Where was the Minnesota record northern pike caught?

Basswood Lake, in Lake County, Minnesota. Basswood Lake carries a Grade C water-quality score in our index today.

How long has the Minnesota northern pike record stood?

97 years. The record was set in 1929 and remains the standing Minnesota mark as of 2026.

Which state has the biggest record northern pike?

Of the 12 states in our index with a northern pike record, New York holds the heaviest at 46 lb 2 oz (1940). Minnesota ranks 2 of 12 at 45 lb 12 oz.

Minnesota State Record Northern Pike: 45 lb 12 oz

Q: What is the Minnesota state record northern pike?

The Minnesota state record northern pike weighed 45 lb 12 oz. It was caught in 1929 from Basswood Lake in Lake County by J.V. Schanken, and is recognized by the Minnesota DNR.

The Minnesota state record northern pike weighed 45 lb 12 oz. It was caught in 1929 from Basswood Lake in Lake County by J.V. Schanken, and the Minnesota DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 97 years later.

Weight

45 lb 12 oz

Length

Not recorded

Year set

1929

97 years standing

Water

Basswood Lake

Lake County

Where the record came from

Basswood Lake is one of the Minnesota lakes we grade. It holds a Grade C 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.

CBasswood Lake — Lake County, MN. See the full water-quality report →

Northern Pike records by state

Minnesota ranks 2 of 12 among the states in our index for record northern pike. New York holds the heaviest at 46 lb 2 oz, set in 1940.

#	State	Weight	Year	Water
1	New York	46 lb 2 oz	1940	Great Sacandaga Lake
2	Minnesota (this page)	45 lb 12 oz	1929	Basswood Lake
3	Michigan	39 lb	1961	Dodge Lake
4	Wisconsin	38 lb	1952	Lake Puckaway
5	North Dakota	37 lb 8 oz	1968	Lake Sakakawea
6	South Dakota	36 lb 3 oz	1993	Lake Oahe
7	Pennsylvania	35 lb	2003	Allegheny Reservoir
8	Indiana	30 lb 2 oz	1992	Clear Lake
9	Illinois	26 lb 15 oz	1989	Strip Mine
10	Iowa	25 lb 5 oz	1977	West Okoboji Lake
11	Ohio	22 lb 12 oz	2016	McKarns Lake
12	Missouri	18 lb 9 oz	1975	Stockton Lake

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

3 of Minnesota's 16 standing records are heavier than the 45 lb 12 oz northern pike — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. It is also the oldest record on the books, unbeaten since 1929.

Minnesota lakes that hold northern pike

1483 Minnesota lakes in our index are documented to hold northern pike, ranked here by water-quality grade.

AEast Fox Lake — Crow Wing County ANorth Long Lake — Crow Wing County ABad Medicine Lake — Becker County ABig Sugar Bush Lake — Becker County ARound Lake — Cook County AHorseshoe Lake — Cass County ALong Lake — Cass County ALong Lake — Clearwater County

All Minnesota northern pike lakes →

Other Minnesota records

Walleye 17 lb 8 oz Muskellunge 54 lb Largemouth Bass 8 lb 15 oz Smallmouth Bass 8 lb Lake Trout 43 lb 8 oz Brown Trout 16 lb 12 oz Rainbow Trout 17 lb 6 oz Brook Trout 6 lb 5.6 oz Channel Catfish 38 lb Flathead Catfish 70 lb Black Crappie 5 lb Bluegill 2 lb 13 oz Yellow Perch 3 lb 4 oz Lake Sturgeon 94 lb 4 oz Tiger Muskie 34 lb 12 oz

All 16 Minnesota state records in one table →

Record compiled from the official Minnesota DNR angling records. Updated 2026. New records are certified year-round — check the agency page before treating any figure here as the current mark. LakeQuality is independent and not affiliated with the Minnesota DNR.