Minnesota State Record Lake Trout: 43 lb 8 oz
The Minnesota state record lake trout weighed 43 lb 8 oz. It was caught in 1955 from Lake Superior in Cook County by Donald Roggenkamp, and the Minnesota DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 71 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Lake Superior in Cook 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 Minnesota lakes we do grade instead.
Lake Trout records by state
Minnesota ranks 3 of 10 among the states in our index for record lake trout. Michigan holds the heaviest at 61 lb 8 oz, set in 1997.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | 61 lb 8 oz | 1997 | Lake Superior |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 47 lb | 1946 | Lake Superior |
| 3 | Minnesota (this page) | 43 lb 8 oz | 1955 | Lake Superior |
| 4 | New York | 41 lb 8 oz | 2003 | Lake Erie |
| 5 | Illinois | 39 lb 2 oz | 2021 | Lake Michigan |
| 6 | Indiana | 37 lb 8 oz | 2016 | Lake Michigan |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 31 lb 13 oz | 2019 | Lake Erie |
| 8 | South Dakota | 30 lb | 2013 | Pactola Reservoir |
| 9 | Ohio | 26 lb 10 oz | 2017 | Lake Erie |
| 10 | North Dakota | 16 lb 6 oz | 2012 | Missouri 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 Minnesota
4 of Minnesota's 16 standing records are heavier than the 43 lb 8 oz lake trout — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 5 Minnesota records have stood longer, the lake trout mark dating to 1955.
Minnesota lakes that hold lake trout
49 Minnesota lakes in our index are documented to hold lake trout, ranked here by water-quality grade.