Michigan State Record Walleye: 17 lb 3 oz
The Michigan state record walleye weighed 17 lb 3 oz and measured 35 inches. It was caught in 1951 from Pine River in Manistee County, and the Michigan DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 75 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Pine River in Manistee 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 Michigan lakes we do grade instead.
Walleye records by state
Michigan ranks 7 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 (this page) | 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 | 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 Michigan
11 of Michigan's 20 standing records are heavier than the 17 lb 3 oz walleye — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 3 Michigan records have stood longer, the walleye mark dating to 1951.
Michigan lakes that hold walleye
44 Michigan lakes in our index are documented to hold walleye, ranked here by water-quality grade.