Indiana State Record Walleye: 14 lb 4 oz
The Indiana state record walleye weighed 14 lb 4 oz. It was caught in 1974 from Kankakee River in Lake County by Leon Richart, and the Indiana DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 52 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Kankakee River in Lake 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 Indiana lakes we do grade instead.
Walleye records by state
Indiana ranks 12 of 12 among the states in our index for record walleye. Missouri holds the heaviest at 21 lb 1 oz, set in 1988.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missouri | 21 lb 1 oz | 1988 | Bull Shoals Lake |
| 2 | New York | 18 lb 2 oz | 2018 | St. Lawrence River |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 18 lb 1 oz | 2021 | Youghiogheny River |
| 4 | Wisconsin | 18 lb | 1933 | High Lake |
| 5 | South Dakota | 17 lb 13 oz | 2023 | Lake Oahe |
| 6 | Minnesota | 17 lb 8 oz | 1979 | Seagull River |
| 7 | Michigan | 17 lb 3 oz | 1951 | Pine River |
| 8 | North Dakota | 16 lb 6 oz | 2021 | Lake Oahe |
| 9 | Ohio | 16 lb 3 oz | 1999 | Lake Erie |
| 10 | Illinois | 15 lb 1 oz | 2012 | Pecatonica River |
| 11 | Iowa | 14 lb 8 oz | 1986 | Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock) |
| 12 | Indiana (this page) | 14 lb 4 oz | 1974 | Kankakee 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
14 of Indiana's 21 standing records are heavier than the 14 lb 4 oz walleye — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 3 Indiana records have stood longer, the walleye mark dating to 1974.
Indiana lakes that hold walleye
5 Indiana lakes in our index are documented to hold walleye, ranked here by water-quality grade.