Record fish caught in California

Written by:
Stacker
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.

Stacker compiled a list of record fish caught in California using data from Land Big Fish. 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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