Wisconsin State Record Brook Trout: 9 lb 15 oz
The Wisconsin state record brook trout weighed 9 lb 15 oz. It was caught in 1944 from Prairie River in Lincoln County by John Schaffer, and the Wisconsin DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 82 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Prairie River in Lincoln 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 Wisconsin lakes we do grade instead.
Brook Trout records by state
Wisconsin ranks 1 of 6 among the states in our index for record brook trout. No state we track has produced a heavier one.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin (this page) | 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 | 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 Wisconsin
10 of Wisconsin's 16 standing records are heavier than the 9 lb 15 oz brook trout — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 2 Wisconsin records have stood longer, the brook trout mark dating to 1944.