Missouri State Record Brown Trout: 40 lb 6 oz
The Missouri state record brown trout weighed 40 lb 6 oz. It was caught in 2019 from Lake Taneycomo by Bill Babler, and the Missouri Department of Conservation still recognizes it as the state mark 7 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Lake Taneycomo. 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 Missouri lakes we do grade instead.
Brown Trout records by state
Missouri ranks 3 of 12 among the states in our index for record brown trout. Wisconsin holds the heaviest at 41 lb 8 oz, set in 2010.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | 41 lb 8 oz | 2010 | Lake Michigan |
| 2 | Michigan | 41 lb 7 oz | 2009 | Manistee River |
| 3 | Missouri (this page) | 40 lb 6 oz | 2019 | Lake Taneycomo |
| 4 | Illinois | 36 lb 11 oz | 1996 | Lake Michigan |
| 5 | New York | 33 lb 2 oz | 1997 | Lake Ontario |
| 6 | North Dakota | 31 lb 11 oz | 2005 | Missouri River |
| 7 | Indiana | 29 lb 5 oz | 2006 | Lake Michigan |
| 8 | South Dakota | 24 lb 8 oz | 1990 | Canyon Lake |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 20 lb 9 oz | 2020 | Lake Erie |
| 10 | Minnesota | 16 lb 12 oz | 1989 | Lake Superior |
| 11 | Iowa | 15 lb 6 oz | 1995 | North Prairie Lake |
| 12 | Ohio | 14 lb 11 oz | 2012 | Lake Erie |
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 Missouri
6 of Missouri's 20 standing records are heavier than the 40 lb 6 oz brown trout — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 18 Missouri records have stood longer, the brown trout mark dating to 2019.