Wisconsin State Record Fish: All 16 Official Records (2026)
All 16 verified Wisconsin record fish from the Wisconsin DNR. The heaviest is the Lake Sturgeon at 170 lb 10 oz, caught in 1979 on Yellow Lake. The oldest standing record is the Walleye from 1933.
Wisconsin state fishing records are maintained by the Wisconsin DNR. Each verified record requires a certified-scale weight, official witness, and a documented catch location.
Knowing where Wisconsin records were set is useful context for serious anglers: a lake that has produced a record fish has, by definition, the depth, prey base, and habitat to support that species at trophy size. Reading the record-setting lakes alongside the LakeGrade rubric is a useful exercise: some species — particularly trout and salmon — only set records on the cleaner-grade lakes, while warm-water species can come from anywhere on the grade distribution.
Record Fish by Species
Wisconsin State Record Walleye
The Wisconsin state record walleye weighed 18 lb, caught in 1933 from High Lake in Vilas County by Tony Burrey. High Lake holds a Grade A water-quality score in our index. Full walleye record →
Wisconsin State Record Muskellunge
The Wisconsin state record muskellunge weighed 69 lb 11 oz and measured 63.5 inches, caught in 1949 from Chippewa Flowage in Sawyer County by Cal Johnson. Full muskellunge record →
Wisconsin State Record Northern Pike
The Wisconsin state record northern pike weighed 38 lb, caught in 1952 from Lake Puckaway in Green Lake County by F. P. Schulenburg. Lake Puckaway holds a Grade C water-quality score in our index. Full northern pike record →
Wisconsin State Record Largemouth Bass
The Wisconsin state record largemouth bass weighed 11 lb 3 oz, caught in 1940 from Lake Ripley in Jefferson County by Robert Bahr. Lake Ripley holds a Grade B water-quality score in our index. Full largemouth bass record →
Wisconsin State Record Smallmouth Bass
The Wisconsin state record smallmouth bass weighed 9 lb 1 oz, caught in 1950 from Indian Lake in Oneida County by Leon Stefonek. Indian Lake holds a Grade A water-quality score in our index. Full smallmouth bass record →
Wisconsin State Record Lake Trout
The Wisconsin state record lake trout weighed 47 lb, caught in 1946 from Lake Superior in Bayfield County by Roy Groh. Full lake trout record →
All Wisconsin Records
| Species | Weight | Length | Year | Water | County | Angler |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskellunge | 69 lb 11 oz | 63.5 in | 1949 | Chippewa Flowage | Sawyer | Cal Johnson |
| Northern Pike | 38 lb | — | 1952 | Lake Puckaway | Green Lake | F. P. Schulenburg |
| Walleye | 18 lb | — | 1933 | High Lake | Vilas | Tony Burrey |
| Largemouth Bass | 11 lb 3 oz | — | 1940 | Lake Ripley | Jefferson | Robert Bahr |
| Smallmouth Bass | 9 lb 1 oz | — | 1950 | Indian Lake | Oneida | Leon Stefonek |
| Lake Trout | 47 lb | — | 1946 | Lake Superior | Bayfield | Roy Groh |
| Brown Trout | 41 lb 8 oz | 40.6 in | 2010 | Lake Michigan | Racine | Roger Hellen |
| Rainbow Trout | 27 lb 2 oz | — | 1997 | Lake Michigan | Door | Lee Sisson |
| Brook Trout | 9 lb 15 oz | — | 1944 | Prairie River | Lincoln | John Schaffer |
| Channel Catfish | 44 lb | — | 1962 | Wisconsin River | Sauk | David Stuart |
| Flathead Catfish | 74 lb 5 oz | — | 2001 | Wisconsin River | Crawford | Tim Esser |
| Black Crappie | 4 lb 8 oz | — | 1996 | Gile Flowage | Iron | Tom Maines |
| Bluegill | 2 lb 9.8 oz | — | 1995 | Hayes Lake | Walworth | Frank Ott |
| Yellow Perch | 3 lb 4 oz | — | 1954 | Lake Winnebago | Winnebago | C. T. Bub |
| Lake Sturgeon | 170 lb 10 oz | 79 in | 1979 | Yellow Lake | Burnett | Jim DeOtto |
| Pumpkinseed | 1 lb 9 oz | — | 1993 | Pell Lake | Walworth | Eric Kline |
Record Waters We Grade
5 of Wisconsin's record fish came from lakes in our water-quality index. See how each one grades today:
Records by Decade
When each standing Wisconsin record was set — a rough map of the state's trophy-fishing history.
How Wisconsin Records Are Verified
Wisconsin DNR 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 Wisconsin DNR 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 and Wisconsin lake directory.