Missouri State Record Muskellunge: 41 lb 2 oz
The Missouri state record muskellunge weighed 41 lb 2 oz. It was caught in 1981 from Lake of the Ozarks by Gene Snelling, and the Missouri Department of Conservation still recognizes it as the state mark 45 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Lake of the Ozarks. 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.
Muskellunge records by state
Missouri ranks 10 of 12 among the states in our index for record muskellunge. New York holds the heaviest at 69 lb 15 oz, set in 1957.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 69 lb 15 oz | 1957 | St. Lawrence River |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 69 lb 11 oz | 1949 | Chippewa Flowage |
| 3 | Michigan | 58 lb | 2012 | Lake Bellaire |
| 4 | Ohio | 55 lb 2 oz | 1972 | Piedmont Lake |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 54 lb 3 oz | 1924 | Conneaut Lake |
| 6 | Minnesota | 54 lb | 1957 | Lake Winnibigoshish |
| 7 | Iowa | 50 lb 6 oz | 2000 | Spirit Lake |
| 8 | North Dakota | 46 lb 8 oz | 2007 | New Johns Lake |
| 9 | Indiana | 42 lb 8 oz | 2002 | James Lake |
| 10 | Missouri (this page) | 41 lb 2 oz | 1981 | Lake of the Ozarks |
| 11 | South Dakota | 40 lb | 1991 | Amsden Dam |
| 12 | Illinois | 38 lb 8 oz | 2002 | Kaskaskia 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 Missouri
5 of Missouri's 20 standing records are heavier than the 41 lb 2 oz muskellunge — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 6 Missouri records have stood longer, the muskellunge mark dating to 1981.