Indiana State Record Muskellunge: 42 lb 8 oz
The Indiana state record muskellunge weighed 42 lb 8 oz. It was caught in 2002 from James Lake in Kosciusko County by Darrin Conley, and the Indiana DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 24 years later.
Where the record came from
James Lake is one of the Indiana lakes we grade. It holds a Grade D 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.
DJames Lake — Kosciusko County, IN. See the full water-quality report →Muskellunge records by state
Indiana ranks 9 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 | 50 lb 6 oz | 2000 | Spirit Lake |
| 8 | North Dakota | 46 lb 8 oz | 2007 | New Johns Lake |
| 9 | Indiana (this page) | 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 Indiana
3 of Indiana's 21 standing records are heavier than the 42 lb 8 oz muskellunge — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 13 Indiana records have stood longer, the muskellunge mark dating to 2002.