New York State Record Walleye: 18 lb 2 oz
The New York state record walleye weighed 18 lb 2 oz and measured 32 inches. It was caught in 2018 from St. Lawrence River in St. Lawrence County by Brian Hartman, and the New York DEC still recognizes it as the state mark 8 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from St. Lawrence River in St. Lawrence 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 New York lakes we do grade instead.
Walleye records by state
New York ranks 2 of 12 among the states in our index for record walleye. Missouri holds the heaviest at 21 lb 1 oz, set in 1988.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missouri | 21 lb 1 oz | 1988 | Bull Shoals Lake |
| 2 | New York (this page) | 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 New York
12 of New York's 20 standing records are heavier than the 18 lb 2 oz walleye — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 14 New York records have stood longer, the walleye mark dating to 2018.
New York lakes that hold walleye
19 New York lakes in our index are documented to hold walleye, ranked here by water-quality grade.