Pennsylvania State Record Largemouth Bass: 11 lb 3 oz
The Pennsylvania state record largemouth bass weighed 11 lb 3 oz. It was caught in 1983 from Birch Run Reservoir in Adams County by Donald Shade, and the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission still recognizes it as the state mark 43 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Birch Run Reservoir in Adams 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.
Largemouth Bass records by state
Pennsylvania ranks 8 of 12 among the states in our index for record largemouth bass. Indiana holds the heaviest at 14 lb 12 oz, set in 1991.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana | 14 lb 12 oz | 1991 | Lake |
| 2 | Missouri | 13 lb 14 oz | 1961 | Bull Shoals Lake |
| 3 | Ohio | 13 lb 2 oz | 1976 | Farm pond |
| 4 | Illinois | 13 lb 1 oz | 1976 | Stone Quarry Lake |
| 5 | New York | 12 lb 6 oz | 2024 | Cayuga Lake |
| 6 | Michigan | 11 lb 15 oz | 1934 | Big Pine Island Lake |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 11 lb 3 oz | 1940 | Lake Ripley |
| 8 | Pennsylvania (this page) | 11 lb 3 oz | 1983 | Birch Run Reservoir |
| 9 | Iowa | 10 lb 12 oz | 1984 | Lake Fisher |
| 10 | South Dakota | 9 lb 5 oz | 2020 | Indian Scout Lake |
| 11 | Minnesota | 8 lb 15 oz | 2005 | Auburn Lake |
| 12 | North Dakota | 8 lb 8 oz | 1983 | Nelson Lake |
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
11 of Pennsylvania's 18 standing records are heavier than the 11 lb 3 oz largemouth bass — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 1 Pennsylvania records have stood longer, the largemouth bass mark dating to 1983.