Record fish caught in Michigan

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

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 Michigan 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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American Eel

- Weight: 7 lbs 7.04 oz
- Length: 43"
- Location: Saint Clair Lake
- Record set by Chad Markham in 1990
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Ilya Marchenko // Shutterstock

Atlantic Salmon

- Weight: 32 lbs 9.92 oz
- Length: 41"
- Location: Lake Michigan
- Record set by Elaine Bender in 1981
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USFWS National Image Library // Wikimedia Commons

Black Buffalo

- Weight: 33 lbs
- Length: 36.5"
- Location: Grand River
- Record set by BRADLEY JAMES NIETERING in 2004
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Black Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 7.04 oz
- Length: 17"
- Location: Magician Lake
- Record set by Louie Keller in 1999
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Black Crappie

- Weight: 4 lbs 1.92 oz
- Location: Lincoln Lake
- Record set by Frank Lee in 1947
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dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 2 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 13.75"
- Location: Vaughn Lake
- Record set by Gary Saylor in 1983
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Miroslav Halama // Shutterstock

Bowfin

- Weight: 14 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 35"
- Location: Little Crooked Lake
- Record set by Michael Miller in 1981
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brook Trout

- Weight: 9 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 28.1"
- Location: Clear Lake
- Record set by Dennis Nevins in 1996
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brown Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 9.92 oz
- Length: 17.5"
- Location: Coldbrook Lake
- Record set by Michael Kent in 1989
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Brown Trout

- Weight: 41 lbs 7.2 oz
- Length: 43.75"
- Location: Manistee River
- Record set by Thomas Martin Healy in 2009
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Neon_TI // Shutterstock

Burbot

- Weight: 18 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 40"
- Location: Saint Marys River Munuscong Bay
- Record set by Thomas Courtemanche in 1980
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Carp

- Weight: 61 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 47.5"
- Location: Big Wolf Lake
- Record set by Dale France in 1974
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Aleron Val // Shutterstock

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 40 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 41.5"
- Location: Houghton Lake
- Record set by Richard French in 1964
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Aleron Val // Shutterstock

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 40 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Houghton Lake
- Record set by Dick Latarski in 1960
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Kevin Cass // Shutterstock

Chinook (King) Salmon

- Weight: 46 lbs 0.96 oz
- Length: 43.5"
- Location: Grand River
- Record set by Ray Essex in 1978
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Troutnut // Shutterstock

Coho Salmon

- Weight: 30 lbs 8.96 oz
- Length: 40"
- Location: Platte River
- Record set by Paul Lewandowski in 1976
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Flathead Catfish

- Weight: 49 lbs 12.96 oz
- Length: 45.7"
- Location: Maple River
- Record set by Rodney James Akey in 2012
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Roxana Gonzalez // Shutterstock

Freshwater Drum

- Weight: 26 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 37.5"
- Location: Muskegon Lake
- Record set by James Black in 1973
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mujijoa79 // Shutterstock

Gizzard Shad

- Weight: 4 lbs 1.92 oz
- Length: 21"
- Location: Saint Clair Lake
- Record set by Gary Bielecki in 1996
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Green Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 8.48 oz
- Length: 10"
- Location: Kirkwood Lake
- Record set by Julius R. Drotos in 1990
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Hybrid Bass

- Weight: 10 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 27.5"
- Location: Kalamazoo River
- Record set by Jeff Van Broklin in 1996
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Hybrid Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 7.04 oz
- Length: 11.25"
- Location: Arbutus Lake
- Record set by James Manville in 1988
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Hybrid Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 7.04 oz
- Length: 11.75"
- Location: Doans Lake
- Record set by Lloyd T. Jarman Jr. in 1991
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Ryan Cuddy // Shutterstock

Kokanee Salmon

- Weight: 1 lbs 15.04 oz
- Length: 18"
- Location: Clinton River
- Record set by John Reiland in 1978
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James.Pintar // Shutterstock

Lake Sturgeon

- Weight: 193 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 87"
- Location: Mullett Lake
- Record set by Joe Maka Jr. in 1974
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Pi-Lens // Shutterstock

Lake Trout

- Weight: 61 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 49"
- Location: Lake Superior
- Record set by Lucas Lanczy in 1997
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Piotr Wawrzyniuk // Shutterstock

