Record fish caught in California

Written by:
October 21, 2022
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Record fish caught in California

Anglers the world over gather regularly for fishing derbies to see who can land the biggest catch. But record-breaking fish can be caught at anytime, weighed on an International Game Fish Association-certified scale at any number of tackle shops or marinas, and compared to the IGFA's online records database. Sport-fishing enthusiasts can even have their own scales certified by the IGFA for a $40 fee.

compiled a list of record fish caught in California using data from . Fish pictured are not the actual record catch. Keep reading to see which bodies of water in your state hold some of the most massive fish around.

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David Vogt // Shutterstock

Albacore Tuna

- Weight: 90 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Santa Cruz
- Record set by Don Giberson in 1997
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Biswaphotograhy // Shutterstock

American Shad

- Weight: 7 lbs 5 oz
- Location: Feather River
- Record set by Craig Stillwell in 1985
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Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

Arctic Grayling

- Weight: 1 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Lobdell Lake
- Record set by Don Acton Jr. in 1974
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Alienaire // Shutterstock

Bigeye Tuna

- Weight: 240 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Butterfly Bank
- Record set by Steve Hutchinson in 1997
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Black Crappie

- Weight: 4 lbs 1 oz
- Location: New Hogan Lake
- Record set by Wilma L. Honey in 1975
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Blue Catfish

- Weight: 113 lbs 5 oz
- Length: 57"
- Location: San Vicente Reservoir
- Record set by Steve Oudomsouk in 2008
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Colin MacDonald // Shutterstock

Blue Marlin

- Weight: 692 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Balboa
- Record set by A. Hamann in 1931
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jurgal photographer // Shutterstock

Bluefin Tuna

- Weight: 243 lbs 11 oz
- Location: 277 Spot
- Record set by Karl E. Schmidbauer in 1990
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dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 3 lbs 14 oz
- Length: 14.3"
- Location: Rancho Murieta Reservoir
- Record set by Michael Holoubek in 2008
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brook Trout

- Weight: 9 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Silver Lake
- Record set by Texas Haynes in 1932
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Brown Trout

- Weight: 26 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Upper Twin Lake
- Record set by Danny Stearman in 1987
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Streamside Adventures // Shutterstock

Bull Trout

- Weight: 9 lbs 11 oz
- Location: McCloud Lake
- Record set by James S. McCloud in 1968
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WH_Pics // Shutterstock

Bullhead

- Weight: 4 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Trinity Lakes
- Record set by Gary Dittenbir in 1993
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Carp

- Weight: 52 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Nacimiento Lake
- Record set by Lee Bryant in 1968
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Aleron Val // Shutterstock

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 53 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 46.5"
- Location: San Joaquin River
- Record set by Randall Gilgert Jr. in 2008
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Kevin Cass // Shutterstock

Chinook (King) Salmon

- Weight: 88 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Sacramento River
- Record set by O.H. Lindberg in 1979
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Troutnut // Shutterstock

Coho Salmon

- Weight: 22 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Paper Mill Creek
- Record set by Milton T. Hain in 1959
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Cutthroat Trout

- Weight: 31 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Lake Tahoe
- Record set by William Pomin in 1911
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Flathead Catfish

- Weight: 72 lbs 14 oz
- Length: 53.5"
- Location: Colorado River
- Record set by Billy Potter in 2003
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Golden Trout

- Weight: 9 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Virginia Lake
- Record set by O.A. Benefield in 1952
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Green Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 12 oz
- Location: private pond near Bella Vista
- Record set by unknown in 1978
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Ryan Cuddy // Shutterstock

Kokanee Salmon

- Weight: 4 lbs 13 oz
- Location: Lake Tahoe
- Record set by Dick Bournique in 1973
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Pi-Lens // Shutterstock

Lake Trout

- Weight: 37 lbs 3 oz
- Location: Lake Tahoe
- Record set by Robert G. Aronsen in 1974
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Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 21 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Lake Castaic
- Record set by Michael Arujo in 1991
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MPH Photos // Shutterstock

Ling Cod

- Weight: 56 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Crescent City
- Record set by Carey Mitchell in 1992
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Cannon Colegrove // Shutterstock

Mountain Whitefish

- Weight: 3 lbs 1 oz
- Length: 20"
- Location: Lake Tahoe
- Record set by Gregg Harris in 2004
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Glass and Nature // Shutterstock

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Mt. Meadows Reservoir
- Record set by Dave Smith in 1996
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Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 27 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 37.5"
- Location: Lake Natoma
- Record set by Frank Palmer in 2005
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Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 23 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Lake Natoma
- Record set by Jeremy Brucklacher in 2000
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Clint H // Shutterstock

Redear Sunfish

- Weight: 5 lbs 3 oz
- Location: Folsom So. Canal
- Record set by Anthony White in 1994
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H.L. Todd // Wikimedia Commons

Sacramento Perch

- Weight: 3 lbs 10 oz
- Location: Crowley Lake
- Record set by Jack Johnson in 1979
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enciktat // Shutterstock

Skipjack Tuna

- Weight: 26 lbs 0 oz
- Location: San Diego
- Record set by William Hall in 1970
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 9 lbs 13 oz
- Length: 24.75"
- Location: Pardee Reservoir
- Record set by Harold Hardin in 2007
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Sean McVey // Shutterstock

Spotted Bass

- Weight: 10 lbs 4 oz
- Location: Pine Flat Reservoir
- Record set by Brian Shishido in 2001
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Striped Bass

- Weight: 67 lbs 8 oz
- Location: ONeill Forebay
- Record set by Hank Ferguson in 1992
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Sturgeon

- Weight: 468 lbs 0 oz
- Location: San Pablo Bay
- Record set by Joey Pallotta in 1983
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Vasehaus // Shutterstock

Tilapia

- Weight: 6 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 20"
- Location: Palo Verde Lagoon
- Record set by Gary Horton in 2007
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Bclegg77 // Wikimedia Commons

Warmouth

- Weight: 0 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 9"
- Location: Hensley Lake
- Record set by Russell Jacobs in 2004
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Apostrophe // Shutterstock

White Bass

- Weight: 5 lbs 5 oz
- Location: Ferguson Lake
- Record set by Milton Mize in 1972
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M Huston // Shutterstock

White Catfish

- Weight: 22 lbs 0 oz
- Location: William Land Park Pond
- Record set by James Robinson in 1994
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Jennifer White Maxwell // Shutterstock

White Crappie

- Weight: 4 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Clear Lake
- Record set by Carol Carlton in 1971
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Shane Gross // Shutterstock

Yellowfin Tuna

- Weight: 239 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Catalina Island
- Record set by Ronald B. Howarth in 1984

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