Wisconsin State Record Lake Sturgeon: 170 lb 10 oz
The Wisconsin state record lake sturgeon weighed 170 lb 10 oz and measured 79 inches. It was caught in 1979 from Yellow Lake in Burnett County by Jim DeOtto, and the Wisconsin DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 47 years later.
Where the record came from
Yellow Lake is one of the Wisconsin lakes we grade. It holds a Grade C water-quality score today, based on clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a samples from the EPA Water Quality Portal — a useful check on whether the water that produced a record fish still fishes well.
CYellow Lake — Burnett County, WI. See the full water-quality report →Lake Sturgeon records by state
Wisconsin ranks 2 of 4 among the states in our index for record lake sturgeon. Michigan holds the heaviest at 193 lb, set in 1974.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | 193 lb | 1974 | Mullett Lake |
| 2 | Wisconsin (this page) | 170 lb 10 oz | 1979 | Yellow Lake |
| 3 | Minnesota | 94 lb 4 oz | 1994 | Kettle River |
| 4 | South Dakota | 40 lb | 1990 | Missouri 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 Wisconsin
At 170 lb 10 oz, the lake sturgeon is the heaviest of the 16 standing Wisconsin records. 9 Wisconsin records have stood longer, the lake sturgeon mark dating to 1979.