Wisconsin State Record Largemouth Bass: 11 lb 3 oz
The Wisconsin state record largemouth bass weighed 11 lb 3 oz. It was caught in 1940 from Lake Ripley in Jefferson County by Robert Bahr, and the Wisconsin DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 86 years later.
Where the record came from
Lake Ripley is one of the Wisconsin lakes we grade. It holds a Grade B 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.
BLake Ripley — Jefferson County, WI. See the full water-quality report →Largemouth Bass records by state
Wisconsin ranks 7 of 12 among the states in our index for record largemouth bass. Indiana holds the heaviest at 14 lb 12 oz, set in 1991.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana | 14 lb 12 oz | 1991 | Lake |
| 2 | Missouri | 13 lb 14 oz | 1961 | Bull Shoals Lake |
| 3 | Ohio | 13 lb 2 oz | 1976 | Farm pond |
| 4 | Illinois | 13 lb 1 oz | 1976 | Stone Quarry Lake |
| 5 | New York | 12 lb 6 oz | 2024 | Cayuga Lake |
| 6 | Michigan | 11 lb 15 oz | 1934 | Big Pine Island Lake |
| 7 | Wisconsin (this page) | 11 lb 3 oz | 1940 | Lake Ripley |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 11 lb 3 oz | 1983 | Birch Run Reservoir |
| 9 | Iowa | 10 lb 12 oz | 1984 | Lake Fisher |
| 10 | South Dakota | 9 lb 5 oz | 2020 | Indian Scout Lake |
| 11 | Minnesota | 8 lb 15 oz | 2005 | Auburn Lake |
| 12 | North Dakota | 8 lb 8 oz | 1983 | Nelson Lake |
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
9 of Wisconsin's 16 standing records are heavier than the 11 lb 3 oz largemouth bass — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 1 Wisconsin records have stood longer, the largemouth bass mark dating to 1940.
Wisconsin lakes that hold largemouth bass
1119 Wisconsin lakes in our index are documented to hold largemouth bass, ranked here by water-quality grade.