Record fish caught in Minnesota

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

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 Minnesota 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: 6 lbs 9 oz
- Length: 36"
- Location: Saint Croix River - Stillwater
- Record set by Matthew R. Brown in 1997
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Ilya Marchenko // Shutterstock

Atlantic Salmon

- Weight: 12 lbs 13 oz
- Length: 35.5"
- Location: Baptism River
- Record set by Matt Bauer in 1991
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Alus164 // Wikimedia Commons

Bigmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 41 lbs 11 oz
- Length: 38.5"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Robert Koplin in 1991
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USFWS National Image Library // Wikimedia Commons

Black Buffalo

- Weight: 20 lbs 0.5 oz
- Length: 34.2"
- Location: Minnesota River
- Record set by Kevin Tauer in 1997
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Black Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 13.12 oz
- Length: 17.17"
- Location: Reno Lake
- Record set by Keith Hvezda in 1997
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Black Crappie

- Weight: 5 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 21"
- Location: Vermillion River
- Record set by Tom Christenson in 1940
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Blue Catfish

- Weight: 52 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 48"
- Location: Minnesota River
- Record set by Steven J. Ness in 2002
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USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Spencer Neuharth / USFWS // Wikimedia Commons

Blue Sucker

- Weight: 14 lbs 3 oz
- Length: 30.4"
- Location: Mississippi River - near Alma
- Record set by Bruce Edwards in 1987
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dcwcreations // Shutterstock

Bluegill Sunfish

- Weight: 2 lbs 13 oz
- Location: Alice Lake
- Record set by Bob Parker in 1948
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Miroslav Halama // Shutterstock

Bowfin

- Weight: 11 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 32"
- Location: St. Croix River
- Record set in 2008
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Miroslav Halama // Shutterstock

Bowfin

- Weight: 10 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 31"
- Location: French Lake
- Record set by Joe Engelmeyer in 1992
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brook Trout

- Weight: 6 lbs 5.6 oz
- Length: 24"
- Location: Pigeon River
- Record set by Charles A. Pederson in 2000
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slowmotiongli // Shutterstock

Brown Bullhead

- Weight: 7 lbs 1 oz
- Length: 24.4"
- Location: Shallow Lake
- Record set by William Meyer in 1974
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Brown Trout

- Weight: 16 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 31.4"
- Location: Lake Superior
- Record set by W. Landis Bullock in 1989
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Neon_TI // Shutterstock

Burbot

- Weight: 19 lbs 3 oz
- Length: 36.25"
- Location: Lake of the Woods - Baudette
- Record set by John Galles in 2001
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Rostislav Stefanek // Shutterstock

Carp

- Weight: 55 lbs 5 oz
- Length: 42"
- Location: Clearwater Lake
- Record set by Frank Ledwein in 1952
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Aleron Val // Shutterstock

Channel Catfish

- Weight: 38 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 44"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Terrence Fussy in 1975
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Kevin Cass // Shutterstock

Chinook (King) Salmon

- Weight: 33 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 44.75"
- Location: Poplar River
- Record set by Dave Anderson in 1989
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Kevin Cass // Shutterstock

Chinook (King) Salmon

- Weight: 33 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 42.25"
- Location: Lake Superior
- Record set by Jeffrey Gulbranson in 1989
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Troutnut // Shutterstock

Coho Salmon

- Weight: 10 lbs 6.5 oz
- Length: 27.3"
- Location: Lake Superior - near Baptism River
- Record set by Louis Rhode in 1970
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Flathead Catfish

- Weight: 70 lbs 0 oz
- Location: Saint Croix River
- Record set by John L. Robert in 1970
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Roxana Gonzalez // Shutterstock

Freshwater Drum

- Weight: 35 lbs 3.2 oz
- Length: 36"
- Location: Mississippi River - near Winona
- Record set by Richard L. Rolbiecki in 1999
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Golden Redhorse

- Weight: 3 lbs 15.5 oz
- Length: 20"
- Location: Root River
- Record set in 2007
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USFWS Mountain-Prairie // Wikimedia Commons

Goldeye

- Weight: 2 lbs 13.1 oz
- Length: 20.1"
- Location: Root River - near Hokah
- Record set by Jamie Borowiak in 2001
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Green Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 4.8 oz
- Length: 11.4"
- Location: North Arbor Lake
- Record set in 2005
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Hybrid Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 11.5"
- Location: Middle Fork Zumbro River
- Record set by Daniel Ahlquist in 1994
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Ryan Cuddy // Shutterstock

Kokanee Salmon

- Weight: 2 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 20"
- Location: Caribou Lake
- Record set by Lars Kindem in 1971
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James.Pintar // Shutterstock

Lake Sturgeon

- Weight: 94 lbs 4 oz
- Length: 70"
- Location: Kettle River
- Record set by Kim Bengston in 1994
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Pi-Lens // Shutterstock

Lake Trout

- Weight: 43 lbs 8 oz
- Location: Lake Superior - near Hovland
- Record set by G. H. Nelson in 1955
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Piotr Wawrzyniuk // Shutterstock

Lake Whitefish

- Weight: 12 lbs 4.5 oz
- Length: 28.5"
- Location: Leech Lake - near Walker
- Record set by Darryl L. Peterson in 1999
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Pierre Rebollar // Shutterstock

