Pennsylvania State Record Brook Trout: 7 lb
The Pennsylvania state record brook trout weighed 7 lb. It was caught in 1996 from Fishing Creek in Clinton County by Vonada Ranck, and the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission still recognizes it as the state mark 30 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Fishing Creek in Clinton 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 Pennsylvania lakes we do grade instead.
Brook Trout records by state
Pennsylvania ranks 4 of 6 among the states in our index for record brook trout. Wisconsin holds the heaviest at 9 lb 15 oz, set in 1944.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | 9 lb 15 oz | 1944 | Prairie River |
| 2 | Michigan | 9 lb 8 oz | 1996 | Clear Lake |
| 3 | Iowa | 7 lb | 1996 | Fountain Springs |
| 4 | Pennsylvania (this page) | 7 lb | 1996 | Fishing Creek |
| 5 | Minnesota | 6 lb 5.6 oz | 2004 | Lake Superior tributary |
| 6 | New York | 6 lb 3 oz | 2025 | St. Regis Canoe Area |
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 Pennsylvania
13 of Pennsylvania's 18 standing records are heavier than the 7 lb brook trout — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 8 Pennsylvania records have stood longer, the brook trout mark dating to 1996.