Wisconsin State Record Brown Trout: 41 lb 8 oz
The Wisconsin state record brown trout weighed 41 lb 8 oz and measured 40.6 inches. It was caught in 2010 from Lake Michigan in Racine County by Roger Hellen, and the Wisconsin DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 16 years later.
Where the record came from
The record came from Lake Michigan in Racine 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.
Brown Trout records by state
Wisconsin ranks 1 of 12 among the states in our index for record brown trout. No state we track has produced a heavier one.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin (this page) | 41 lb 8 oz | 2010 | Lake Michigan |
| 2 | Michigan | 41 lb 7 oz | 2009 | Manistee River |
| 3 | Missouri | 40 lb 6 oz | 2019 | Lake Taneycomo |
| 4 | Illinois | 36 lb 11 oz | 1996 | Lake Michigan |
| 5 | New York | 33 lb 2 oz | 1997 | Lake Ontario |
| 6 | North Dakota | 31 lb 11 oz | 2005 | Missouri River |
| 7 | Indiana | 29 lb 5 oz | 2006 | Lake Michigan |
| 8 | South Dakota | 24 lb 8 oz | 1990 | Canyon Lake |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 20 lb 9 oz | 2020 | Lake Erie |
| 10 | Minnesota | 16 lb 12 oz | 1989 | Lake Superior |
| 11 | Iowa | 15 lb 6 oz | 1995 | North Prairie Lake |
| 12 | Ohio | 14 lb 11 oz | 2012 | Lake Erie |
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
5 of Wisconsin's 16 standing records are heavier than the 41 lb 8 oz brown trout — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 15 Wisconsin records have stood longer, the brown trout mark dating to 2010.