Illinois records have stood longer, the channel catfish mark dating to 1987.