Largemouth Bass

- Weight: 8 lbs 12.75 oz
- Length: 13.5"
- Location: Tetonka Lake
- Record set by Joseph Johanns in 1994
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Mikhail Blajenov // Shutterstock

Longnose Gar

- Weight: 16 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 53"
- Location: Saint Croix River - Prescott
- Record set by Doug Fullerton in 1982
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service // Wikimedia Commons

Longnose Sucker

- Weight: 3 lbs 10.6 oz
- Length: 21"
- Location: Brule River
- Record set in 2005
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NOAA // Wikimedia Commons

Mooneye

- Weight: 1 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 16.5"
- Location: Minnesota River
- Record set by Scott Neudecker in 1980
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M Huston // Shutterstock

Muskellunge

- Weight: 54 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 56"
- Location: Lake Winnibigoshish
- Record set by Art Lyons in 1957
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FedBul // Shutterstock

Northern Pike

- Weight: 45 lbs 12 oz
- Location: Basswood Lake
- Record set by J. V. Schanken in 2002
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SnapTPhotography // Shutterstock

Pink (Humpback) Salmon

- Weight: 4 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 23.5"
- Location: Cascade River
- Record set by Eugene E. Troyna in 1989
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Glass and Nature // Shutterstock

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

- Weight: 1 lbs 5.6 oz
- Length: 10.1"
- Location: Leech Lake
- Record set by John Svihel in 1999
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Rainbow Trout

- Weight: 16 lbs 6 oz
- Length: 33"
- Location: Devil Track River
- Record set in 1980
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Duane Raver // Wikimedia Commons

River Carpsucker

- Weight: 3 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 19.5"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Stephen Cook in 1991
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Brian Gratwicke // Wikimedia Commons

River Redhorse

- Weight: 12 lbs
- Length: 28.78"
- Location: Kettle River
- Record set by Brent LaPierre in 2005
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Steve Brigman // Shutterstock

Rock Bass

- Weight: 2 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 13.5"
- Location: Lake Osakis
- Record set by Paul Kern in 1998
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Steve Oehlenschlager // Shutterstock

Sauger

- Weight: 6 lbs 2.75 oz
- Length: 23.88"
- Location: Mississippi River - near Red Wing
- Record set by Don Kizer in 1988
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Smithsonian Environmental Research Center // Wikimedia Commons

Shorthead Redhorse

- Weight: 7 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 27"
- Location: Rum River - near Ramsey
- Record set by Robert G. Litke in 1983
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GUNAWAN SIDIK // Shutterstock

Shortnose Gar

- Weight: 4 lbs 9.6 oz
- Length: 34.6"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Matthew Ocel in 1984
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Andrea Izzotti // Shutterstock

Shovelnose Sturgeon

- Weight: 5 lbs 9 oz
- Length: 34"
- Location: Mississippi River
- Record set by Joe Yankovec in 2007
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John Czenke // Shutterstock

Silver Redhorse

- Weight: 9 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 26.6"
- Location: Big Fork River
- Record set in 2004
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CSNafzger // Shutterstock

Smallmouth Bass

- Weight: 8 lbs 0 oz
- Location: West Battle Lake
- Record set by John Creighton in 1948
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Ohio DNR // Wikimedia Commons

Smallmouth Buffalo

- Weight: 20 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 32"
- Location: Big Sandy
- Record set in 2003
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Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

Splake

- Weight: 13 lbs 5.44 oz
- Length: 33.5"
- Location: Larson Lake
- Record set by Michael Birdsall in 2001
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Jennifer de Graaf // Shutterstock

Tiger Muskellunge

- Weight: 34 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 51"
- Location: Lake Elmo
- Record set by Josh Stevenson in 1999
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Matt Jeppson // Shutterstock

Tiger Trout

- Weight: 2 lbs 9.12 oz
- Length: 20"
- Location: Mill Creek
- Record set by Chris Nelson in 1999
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wwwarjag //Shutterstock

Walleye

- Weight: 17 lbs 8 oz
- Length: 35.8"
- Location: Seagull River
- Record set by Leroy Chiovitte in 1979
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Apostrophe // Shutterstock

White Bass

- Weight: 4 lbs
- Length: 18.5"
- Location: Mississippi River Pool 5
- Record set in 2004
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Apostrophe // Shutterstock

White Bass

- Weight: 4 lbs 0 oz
- Length: 18"
- Location: Genoa fishing barge
- Record set by Richard Zehrt in 1974
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Jennifer White Maxwell // Shutterstock

White Crappie

- Weight: 3 lbs 15 oz
- Length: 18"
- Location: Constance Lake
- Record set by Michael J. Woodward in 2002
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RLS Photo // Shutterstock

White Sucker

- Weight: 9 lbs 1 oz
- Length: 24.25"
- Location: Big Fish Lake
- Record set by Thomas Waibel in 1983
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jpreat // Shutterstock

Yellow Bullhead

- Weight: 3 lbs 10.5 oz
- Length: 17.875"
- Location: Lake Osakis
- Record set by Dick Ellingsworth in 2002
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John Piekos // Shutterstock

Yellow Perch

- Weight: 3 lbs 4 oz
- Location: Lake Plantaganette
- Record set by Merle Johnson in 1945

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