Ohio State Record Walleye: 16 lb 3 oz
The Ohio state record walleye weighed 16 lb 3 oz and measured 33 inches. It was caught in 1999 from Lake Erie by Tom Haberman, and the Ohio Division of Wildlife still recognizes it as the state mark 27 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Lake Erie. 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 Ohio lakes we do grade instead.
Walleye records by state
Ohio ranks 9 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 | 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 (this page) | 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 Ohio
9 of Ohio's 21 standing records are heavier than the 16 lb 3 oz walleye — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 11 Ohio records have stood longer, the walleye mark dating to 1999.