Lake Whitefish

- Weight: 14 lbs 4.48 oz
- Length: 31.75"
- Location: Lake Superior
- Record set by Robert J. Majurin Jr. in 1993
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Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 11 lbs 15.04 oz
- Length: 27"
- Location: Big Pine Island Lake
- Record set by William Maloney in 1934
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Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 11 lbs 15.04 oz
- Length: 26"
- Location: Bamfield Dam
- Record set by Jack Rorex in 1959
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Mikhail Blajenov // Shutterstock

Longnose Gar

- Weight: 18 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 53"
- Location: Williamsville Lake
- Record set by Dennis Promo in 1995
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service // Wikimedia Commons

Longnose Sucker

- Weight: 6 lbs 14.08 oz
- Length: 22.5"
- Location: Saint Joseph River
- Record set by David Rose in 1986
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NOAA // Wikimedia Commons

Mooneye

- Weight: 1 lbs 11.04 oz
- Length: 14.38"
- Location: Saint Clair Lake Goose Bay
- Record set by Robert J. Commire in 1995
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Muskellunge

- Weight: 50 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 56.13"
- Location: Torch Lake
- Record set by Kyle Eric Anderson in 2009
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FedBul // Shutterstock

Northern Pike

- Weight: 39 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 51.5"
- Location: Dodge Lake
- Record set by Larry Clough in 1961
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SnapTPhotography // Shutterstock

Pink (Humpback) Salmon

- Weight: 8 lbs 8.96 oz
- Length: 28"
- Location: Carp River
- Record set by Ron Karasek in 1987
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Glass and Nature // Shutterstock

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs
- Length: 11.00"
- Location: BAW BEESE LAKE
- Record set by ROBERT WILLIAM HOUSER in 2004
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Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 26 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 39.5"
- Location: Lake Michigan
- Record set by Mark Johnson in 1975
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Clint H // Shutterstock

Redear Sunfish

- Weight: 2 lbs 5.76 oz
- Length: 12.60"
- Location: Lyon Lake
- Record set by Herbert Lee Fox in 2010
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Steve Brigman // Shutterstock

Rock Bass

- Weight: 3 lbs 9.92 oz
- Length: 20"
- Location: Holoway Reservoir
- Record set by Edward Arnold in 1965
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Sauger

- Weight: 6 lbs 8.96 oz
- Length: 25.5"
- Location: Torch Lake
- Record set by Gary Frederick in 1976
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 9 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 27.25"
- Location: Long Lake
- Record set by W.F. Shoemaker in 1906
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Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

Splake

- Weight: 17 lbs
- Length: 34.5"
- Location: Lake Michigan Big Bay Du Noc
- Record set by JOHN A BROCKWAY in 2004
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Jennifer de Graaf // Shutterstock

Tiger Muskellunge

- Weight: 51 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 54"
- Location: Lac Vieux Desert
- Record set by John Knobla in 1919
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Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

Tiger Trout

- Weight: 9 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 26.6"
- Location: North Branch Manistee River
- Record set by Francis Putnam in 1975
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wwwarjag //Shutterstock

Walleye

- Weight: 17 lbs 3.04 oz
- Length: 35"
- Location: Pine River
- Record set by Ray Fadely in 1951
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Bclegg77 // Wikimedia Commons

Warmouth

- Weight: 1 lbs 6.08 oz
- Length: 11"
- Location: Great Bear Lake
- Record set by Michael Berg in unknown year
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Apostrophe // Shutterstock

White Bass

- Weight: 6 lbs 11.84 oz
- Length: 21.9"
- Location: Huron Lake
- Record set by David Kraushaar in 1989
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Jennifer White Maxwell // Shutterstock

White Crappie

- Weight: 3 lbs 6.24 oz
- Length: 19.5"
- Location: Stony Creek Metro Park
- Record set by Terrance Poirier in 2000
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M Huston // Shutterstock

White Perch

- Weight: 1 lbs
- Length: 13.25"
- Location: LAKE HURON
- Record set by KYLE PATRICK RYAN in 2002
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RLS Photo // Shutterstock

White Sucker

- Weight: 7 lbs 3.04 oz
- Length: 28"
- Location: Au Sable River
- Record set by Matt Frampton in 1982
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jpreat // Shutterstock

Yellow Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 6 oz
- Length: 16.8"
- Location: Lake Sixteen
- Record set by Gary Charles Fox in 2003
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John Piekos // Shutterstock

Yellow Perch

- Weight: 3 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 21"
- Location: Independence Lake
- Record set by George Slutter in 1947

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