Pennsylvania State Record Lake Trout: 31 lb 13 oz
The Pennsylvania state record lake trout weighed 31 lb 13 oz. It was caught in 2019 from Lake Erie in Erie County by Keith Miller, and the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission still recognizes it as the state mark 7 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Lake Erie in Erie 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.
Lake Trout records by state
Pennsylvania ranks 7 of 10 among the states in our index for record lake trout. Michigan holds the heaviest at 61 lb 8 oz, set in 1997.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | 61 lb 8 oz | 1997 | Lake Superior |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 47 lb | 1946 | Lake Superior |
| 3 | Minnesota | 43 lb 8 oz | 1955 | Lake Superior |
| 4 | New York | 41 lb 8 oz | 2003 | Lake Erie |
| 5 | Illinois | 39 lb 2 oz | 2021 | Lake Michigan |
| 6 | Indiana | 37 lb 8 oz | 2016 | Lake Michigan |
| 7 | Pennsylvania (this page) | 31 lb 13 oz | 2019 | Lake Erie |
| 8 | South Dakota | 30 lb | 2013 | Pactola Reservoir |
| 9 | Ohio | 26 lb 10 oz | 2017 | Lake Erie |
| 10 | North Dakota | 16 lb 6 oz | 2012 | Missouri 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 Pennsylvania
5 of Pennsylvania's 18 standing records are heavier than the 31 lb 13 oz lake trout — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 13 Pennsylvania records have stood longer, the lake trout mark dating to 2019.