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South Dakota State Record Walleye: 17 lb 13 oz

The South Dakota state record walleye weighed 17 lb 13 oz and measured 33.25 inches. It was caught in 2023 from Lake Oahe by Keith Pazour, and the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks still recognizes it as the state mark 3 years later.

Weight
17 lb 13 oz
Length
33.25 in
Year set
2023
3 years standing
Water
Lake Oahe

Where the record came from

The record came from Lake Oahe. 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 South Dakota lakes we do grade instead.

Walleye records by state

South Dakota ranks 5 of 12 among the states in our index for record walleye. Missouri holds the heaviest at 21 lb 1 oz, set in 1988.

#StateWeightYearWater
1Missouri21 lb 1 oz1988Bull Shoals Lake
2New York18 lb 2 oz2018St. Lawrence River
3Pennsylvania18 lb 1 oz2021Youghiogheny River
4Wisconsin18 lb1933High Lake
5South Dakota (this page)17 lb 13 oz2023Lake Oahe
6Minnesota17 lb 8 oz1979Seagull River
7Michigan17 lb 3 oz1951Pine River
8North Dakota16 lb 6 oz2021Lake Oahe
9Ohio16 lb 3 oz1999Lake Erie
10Illinois15 lb 1 oz2012Pecatonica River
11Iowa14 lb 8 oz1986Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)
12Indiana14 lb 4 oz1974Kankakee 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 South Dakota

11 of South Dakota's 20 standing records are heavier than the 17 lb 13 oz walleye — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 19 South Dakota records have stood longer, the walleye mark dating to 2023.

Other South Dakota records

Sauger 7 lb 7 ozNorthern Pike 36 lb 3 ozMuskellunge 40 lbLargemouth Bass 9 lb 5 ozSmallmouth Bass 7 lb 4 ozWhite Bass 4 lb 12 ozChannel Catfish 30 lb 1 ozFlathead Catfish 67 lb 8 ozBlack Crappie 3 lb 8 ozWhite Crappie 3 lb 9 ozBluegill 3 lb 4 ozYellow Perch 2 lb 13 ozChinook Salmon 31 lb 8 ozBrown Trout 24 lb 8 ozRainbow Trout 19 lb 4 ozLake Trout 30 lbLake Sturgeon 40 lbPaddlefish 127 lb 9 ozBigmouth Buffalo 51 lb 9 oz

All 20 South Dakota state records in one table →

Record compiled from the official South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks angling records. Updated 2026. New records are certified year-round — check the agency page before treating any figure here as the current mark. LakeQuality is independent and not affiliated with the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.