Wisconsin State Record Walleye: 18 lb
The Wisconsin state record walleye weighed 18 lb. It was caught in 1933 from High Lake in Vilas County by Tony Burrey, and the Wisconsin DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 93 years later.
Where the record came from
High Lake is one of the Wisconsin lakes we grade. It holds a Grade A 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.
AHigh Lake — Vilas County, WI. See the full water-quality report →Walleye records by state
Wisconsin ranks 4 of 12 among the states in our index for record walleye. Missouri holds the heaviest at 21 lb 1 oz, set in 1988.
| # | State | Weight | Year | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missouri | 21 lb 1 oz | 1988 | Bull Shoals Lake |
| 2 | New York | 18 lb 2 oz | 2018 | St. Lawrence River |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 18 lb 1 oz | 2021 | Youghiogheny River |
| 4 | Wisconsin (this page) | 18 lb | 1933 | High Lake |
| 5 | South Dakota | 17 lb 13 oz | 2023 | Lake Oahe |
| 6 | Minnesota | 17 lb 8 oz | 1979 | Seagull River |
| 7 | Michigan | 17 lb 3 oz | 1951 | Pine River |
| 8 | North Dakota | 16 lb 6 oz | 2021 | Lake Oahe |
| 9 | Ohio | 16 lb 3 oz | 1999 | Lake Erie |
| 10 | Illinois | 15 lb 1 oz | 2012 | Pecatonica River |
| 11 | Iowa | 14 lb 8 oz | 1986 | Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock) |
| 12 | Indiana | 14 lb 4 oz | 1974 | Kankakee 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
8 of Wisconsin's 16 standing records are heavier than the 18 lb walleye — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. It is also the oldest record on the books, unbeaten since 1933.
Wisconsin lakes that hold walleye
699 Wisconsin lakes in our index are documented to hold walleye, ranked here by water-quality grade.