Pennsylvania State Record Fish 2026: All 18 Official Records
All 18 verified Pennsylvania record fish from the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. The heaviest is the Flathead Catfish at 66 lb 6 oz, caught in 2023 on Susquehanna River. The oldest standing record is the Muskellunge from 1924.
The official Pennsylvania state-fishing-records list is kept by Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. Records range from prized gamefish like walleye, muskie, and bass to less-targeted species, and every one has been weighed and verified to the agency's standards.
A state record marks what a species is capable of in Pennsylvania water, and the lakes and rivers where those records were set point to the specific waters that have historically produced trophy-class fish. Reading the record-setting waters alongside the LakeQuality grade rubric is a useful exercise: coldwater species like trout and salmon tend to come from the cleanest, highest-grade waters, while warm-water trophies can come from across the grade distribution.
Record Fish by Species
Pennsylvania State Record Brook Trout
The Pennsylvania state record brook trout weighed 7 lb, caught in 1996 from Fishing Creek in Clinton County by Vonada Ranck. Full brook trout record →
Pennsylvania State Record Walleye
The Pennsylvania state record walleye weighed 18 lb 1 oz and measured 34 inches, caught in 2021 from Youghiogheny River in Fayette County by Richard E. Nicholson. Full walleye record →
Pennsylvania State Record Smallmouth Bass
The Pennsylvania state record smallmouth bass weighed 8 lb 8 oz, caught in 1997 from Scotts Run Lake in Berks County by Robert T. Steelman. Full smallmouth bass record →
Pennsylvania State Record Largemouth Bass
The Pennsylvania state record largemouth bass weighed 11 lb 3 oz, caught in 1983 from Birch Run Reservoir in Adams County by Donald Shade. Full largemouth bass record →
Pennsylvania State Record Muskellunge
The Pennsylvania state record muskellunge weighed 54 lb 3 oz, caught in 1924 from Conneaut Lake in Crawford County by Lewis Walker, Jr.. Full muskellunge record →
Pennsylvania State Record Northern Pike
The Pennsylvania state record northern pike weighed 35 lb, caught in 2003 from Allegheny Reservoir in McKean County by Carl Stoltz. Full northern pike record →
All Pennsylvania Records
| Species | Weight | Length | Year | Water | County | Angler |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 18 lb 1 oz | 34 in | 2021 | Youghiogheny River | Fayette | Richard E. Nicholson |
| Sauger | 4 lb | — | 2001 | Susquehanna River | Lycoming | Tim Waltz |
| Northern Pike | 35 lb | — | 2003 | Allegheny Reservoir | McKean | Carl Stoltz |
| Muskellunge | 54 lb 3 oz | — | 1924 | Conneaut Lake | Crawford | Lewis Walker, Jr. |
| Largemouth Bass | 11 lb 3 oz | — | 1983 | Birch Run Reservoir | Adams | Donald Shade |
| Smallmouth Bass | 8 lb 8 oz | — | 1997 | Scotts Run Lake | Berks | Robert T. Steelman |
| Striped Bass | 53 lb 13 oz | — | 1989 | Delaware River | Delaware | Donald J. Clark |
| Channel Catfish | 35 lb 3 oz | — | 1991 | Lehigh Canal | Northampton | Austin E. Roth III |
| Flathead Catfish | 66 lb 6 oz | — | 2023 | Susquehanna River | Lancaster | Michael Wherley |
| Black Crappie | 4 lb 3 oz | — | 2000 | Hammond Lake | Tioga | Richard A. Pino |
| Bluegill | 2 lb 9 oz | — | 1983 | Keystone Lake | Armstrong | Tom Twincheck |
| Yellow Perch | 3 lb | — | 2021 | Lake Erie | Erie | Kirk Rudzinski |
| Brown Trout | 20 lb 9 oz | — | 2020 | Lake Erie | Erie | Robert J. Ferraro |
| Rainbow Trout | 15 lb 6 oz | — | 1986 | Jordan Creek | Lehigh | Dennis L. Clouse |
| Brook Trout | 7 lb | — | 1996 | Fishing Creek | Clinton | Vonada Ranck |
| Lake Trout | 31 lb 13 oz | — | 2019 | Lake Erie | Erie | Keith Miller |
| Chinook Salmon | 28 lb 15 oz | — | 1990 | Lake Erie | Erie | Gregory Lasko |
| Coho Salmon | 15 lb 5 oz | — | 1985 | Lake Erie | Erie | Jack Scheirer |
Records by Decade
When each standing Pennsylvania record was set — a rough map of the state's trophy-fishing history.
How Pennsylvania Records Are Verified
Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission requires that record-eligible fish be weighed on a certified scale, photographed, and verified by a fisheries biologist; some species also recognize catch-and-release length records. Each agency sets its own application form and filing deadline — check the official Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission records page for the current rules before submitting a claim.
Targeting a record? Many of these fish came from waters with strong populations of trophy-class fish — see the best fishing lakes ranking, state record fish in every state, and the Pennsylvania lake directory.