Missouri State Record Walleye: 21 lb 1 oz
The Missouri state record walleye weighed 21 lb 1 oz. It was caught in 1988 from Bull Shoals Lake by Gerry H. Partlow, and the Missouri Department of Conservation still recognizes it as the state mark 38 years later.
Where the record came from
Bull Shoals Lake is one of the Missouri lakes we grade. It holds a Grade B 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.
BBull Shoals Lake — Taney County, MO. See the full water-quality report →Walleye records by state
Missouri ranks 1 of 12 among the states in our index for record walleye. No state we track has produced a heavier one.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missouri (this page) | 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 | 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 Missouri
9 of Missouri's 20 standing records are heavier than the 21 lb 1 oz walleye — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 7 Missouri records have stood longer, the walleye mark dating to 1988.